Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I bought
this stuff under the impression that it was suitable substrate for aquatic plants? Am I right or does it need more than it says on the package? I rather like the colour so I'm uninclined to cover it up, but I will if that would help rooting and plant nutrition...
As far as I can tell they actually don't tell you enough but not seeing the complete backside of the bag..???
About the best guess is it's baked clay.
Now this can be anywhere from very low CEC (won't hold + nutrients) to relatively high CEC (but not as high as organic soils).
Being called "active" one might assume it has some CEC capacity but ??.
Depends on the type of clay it is made out of.
As to included nutrients.. not likely but could be wrong.
If your water Gh decreases w/ using it one could assume some CEC as it will pull Ca out of the water column.
Turface/Cat Litter(normally)/Safe-T-Sorb are US examples of a higher CEC clay.
Most will pre-charge it w/ ferts initially though personally I'd only add something like Calcium at the beginning.
Things like Flouite are usually low CEC.
Point is it would be helpful to know WHAT it actually is.
As a substrate sure it is fine as to size/stability/ and to you the color.
Not knocking it as a product, just wish they were less opaque.
Not uncommon though.
Secondly, do you think just mixing regular potting soil with horticultural sand would work the same as with the pond soil stuff? If so, what ratio should I use?
Again, one needs to know what's in the potting soil to make a determination.
From fertilizers (spike ammounium most likely) a lot of humus (high CEC ) to things like perlite/vermiculite it all sort of matters.
Probably a lot more "stuff" than you asked but oh well.
just info: