# "Substrates for the Planted Aquarium"



## MatPat

Here is a very good article by Jamie S. Johnson to help folks with some substrate choices. A lot of the newer substrates like ADA's products and Eco Complete were not tested but for folks who are looking for a good, economical substrate, this may be a good read. About half way throught the article there is a table listing several different types of substrates and their nutrient content.

"Substrates for the Planted Aquarium"


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## evercl92

good find Matt.


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## woody21

Thanks mat , a good read.


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## dawntwister

Very interesting chart for types of substrate. Wondering, what chemicals are the most important for the plants. I know Fe (iron) is 1 necessary chemical. What other chemicals should be high?


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## Zapins

Good choice for a sticky. I remember finding this page several years ago and I found it very helpful. One of the only good soil info pages out there.


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## MatPat

dawntwister said:


> Very interesting chart for types of substrate. Wondering, what chemicals are the most important for the plants. I know Fe (iron) is 1 necessary chemical. What other chemicals should be high?


As far as the chemicals plants need not many substrates (other than maybe soils) contain what they need the most, nitrogen and phosphorous and potassium. Most substrates just have the micro nutrients in them. This is where I think the CEC ability of the substrate comes into play. The higher the CEC the better the substrate.

If you dose the water column properly, I think the plants could care less about the substrate though substrate may help a little ;-)


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## dawntwister

After reading that kitty litter has iron in it, I did some more research on kitty litter and found this info at http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/cat-litter.html.

Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000
In my 55 gallon with almost exclusively kitty litter that plant roots penetrate eagerly. I have a friend with a 125 gallon all kitty litter substrate with 1.5 inches "gravel" on top. He had to tear it down when he moved. The plants had grown so well that the substrate was almost one large mass of roots!!! I've noticed in my kitty litter substrates that the 'soil' is actually not very compact. In fact it seems to be almost in a state of suspension. It woldn't take much water flow to greatly disturb it. However I also notice the roots on the side of the aquarium (looking through the glass) growing very well, especially with my Glosso which has rapidly grown through the 1.5 inch of "play sand" into the kitty litter. This glosso, from several 'sprigs' has grown into a virtual carpet in only 4 months. And I haven't added any CO2!!! I love my kitty litter substrate!!!
by WEREED5518/aol.com Eric

Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999
After testing pH's, I narrowed it down to STP Oil-dri and Special Kitty litter (Wal-Mart brand in red bag). Special Kitty pH of 1 tsp/cup water, swirled, allowed to settle was 6.5.
by "Jamie Johnson" <jjohnson/davisfloyd.com>

Since replanting can cause some litter come up I am going to add it to the top soil I am using. I will top it with flourite. I have to test flourite's ability to keep the dirt down before I decide if I am going to need to use some sand on top.


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## dawntwister

I am beginning to think that it was a bad idea to post what someone else wrote about their experience with kitty litter. For I can't answer questions about the use of ferts etc., since it is not my experience. Just thought it was interesting info. I am going to run an experiement with it though. Will be mixing kitty litter with topsoil, egg shells, and shultz take root. Will top it off with flourite. Using flourite because I got it for free. Will not add any ferts but will add diy Co2. If after a month the plants aren't doing good I will start using ferts.


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## hoppycalif

The problem with kitty litter is that it is kitty litter. It is manufactured to be good for that purpose, so changes that improve it may be changes that make it totally unsuited as a substrate. The original idea was always to use basic, cheap, generic brand kitty litter, that was too cheap to contain substances not suited for being in an aquarium. But, that makes suggesting a specific brand very difficult and only good for that specific time, possibly in that area of the country.

I never tried kitty litter, because of that worry. There are too many other good substances to use that don't present the potential problems of kitty litter.


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## Manwithnofish

Someone said,


> If you use soil or ADA aqua soil, then you really do not need much if any ferts.


 Can anyone tell me what ADA Aqua soil is?


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## fishman9809

ADA AquaSoil is one of the best substrates in the world for planted tanks:

Read the descriptions at the website:

adgshop.com

click on substrate system and aquasoil, you can choose Amazonia I or II, Africana, or MAlaya.


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## dawntwister

Other good substrates are onyx gravel, eco complete, soilmaster, laterite.

Laterite can be mixed in with any gravel, so I have read. 

From Zapans have gathered that these are the nutrients pants need in the order of importance. 
1 Carbon
2 Nitrogen 
3 Phosphate 
4 Potassium
5 Iron 
6 Calcium 
7 Magnesium 
8 Copper
9 Boron
10 Molybdenum 
11 Sulfer
13 Zinc

Found vege. fert, dynamite, at hardware store which has nitrate phosphte
potasium iron and a few others nutrients.


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## hoppycalif

The list above has phosphorous and potassium reversed. Although phosphorous may be more important than potassium, the plants need more potassium than phosphorous. Beware of vegetable fertilizers! Most use urea for a large percentage of the nitrogen. Urea has to be dosed very carefully compared to potassium nitrate.


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## dawntwister

On a web site writen by rs79 osmocote ferts are used to make fert balls. That is where I got the idea of using vegetable ferts. Dynamite is similar to osmocote fert but comes in a smaller bottle, thus I bought it.


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## hoppycalif

If you can be reasonably sure any substrate fertilizers won't be dug up and released into the water, you can safely use urea containing fertilizer in fert balls. I used to use ordinary plant stick, cut into smaller pieces, for a substrate fertilizer. But, one day I pulled out a couple of sword plants and got a couple of them on top of the substrate. Green water followed. Months later I did it again, again with green water following. I didn't know any better at that time.


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## dawntwister

Yey, I looked at the ingredients of the dynamite veg fert and it had for nitrogen 
50% nitrate nitrogin and 50% ammniacal nitrogen. Bought it when I didn't have my glasses with me.

I think I will be okay with it in my 29 gallon tank. For just put a handfull of pebbles in the dirt. Also my swords will planted in pots. All but one of my fish are hardy fish, which are used for starting a tank.

Got any suggestions for other cheap ferts?


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## gasteriaphile

So-called "kitty litter" is basically calcined clay but it differs from the typical form such as Turface in that the kitty litter type has a clumping agent that would be disastrous to use as a substrate! Forget about "kitty litter" as you may not be getting straight, pure, unadulterated calcined clay. Just buy Turface and you'll get fired calcined clay, which is what does not clump and break down.


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## dawntwister

Anybody use oil dry from automotive dept?


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## tenakoon

awesome thoughts people this is really goin to help with my aquarium.[smilie=b:


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## dawntwister

gasteriaphile said:


> Forget about "kitty litter" as you may not be getting straight, pure, unadulterated calcined clay.


I agree with that. After reading at another forum that a lot of people use just Red Bag kitty litter and top it with sand I tried. I mixed it in dirt and topped it with play sand. Now every time I move plants a few fish die. Now only move plants that aren't in the substrate. Plans are to dig out some of the dirt and put more dirt on top of it. Then top it with River Sand.


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## dustinsfishtanks

If you are going for the cheap and want some results use dirt. It takes some work up front but I won't set up a planted tank without dirt any more. Here is the first part of an article I am working on for my blog about if. I have videos as well...just ask...

http://www.fishtanktv.com/dirt-in-fishtank/planted-aquarium-substrate-how-i-do-it-and-why/

As away as it might seem overwhelming.


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## Elo500

The 1st and last links do not work. Are there any updates for this thread?


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## amir7099

Ada amazonia
hi i have a question
Some productions of ADA have been entered to Iran. And the point that some of those are in Iran by personal stores and are not in iran by your candidator.
I have bought one of these products called Amazonia but I think that this one is produced in 2008 because the title on it was NEW Amazonia. The ADA changed the shape of Amazonia in 2011 and wrote just Amazonia ( without new ) so the result: my Amazonia is made in 2008. And this is the QR code of mine: 
I want to know according to what I said, What happened to quality of mine? Did it reduce in quality or not? ( reminde you that mine is 2008 )
What about spoiling? 
Because the seeds of Aquasoil were a little wet and changed into powder by some finger pressure.


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