# Something about Schultz Substrate



## nap83 (Feb 7, 2006)

I just got done rescaping my tank, of course in that process dirty work is always involved. I noticed that when i was pulling out masses of plants from the substrate that all the plant roots were extremely healthy and thickly spread out, i have gone through a lot of rescaping but Schultz, though it lacks the iron really helps in making the roots "breathe". Some of the roots are even thicker than the plants itself. What a good thing to know.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

I like Shutlz Aquatic Profile, i've been using it for over a year and don't care what the heck people say about it. I think its a good substrate, easy to plant in, and the color itself looks natural to me and not orangish at all.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Where do you get this Schultz from? what is the cost?


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

Home Depot, about 12 a bag


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Thanks, I will check it out, I have a 10 gallon in the garage, I might set it up with some for a test.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

I think I got mine from Home Depot, prices per bag may vary. I got mine for like $6-7 bucks a bag.


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## nap83 (Feb 7, 2006)

home depot, i get mine for $7 for a 10lb bag that is more than enough for a 10g. 

i've always been fond of using it since it's cheap, and the fact that it is a true aquatic substrate made for aquatic plants. a lot of naysayers hate the fact that it does not have iron and is extremely lightweight. now i know why it is, making it lightweight makes the roots (and the substrate) breathe more and expand in a much quicker manner allowing competition to garner nutrients from the water surface. it's also easy to inject with fertilizers. 

i have never had a problem with it, in due time the roots of the plants hold the substrate in place anyways. 

i have always layered mine with a little peat moss underneath. on my next tank i will layer peat moss and laterite underneath the SAPS.


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## fredyk (Jun 21, 2004)

You will also have a difficult time finding it at this time of year at HD, because they get it for summer ponds. 

Is it true that Soilmaster is the same thing, and Lescoe's sells Soilmaster?

Mark


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Soilmaster Select (SMS), Turface Pro League (TPL) Products, and Shultz Aquatic Plant Soil (SAPS) are all basically the same thing. SAPS is actually made by the same company that makes Turface. They all have a pretty high iron content also but whether this specific type of iron is available to the plants I do not know for sure  This really shouldn't be an issue if you intend to add iron to the water column.

Their price makes them especially attractive and yes, Lesco does stock the Soilmaster products in the red coloration. If you want the charcoal colored Soilmaster it can be very difficult to fine. All three of these products also have a very high CEC in comparison to Flourite according to this this article.

If you decide upon either Soilmaster or Turface products make sure to get Soilmaster Select or Turface Pro League. Both of these have a much smaller, more uniform grain size and seem to work better than the regular types of Soilmaster and Turface. SAPS is a large grain but still works very well in my experience


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## Blacksunshine (Aug 11, 2006)

I love Schultz. I'm getting Great growth and root establishment in my 20L. my only dislike about schultz is the color but thats not so bad if you have a fully planted tank. Anyways you can find it in the pond supply section of the garden center at lowes. OR you can find it in the fert's and plant food section at homedepot. both around here sell for about 6-7 bucks for a 10LB bag.


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## Milkdud (Jan 21, 2007)

This stff looks interresting. I have a spare 29gal. Hmmmmm....


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## feistyfish (Aug 13, 2006)

may i ask what the main difference between the SAPS and soilmaster select is then? does SAPS also require any additional washing or can it be placed straight in?


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

The Shultz granules are slightly larger in size than Soilmaster Select. SAPS does still require rinsing before placing into an aquarium. Even on their packaging they do instruct rinsing before using in ponds.


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## feistyfish (Aug 13, 2006)

thanks!


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## 1987 (Jan 14, 2007)

I've used it in the past and it is very light weight...Worked great for me though and really good for doing it on the cheap


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## Boz (Jun 1, 2006)

Question, please? 

I am using SAPS in a 30g and like it a lot. As a newbie, I didn't know about the iron, but the reason I mixed it was because I wanted to use Flourite, didn't have enough, so I threw a bag of this in first. Because of the weight difference, I ended up with flourite on the bottom and the APS on top. Lesson learned. Anyway, I'd like to use it again, but don't want to use something as expensive as flourite. I read about this laterite, but I've never seen it. Where would one purchase this, and how much of a bottom layer should be used? 

Thanks.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

you can get Laterite right at PetSmart, not PetCo though.
It is pricey, a box is $20 and it is not alot, but you only need a thin layer on bottom, I like to put a very thin layer of peat moss under it, you get that at Home Depot, Lowe's, or even Walmart or Target for no more then $4 a bag.


MilkDud, I just set up a 29 tank for holding / quarentining new plants and threw one 10lb bag in, no washing or anything and it is fine, and all plants that spend time in there are happy.

feistyfish Like I said above, I did no pre wash or anything, opened the bag and threw it in, there was not too much sediment in the water, a little, but overnight with a filter and it was gone. Of course you can pre-wash it if you want, but don't have to.


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## Boz (Jun 1, 2006)

Thank you goalcreas! About the peat...do you just use Sphagnum (?) peat that you find in garden centers? I assume you're not talking about the type you put down in your yard that comes in the big cubes, right? 

Do you wet it down and then just lay it on the bottom? It doesn't mix up and enter the water column? I've never done this, but it sounds interesting. Also does it darken your water, and if so, for how long?

Sorry for all the newb questions. I'm a fish geek, but a wanna be plant geek.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

My local Lesco, Phoenix, just got in like 36 bags of the SMS charcoal.
they did this because enough people were asking, so in it came, I suggest getting as many people as you can who want it to call and e-mail and go in to the local lesco, and ask, and they will get in a pallet or two.


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## meredymae (Jan 5, 2007)

I think I'm going to try this in a new nano, I like the low price thing as well as being able to use up some leftover laterite.

I have some regular old peat I got in the herp dept over at Pets Inc in Tempe AZ--I'll use that at the bottom I think...

Thanks for all the helpful info folks.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Boz said:


> Thank you goalcreas! About the peat...do you just use Sphagnum (?) peat that you find in garden centers? I assume you're not talking about the type you put down in your yard that comes in the big cubes, right?
> 
> Do you wet it down and then just lay it on the bottom? It doesn't mix up and enter the water column? I've never done this, but it sounds interesting. Also does it darken your water, and if so, for how long?
> 
> Sorry for all the newb questions. I'm a fish geek, but a wanna be plant geek.


sorry for not answering this sooner, yes, the Sphagnum, just the small $3 dollar bags, you don't need to wet it, and I have then used a thin layer, just enough to cover the peat of Silica sand, ($5 for 100lbs at Home Depot, you might see if an employee will give you a shopping bag full of a few handfulls from a ripped bag) this helps keep it where it belongs, no it doesn't tint the water, at least it didn't my tank, but it does help lower the PH


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