# How to enrich Flourite - worm casting, Laterite, Peat, Osmotcote, etc...



## johnzhou2476 (Nov 28, 2006)

Hi, I'm running a high tec tank with a lot of lighting and CO2. I would like to push growth to the max by having both rich water column fert and rich sediment fert. 

I am already using Flourite so I have no plan to switch over ADA aquasoil. I want make the best of what I already have. My question for the experts out there is what's the best way to enrich Flourite so that I can obtain similiar growth qualities as ADA aquasoil? 

Here's my initial thought; I will enrich the first 1" inch layer of Flourite and then top it off with 2" of regular flourite. As far as enriching Flourite, here are some of the ingredients that I'm thinking of adding:

Worm casting - this will provide good NPK
Dolomite - this will provide ca and mg for crypt and swords
Laterite - this wll provide good potassium and iron
Peat - this will create an acidic substrate so that the above can be assimiliated by the root

I have no idea how much of the above should mixed with Flourite. Please chime in if you've experimented with enriching inert substrate such as Flourite.


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## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Mineralized topsoil should work just fine if you have the time to do it. I've been using a wormcasting/mts hybrid method. I use boiled wc and mix it with clay. Sprinkle the bottom of the tank with some dolomite, osmocote, and some steamed bone meal. I don't use much of the dolomite since the bone meal has calcium in it too. Put the wc/clay mix on top and cap it. I used 3m cq. I also dose a modified ei(high po4 and fe). Been using this substrate and water column ferts for a while now and it works for me.


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