# Calcite Substrate



## Ben Belton (Mar 14, 2004)

A friend that is a manager at a PetSmart or PetLand sent me this mail. I don't know anything about the substrate he is talking about. Fron the sound of it, it seems like something that might be good in a Cichlid tank, but not plants. Does anyone know what he is talking about?

I thought it might be a good opportunity for me to learn something here too.

Thanks,
Ben



> At my store we are clearancing-out "aragonite" calcite?...you know, the expensive substrates...one is charcoal color, the other a sort of beige color and the other an off-whitish...
> 
> Any other rec'ds about substrate. We sell the bags for $20, and now down
> to only $4!


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

Chances are the argonite they have is a Carib-Sea product. Great for marine or africans. That price is great.


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## jerseyjay (Jan 25, 2004)

Ben,

Aragonite is being used in african setups (Lake Malawi/Victoria/Tanganyika not West Africa) and marine setups.

Here is general info on aragonite.
http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/carbonat/aragonit/aragonit.htm


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

If the grey stuff is by seachem, you can use that in planted tank, they make Onyx sand and a marine substrate as well, they are both the same stuff. I talked to Greg about that some years back. 

Calcite and aragonite are just different forms of CaCO3. Aragonite has a slightly better solubility than calcite. 

I use aragonite in marine planted tanks well and will use onyx sand as well in the next set up I do. 

I've been highly pleased over the long term with Onyx sand. Both on CO2 and non CO2 enriched plant tanks. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## aquaverde (Feb 9, 2004)

I heard from others that Gray Coast Calcite and Onyx (both by Seachem) are the same thing. The Gray Coast Calcite is supposedly cheaper, have no idea if it is the same grain size as Onyx sand.


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## sjogren1 (Feb 23, 2004)

It is the same size as Onyx Sand. In fact, according to Seachem support, it is the same product. I have one bag of it as the (only) substrate in a 10 gal. I received this from Seachem awhile ago (1/15/03):

Dear Roger,

You are correct in your assumption that these are the same products. 
This particular ore (calcite) has very beneficial properties for both 
freshwater planted aquariums and saltwater aquariums. In fact, it can 
be used in just about any aquarium environment. The reason we sell it 
2 different ways is for marketing purposes. Saltwater hobbyists tend 
to look for products (substrates included) that specifically cater to 
the saltwater side of the hobby. Likewise, freshwater hobbyists tend 
to look for products that specifically cater to the freshwater side 
of the hobby.
-- 
Best Regards,
Seachem Technical Support,rb~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seachem Laboratories, Inc. www.seachem.com 888-SEACHEM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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## defdac (May 10, 2004)

What is the difference between the CaCO3-powder and this Calcite (CaCO3)-substrate? How come it doesn't dissolve as CaCO3-powder?


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