# Turface or Soilmaster??



## Glouglou (Feb 21, 2006)

On the left corner

*Soilmaster*
Ph= 6
CEC= 18

In the right corner

*Turface*

PH: 6.0-6.5 
CEC: 33.6

Who win?
:third:


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I would be surprised if there were any measurable differences between the two substrates, as far as their use in an aquarium is concerned. CEC is not the most important parameter for a substrate. And, the CEC for those two is for all practical purposes the same.

I am close to setting up a 10 gallon tank, running with no CO2 and with moderate light intensity, using Zeolite sand over a layer of Leonardite. Zeolite sand has about 100 times the CEC of SM. If this works, and if it is better than SM, I expect that it will be better in trapping ammonium, which is a cation, thus limiting some forms of algae. Right now I am soaking some of the zeolite sand in a glass of water for a week or so to see if it affects hardness, either GH or KH, or the pH. Assuming that works out, and that I get my Diamond Black, which is Leonardite, I should be able to set this up either late this week or early next week, and I will start a thread about it.


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## Glouglou (Feb 21, 2006)

Leonardite seem to be some kind of unmature coal.
A big source of Humic acid. You not scare to have to much?

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Total Nitrogen (N)...............................................1.00%
Available Phosphoric Acid (P2O5).................... 0.01%
Soluble Potash (K2O)....................................... ..0.12%
Calcium (Ca)...........................................................3.00%
Magnesium (Mg)....................................................0.57%
Total Sulfur (S).......................................................2.30%
Boron(B)....................................................................0.02%
Iron (Fe)...................................................................0.88%
Manganese (Mn)...................................................0.02%
Potassium (K)..........................................................0.07%
Titanium (Ti).............................................................0.03%
Carbon (C)...........................................................31.00%

As I can see it’s really an organic material that will probably release all these chemicals at unknow speed??


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Tom Barr actually recommends an inch thick layer of Leonardite under the inert substrate! That does seem like a lot, but I haven't caught him in a big mistake yet, so I will be using something close to that. From what I read about Leonardite it will hold up without disintegrating completely for about a year. So, I wouldn't expect a big nutrient dump using it. And, the nutrients will be somewhat trapped under the sand anyway. Since this is a ten gallon tank, I don't mind if it fails completely - testing is fun!

If I don't see some big advantage with the zeolite sand I think I will be ready to say that CEC is not an important quality for a substrate.


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