# bulk substrate help?



## cmay194 (Feb 18, 2008)

I need to get enough substrate for a 210g tank! I like Eco Complete but it would be a small fortune. Does anyone use aquariumplants.com's freshwater planted aquarium substrate? It sounds good and is more affordable. I can buy it by the 5g bucket. Right now there is also free shipping.

http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/ss-1.htm


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I use it in one of my tanks and like it. It is certainly more cost effective than the Eco Complete I've used in other tanks. It's more lightweight than the eco, but it has a nice grain size and isn't hard to plant in. Most importantly my plants are doing very well with it. My other tanks have eco over soil so I can't compare directly, but there doesn't look to be any problems with the Aquariumplants substrate.

There has been some debate that it's the same (or near enough to be the same) as Soil Master Select or another brand I can't think of right now. If you have access to SMS it would be cheaper than the aquariumplants substrate. With free shipping it sounds like a pretty good deal.


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## duzzy (Feb 9, 2008)

I used aqua clay and fount it to be much cheaper.....also found a place online with either free or a fixed shipping rate


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## bradac56 (May 9, 2007)

Look for a few products like Soil Master Select (SMS), Truface (the new version of SMS) or
Schultz Aqua Soil there much, much cheaper for the same product.

SMS and Truface is found at Lesco.com and SAS is found at Home Depot. Barring that
go to a local greenhouse supplier and ask for a non-fertilizer & non-moisture additive
top soil.

- Brad


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## lauraleellbp (Jan 31, 2008)

I'm setting up a 90gal and faced the same issue- really like the Eco but couldn't afford to pay more than my light fixture for substrate! LOL I ended up going with a 60% Eco 40% black colorquartz mix- I haven't set up the tank yet but a friend of mine and I both are doing the same thing and she says she loves the way hers looks!

I found my colorquartz by going to 3M.com and finding a local pool supply distributor. 50lb bag was only $22.23 plus tax.

Next tank I think I will try Turface. (I didn't go with it in this tank only b/c it's lighter and I didn't want to deal at all with cloudy water. This is going to be my showpiece tank so I will be tweaking the aquascape quite a bit...)


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## icom (Feb 23, 2008)

cmay194 said:


> I need to get enough substrate for a 210g tank! I like Eco Complete but it would be a small fortune. Does anyone use aquariumplants.com's freshwater planted aquarium substrate? It sounds good and is more affordable. I can buy it by the 5g bucket. Right now there is also free shipping.
> 
> http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/ss-1.htm


its not free shipping unless the order is $150 or more (click on the _this item qualifies for FREE SHIPPING!_ ) but for what you'de need to do a 210g it would be free.

I'm thinking of buying the aquariumplants stuff too,for my 55g..really cant afford the about $160 or so for eco..I don't like Flourite,dirty stuff,doesn't look that good (to me anyway).I did put a bag of it in a 10g but I sure am glad I only bought the 1 bag and not 6-8 bags of it.
I was going to go with Flourite Black Sand,but the only thing the local pet shop can get is regular Flourite or Eco Complete.And I haven't been able to find SMS or Turface anywhere close enough to me to make it worth driving for

catherine...how is the AP substrate ? is it hard pointy sharp stuff like Flourite is ? or is it more like regular gravel/Eco Complete ?


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## lauraleellbp (Jan 31, 2008)

When I was doing my substrate research I sent an email to Aquarium Plants about the content of their "own" substrate, and this is all I got in reply:

"Hi,
It is all natural...heavy in iron, and all of the micro and macro nutrients...used with our exclusive fert pellets, we will guarantee it is the best product on the market..."

My understanding is that it is inert, but good texture/grain to promote root growth, but that is the reason they say it needs to be used with their fert pellets to actually provide nutrients.


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## wrkucera (Jan 6, 2008)

lauraleellbp said:


> When I was doing my substrate research I sent an email to Aquarium Plants about the content of their "own" substrate, and this is all I got in reply:
> 
> "Hi,
> It is all natural...heavy in iron, and all of the micro and macro nutrients...used with our exclusive fert pellets, we will guarantee it is the best product on the market..."
> ...


makes sense to me


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