# Help me to choose new substrate.



## plamski (Oct 27, 2009)

I have 2 x 15gal tanks with Turface pro substrate. Lighting is 2x24W T5HO bulbs on each tank, pressure CO2 thru powerhead, Aquaclear 30 filter ,EI modified dosing, 50-60% water change every 10 days. Common med-high light stem plants. I have problem with plants grow and melting on some roots especially on toninas and Pogostemon. I thing to get new substrate. One choice is to use The Miracle Gro Organic choice potting soil topped with existing Turface Pro. Other is to use Amazonia I.
Please help me to pick the right one. I’d like to grow nice plants with minimum substrate additives on other hand I’ll replant the tanks probably 3-4 times per year to try different scapes.
When more advanced substrate is in use do I have to lower ferts dosing in water column ?


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

Get aquasoil, no question.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I thought the Amazonia II was supposed to be better.


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## JustLikeAPill (Oct 9, 2006)

People generally don't like it. AS 1 is great stuff. The best!


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## plamski (Oct 27, 2009)

I'll take Amazonia I.Is it require some additives under, like power sand , bacter 100 etc?


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## JustLikeAPill (Oct 9, 2006)

You don't "need" them but they are recommended for the whole ecosystem's health. 

You can use aquasoil by it's self. I like powersand though. Powersand special comes with some of the additives like bacter 100 and clear super (I think that's all) mixed in for a couple dollars more.


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## klink67 (Feb 11, 2011)

50% tahitian moon sand and 50% amazonia II

This should give you a good mix


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## Skelley (Mar 4, 2006)

plamski said:


> When more advanced substrate is in use do I have to lower ferts dosing in water column ?


Worth repeating as I have the same question as well.


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## Emily6 (Feb 14, 2006)

This confuses me too, Skelley... I think these fancier substrates sound good but are complicated to use. 

I'm using Seachem Flourite which I think only offers added iron. I like it for that reason- it's hard to over-do iron, especially in the substrate, and yet it's clean and attractive.

That being said, if you do choose it, rinse it A LOT- I rinsed mine 3 times and it still turned the water cement gray for almost a week. The packaging is very optimistic about cloudiness. I plan on buying more soon regardless.

I just read that the Amazonia II is supposed to correct for the tendency of Amazonia to leach things in Alkaline water. FYI.


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## Emily6 (Feb 14, 2006)

For Ha Ha's I fact-checked myself and found some better information on Seachem Flourite. Here's it's actual nutrient content (more than just iron, let's say- it reads like the Wheaties box):

Concentration of nutrients in Flourite™:

* Aluminum: 10210
* Barium: 124
* Calcium: 195
* Cobalt: 6
* Chromium: 13
* Copper: 17
* Iron: 18500
* Potassium: 2195
* Magnesium: 2281
* Manganese: 64
* Sodium: 223
* Nickel: 12
* Vanadium: 15
* Zinc: 29
Units=mg/kg, source: Plasma Emission Spectrometer, EPA Method 3050, Univ. of Georgia Chemical Analysis Lab

In short, I've found dosing dry ferts as recommended in one of the ferts stickies (I scaled down one tank size) on this site to work just fine in addition to this fert cocktail. While this might be stating the obvious to some, you can always start at the smaller fert bracket and work your way up if you find the need- Seachem also has a dosing regime posted on their site along side their substrates- However, it's completely geared to sell you more products than prevent an algae bloom. Reader beware.


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## Skelley (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks Emily!


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Attached is a spreadsheet of the nutrients in the different flourite substrates and EcoComplete. Not all of the nutrients in the Flourite line are available to plants. It is my understanding that he man made soils need to be changed about every 2 years or so. Flourite will last and last and last.


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## Emily6 (Feb 14, 2006)

Wow, that's really helpful, Newt- I didn't realize the Seachem products differed so much from each other! I also never see Onyx for sale anymore. Now I wonder which "black" is in my tank lol! 

Eco Complete is the one that comes wet, right? Any opinions on that stuff? I'm always a little skeptical.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Yes, Eco is the one that comes wet. However, I'd rinse it lightly as you dont know how long it has sat around. I hear you need to do frequent water changes when you first start up with it. Unlike Flourite Eco will leach into the water column and cause algae blooms.

At some point I'm changing out my Flourite Original in my 75 with Black Flourite but will use one bag of Eco as the second layer. 1st layer will be a dusting of peat.


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## plamski (Oct 27, 2009)

I have 1 tank with eco-complete/not in production any more, at least first type/.
I do have some tanks with Turface pro substrate. All of them had the same light, ferts and CO2 schedule. I didn’t mention better grow in Eco-Complete tank. Plants are med-high to high light.


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