# Baked porus clay type substrate



## carpboyjoe (Jan 31, 2011)

I have been looking around for a resonable plant substrate for a new tank that I am getting the tank will be 250 gallons so cost is also a factor when you consider that eco complete is £20 and for a 2" layer I will need 10 bags @ around £200 and a similar amount of flourite at a similar cost.
After doing a fair amount of looking about and finding baked clay porus bonsai potting media and various baked clay hydroponics medias at vastly cheaper prices I am wondering what makes the aquarium versions so much better to justify the huge increase in price when they are basically the same stuff.
I am sure these products will eventually break down but so does eco complete and flourite,after 3 years I stripped down a 110 that originally had 2" of eco complete under 2" of course sand the eco complete was just a mush.
So is it worth paying large amounts of money for something that when all is said and done will just turn into a mush the same as the cheaper stuff.Yes it may contain various nutrients that enhance plant growth but that seems to be about all.
I would welcome other opinions on this.
Thanks in advance


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## fishingkid1 (Apr 4, 2010)

Flourite doesn't break down for many many years. 

Have you thought of doing MTS? Mineralized top soil, with a pool filter sand cap?

Look at the thread by AarronT at the start of this forum, if you have time.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

carpboyjoe said:


> I am wondering what makes the aquarium versions so much better to justify the huge increase in price when they are basically the same stuff.


not much - that's why many use a cat litter version of backed clay for their substrate which is also used to soak up moisture around playing fields and petrochemicals at car garages. I don't know how it's sold in the UK, but we can get domestic baked clay here in the US for around $10usd for 50 pounds in each bag. that price really helps when you are trying to lay 10cm deep of substrate in a coffin sized planted tank. http://www.oildri.com/ is the source of most baked clay product in the US, so you can research how such products are marketed in your country. obviously, you want something as close to the naturally occurring clay as possible. you might want to start your search at a hydroponic gardening supply center as their baked clay products can coincide with items used in our hobby too.


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## carpboyjoe (Jan 31, 2011)

fishingkid1 said:


> Flourite doesn't break down for many many years.
> 
> Have you thought of doing MTS? Mineralized top soil, with a pool filter sand cap?
> 
> Look at the thread by AarronT at the start of this forum, if you have time.


Nor should eco complete break down for a considerable time but it does,in less than 3 years.
The MTS idea is OK but the UK does not have the best weather for drying the soil as that is my understanding that there is multiple wettings and dryings.


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## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

carpboyjoe said:


> Nor should eco complete break down for a considerable time but it does,in less than 3 years.
> The MTS idea is OK but the UK does not have the best weather for drying the soil as that is my understanding that there is multiple wettings and dryings.


You can always bake the soil to dry it out... not as ideal, but it's a possibility.

That said, do you guys have Turface in the UK? It makes a great substrate, and a 50lb. bag of it is only US $12-$15...


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## carpboyjoe (Jan 31, 2011)

asukawashere said:


> You can always bake the soil to dry it out... not as ideal, but it's a possibility.
> 
> That said, do you guys have Turface in the UK? It makes a great substrate, and a 50lb. bag of it is only US $12-$15...


After a google search it does not appear that it is available in the UK,what is Turface any links to pictures or a dcent discription a it may be that it is available but via another name.
I thought about MTS but the repeated drying and wetting is not ideal as enough to do a 250 gallon tank will be quite a bit and the weather here at the minute would mean that it would have to be done inside.


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