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  1. T

    best substrate cap?

    If you want sand, then use sand. Perhaps just be prepared to either accept that it'll mix or have to replace it every so often to maintain the look :) FYI you could just use 100% sand? providing you give the plants plenty of water column ferts, you don't have to have any form of plant...
  2. T

    best substrate cap?

    What do you want to achieve? A particular look? Texture (for cory's perhaps)? One that wont mix? Sam
  3. T

    jbl aquabasis plus & Sand ?

    Trouble is the two will mix overtime, as the sand is a smaller grain size. You don't necessarily need the aquabasis, sand on its own will not cause you problems with plant roots, and with decent water fertilisation, the plants don't a need nutrient rich substrate, although it helps, of course. Sam
  4. T

    Washing Akadama

    Oh right, I see :) yeh the water changes should help curb any fluctuation in the KH. Sam
  5. T

    Washing Akadama

    What makes you say this? Akadama is inert, so there shouldn't be any spiking. ADA aquasoil has an NH3 spike associated with it? SAm
  6. T

    Washing Akadama

    You'll never get the water to run clear and to be honest, as its clay you'll probably just end up washing it all down the drain as it slowly dissolve into the water. Once you get it in the tank and allow it to settle, the water in the tank will clear in a day or two :) San
  7. T

    Washing Akadama prior to use.

    Yeh takes a while to wash but it is just clay so guess its to be expected. I wouldn't worry about washing it to much, any clouding in the tank should setting after a day or two anyway. Sam
  8. T

    Flourite Black Sand dumping GH and KH

    Fair enough, just a thought :) Sam
  9. T

    Flourite Black Sand dumping GH and KH

    Does being inert cover it 'leaking' things? Inert means it wont react, which I guess taken to the letter its not, its just releasing stuff into the water? Just a thought. Sam
  10. T

    Re-using Tropica substrate

    From what I understand, its pretty inert when first added, 'gaining' nutrients as time passes due to a high CEC, so I dare say its 'better' once used for a couple of months anyway! Sam
  11. T

    Re-using Tropica substrate

    Dont see why not :) Sam
  12. T

    DIY Substrate where commercial substrate not available

    Just to throw it into the mix, you dont have to have a 'plant' substrate. Ok its useful and provies a backup should the water column ferts not be sufficient, but people have had great tanks just using inert gravel :) you just have to make sure you provide plenty of liquid ferts. Sam
  13. T

    does eco complete cloud?

    Good point Ceg, at the end of the day, you can growth pretty much anything in inert sand if you dose the water column sufficiently. A decent substrate just gives you a margin for error :) Sam EDIT - I think that price comparison, didn't look at having the same substrate depth, which made it...
  14. T

    does eco complete cloud?

    That's the reason I went with EC in my 4ft, just could bring myself to spend the money needed to get AS, unfortunately. Sam
  15. T

    does eco complete cloud?

    For bulk buying, this is the cheapest place I found to get it, free postage too ;) http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalo ... strate.asp Sam
  16. T

    does eco complete cloud?

    Nope not at all :) Sam
  17. T

    Hemianthus callitrichoides and Akadama

    Yeh, please don't take the HC/Akadama chat from me as anything but speculation! I think I have other fundamental problems with the tank. I think its clear from switching to eco-complete that my issues weren't a result of the akadama :) Sam
  18. T

    eco complete, or oliver knott substrate?

    If you do happen to go with EC then this is the cheapest place I could find to buy it, esp if you need lots. http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalo ... strate.asp Sam
  19. T

    where can i get akadama?

    Nice one, thats a pretty good price :) Sam
  20. T

    Eco complete

    Nope :D
  21. T

    Eco complete

    Iv just swapped the clay substrate in my 4ft for eco-complete pretty much for this reason. EC is a good substrate better than most out there, although as Ceg says AS is the superior product. Sam
  22. T

    Bad experiences with ADA AS?

    Cheers for the thoughts people, go to know what people think. I know its a good substrate and money permitting I'll hopefully be able to get it. I just dont want a repeat of the Akadama fiasco! If I change the substrate again I want to be sure it'll work! It was Steve's journal that got me...
  23. T

    Bad experiences with ADA AS?

    Hi All, Just wondering if anyone has had a 'bad' experience with ADA AS? I.e. if (despite using it) they have still not manged to get their plants to grow? I think it might be the thing for my 4ft, but just wondered if it really would be the 'silver bullet' I'm looking? Cheers Sam PS - I...
  24. T

    Substrate/sand depth

    Sounds about right, do whatever you want re the substrate really. Unless you are going to have 'shallow' rooted plants like HC then I dont suppose it'll matter, so long as the aquabasis is under there somewhere :) FYI the sand will eventually fall below the aquabasis cos of the smaller grain...
  25. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Ive got two bags you could have cheap? Sam
  26. T

    eco complete and sand?

    if it were me I'd mix the two so the plants can access the EC without having to grow long roots to get to it below the gravel :) Sam
  27. T

    Thinking about using Akadama

    What are you putting into the DC? Sam
  28. T

    caribsea eco complete

    EC is very good, and unlike aquasoil wont leach nh3 in to the tank, it does raise GH and KH for the first few months though. Sam
  29. T

    bulking eco-complete

    Yeh I don't see a problem with bulking out EC, hell you can grow plants in pure sand so you should be fine with and EC/gravel mix :) Sam
  30. T

    Dennerle DeponitMix Professional Substrate

    I've not used it specifically but it should be pretty good and its a complete substrate full of nutrients. The plants in the shop tank in the gold fish bowl I set up did really well in it. Pleas don't get sucked in my the whole Dennerle substrate system though, I don't think its all that great...
  31. T

    Substrate depth

    I really don't think it matters to much. The cap is just to keep it down and for aesthetics. The aquabasis could be anything from 1 upwards, put as much or as little gravel/sand on top :) Sam
  32. T

    substrate life span

    Yeh, pretty much what George said. I had EC in my old 90lt for several years and still seemed to get decent plant growth, but I was also dosing EI at the same time. Sam
  33. T

    Free akadama samples.

    Nice review Arron :) Cheers Sam
  34. T

    Free akadama samples.

    Thats a good find, nice one Arron :) Sam
  35. T

    Eco-complete question

    The liquid with the Eco-complete is a bacterial liquid. This is meant to kick start the bacteria in the substrate when you set the tank up. Putting it in the tank now may mean this liquid dries out and you'd loose the bacteria. However, how many other substrates has this bacteria water? Very...
  36. T

    oliver knott substrate

    Cheers John. Yeh uber cheesy! :lol: Looks like aquabasis. Sam
  37. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    I've been using 100% akadama with great results, so you dont have to have anything under it. It also depends on what scape you are going to have as very deep areas probably won't be reached by many plants, and what plants you intend to use, things like glosso and HC have very shallow roots so...
  38. T

    oliver knott substrate

    Do you have a link?
  39. T

    flora-grow nutri pus?

    Is it a base layer substrate that you cap? Sam
  40. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Your best bet for akadama is a good bonsai shop, if they dont have it in, Im sure they could order it, it seems to be highly regarded in the bonsai world, although they think its expensive!!! :lol: Sam
  41. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Oh right, sorry I cant help with sourcing the Akadama then! Sam
  42. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Where abouts do you live?
  43. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Yes, water column fert dosing can provide enough ferts for the plants. Having a plant substrate just gives you added security that the plants will be able to access all the nutrients they need. It is also very helpful should you intend to use heavy root feeders like ech species. Sam
  44. T

    akadama

    Oh right sorry I mislead you. I meant, if ADA do a power substrate then power akadama must work too! :) Sam
  45. T

    akadama

    ADA do a power form of their substrate :) Sam
  46. T

    akadama

    Yeh sounds about right :) Sam
  47. T

    akadama

    I don't see why not? It might make it uber messy if you have to move stuff around but it should work the same I would think. If you do, let me know how you get on, I had this exact thought the other day :) Sam
  48. T

    Substrate advice/suggestions

    To be honest, if you are happy to spend the money on eco-complete, you might just as well get ADA AS! They cost much the same and the plant growth from AS is far better by all accounts. Thats not to say EC isn't good, Ive used it with great effect, but its not as good as AS. If it were me and...
  49. T

    Dennerle

    You cap the Deponit mix with gravel or sand :) FYI - if you do go down the Dennerle route don't get a heater cable, they are unnecessary, but the Dennerle system says they are. Save the money and spend it on something else. Sam
  50. T

    Substrates in an established tank

    You can mix most substrate into an existing substrate, just tip it on top and mix with your hand. I wouldn't do this ADA aquasoil though unless you don't have fish or inverts in the tank. That said 'plant' substrates aren't essential, as decent water column ferts can work just as well. What...
  51. T

    Re Scape

    Eco-complete is a great substrate and it much less hassle but it woudl work out at much the same price as AS anyway. Might as well get the better of the two options and go with the AS. Sam
  52. T

    Cory safe substrate

    Welcome to the world of planted tank! Just to throw it into the mix, I've used Eco-complete with corys without any problems :) Sam
  53. T

    clueless on the substrate :(

    While a nutrient rich substrate can help a lot its not essential, decent water column ferts and perhaps avoiding heavy root feeders like Ech species and you could avoid having a 'plant' substrate. Root tabs can work well for these species if you want them. If needs be, you could mix into the...
  54. T

    why is my sand browning?

    Adding a couiple of ottos would clear it up in a matter of days. Sam
  55. T

    eco complete leech amonia?

    I found it sloped great, it has a range of sized particles in it to it slopes really easily :) Sam
  56. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Basically yes. Or if you have non-planted tanks, use the water you get from a gravel vac as this is laden this mulm :) I would put it on top of the aquabasis and under the akadama, in the 'middle' of the substrate. I would do it even it you want emersed growth first. Emersed growth would...
  57. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Exactly the reason I used it in my 4ft :)
  58. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    To be honest, all these 'additives' are great and all, but I've got 100% akadama in two tanks and both grow plants perfectly. That's not to say adding things couldn't make the situation 'better' but it does mean that its not 100% necessary to achieve good plant growth. Sam
  59. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Google is your friend ;) http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/ ... id=PP0051A Sam
  60. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    So the PO4 I added to the water when I soaked my akadama might not have been such a waste after all? I know what you mean about water clarity, even end on, the water in my 4ft is crystal clear. Sam
  61. T

    eco complete leech amonia?

    Nope it definitely doesn't :)
  62. T

    nutrient rich sandy substrate

    Akadama? or is that too brown? Sam
  63. T

    where can i get akadama?

    This guy doesn't add extra postage for more than one bag so would work out ok if you buy a few bags http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/14-Litres-Akadama ... 240%3A1318 Sam
  64. T

    Decided on Substrate, Weight Guide?

    2 to 3 inches is about right. If you slope it from front to back, it help's with the illusion of size, but that does mean you can be left with 1-2" at the front and 4-5" at the back, but that's not a problem. Sam
  65. T

    Cleaning Akadama

    I gave up trying to get mine clean and just chucked it in the tank. if you are careful you can prevent most of the clouding you'd expect to get and with a good filter it also clears pretty quickly as well. Sam
  66. T

    fert substrate capped or not?

    Yeh I would cap it with gravel, to stop is clouding the water. Anything would do, so the aesthetics of how it looks once you added the 'cap' is entirely up to you :) I like black substrates personally as they contrast nicely with the plants. If you plant heavily then you shouldn't need to...
  67. T

    Help needed - limited substrate options

    I cant say Ive used it, but the more I hear about plant substrates, the more I think that one is much the same as another (with the exception of ADA AS). Heck you can grow plants in sand! If you are ordering from the German website how about getting the tropica substrate which gets good...
  68. T

    non-clouding substrate

    Ive used Eco-complete with Corys before no problems :) Sam EDIT - flourite will cloud the water!!!!
  69. T

    non-clouding substrate

    Firstly, you can grow pretty well all plants in inert gravel so you don't have to have a nutrient substrate. However, it does make things a lot easier and if you are just starting out its worth the investment. If you want a non-clouding substrate you're best bet is eco-complete which is an...
  70. T

    Help please,worried about substrate.

    Yeh I would say it probably contains lime gravel, which will raise the KH and pH of the tank water. Sam
  71. T

    How much substrate?

    Tom Barr did a tank that had a substrate of over 1 foot if I remember rightly!! I personally dont think its a problem how deep the substrate is. Sam
  72. T

    New substrate-Tropica "nature soil"

    Looks good, nice to have a cheaper 'ADA' soil. Sam
  73. T

    what specialis substrate maidenhead aquatics sells

    Most Ive been into sell JBL and tetra, cheep and cheerful, but good by all counts. Sam
  74. T

    CaribSea

    FYI CO2 doesn't lower KH ;)
  75. T

    CaribSea

    EC buffers the water slightly when first used. When I used it it took the GH from 4 to 8ish and KH from 3 to 7ish. No big deal really. It wares off after a few months as well. Sam EDIT - have a read of this before buying though viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1072
  76. T

    Which Substrate

    For a 400lt tank, Id get akadama almost everytime. Unless i had money to burn in which case I'd get either EC or ADA AS. Sam
  77. T

    Substrate for a large tank - Ecocomplete plus what else?

    As Graeme says you could just mix it with some black gravel, to bulk it out a bit. That's what Ive got in my 20g and the plants grow really well. I don't think they mind it not being 100% EC. You'd have 50% EC which should be plenty. Sam
  78. T

    TetraPlant Complete Substrate - some questions?

    I've not used it but have heard from a number of people that they have found it to be very good. I even had one person say they couldn't tell the difference in growth between it and tropica substrate. Sam
  79. T

    JBL Aquabasis?

    I think the thing we most of these substrates is that they are clay based, which means they are more or less the same stuff. Well that's would I would think, I could be wrong! Even ADA AS is clay based, it just has NH3 added. They all work by absorbing nutrients which they then hold for the...
  80. T

    Akadama - A cheap substrate

    Slow down people! :lol: I've only just bought the Akadama for my 4ft, I cant go changing it already! Haha. Sam
  81. T

    Akadama offer

    I'm going to be visiting a shop tomorrow that sells 14lt bags of Akadama for £6 each http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... =p3907.m29 If any one is going to the green machine meeting and wants me to get them some and bring it to that, I'd be happy to get it for people. Sam
  82. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    Keep us posted on how the tank goes :) Sam
  83. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    Thanks James, much appreciated :) Sam
  84. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    Yeh I find there is a point where you need to give the tank a right old clean and start fresh. And you're right about it being so cheap it doesn't matter if you replace it regularly! So you've not found that it crumbles like ADA AS over time? The time I used the tropica substrate, when I took...
  85. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    You could always mix in some gravel to bulk it out, I doubt it'll make much difference. James - if used for 2-3 years is that its longevity in terms of nutrients given to the plants or its ability to hold its shape and not break down? Sam
  86. T

    Akadama ok with corys??

    Haha yeh, but I found myself on a bonsai forum and they were all saying that they considered akadama expensive!!! And they are only filling small bonsai dishes!!! Sam
  87. T

    Akadama ok with corys??

    Dont see why not, being a clay its unlikely to be very sharp like gravel can be. Sam
  88. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    No probs :) check out James akadama thread in the planted section there are links to several people on APC that use it, don't know if they've used it long term or not, but worth a look :) Sam
  89. T

    What substrate would you recommend?

    Check out viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1190 Sam
  90. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    You can get it here http://www.herons.co.uk/prod_detail.asp?prod_id=10218 I reckon you need 2 bags worth, which even with delivery is only £25, bargain when compared to £60 or £70 for EC!!! Sam
  91. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    Yeh it can confusing, however if you have a budget then find out what you can get and go for that one. All the plant substrates do basically the same job, and anything is going to be better than just gravel or sand on its own (Although you can grow demanding plants in gravel and sand without a...
  92. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    Have you thought about a base layer substrate like tropica substrate or tetraplant substrate? These you top with an inch or so of gravel or whatever you want. Much cheaper. Sam
  93. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    Not sure about long term use. ADA AS will also soften over time. You are right though that this substrate doesn't lend itself to having the plants moved around lots. EC doesn't break down at all, but that is expensive. Sam
  94. T

    cheap substrate for a 48" tank

    Hi and welcome to the forum :) Yeh akadama would be a good alternative, check out viewtopic.php?f=17&t=741 James is now using it on a bigger tank, so worth reading his journal as well :) viewtopic.php?f=35&t=860 Sam
  95. T

    Eco-Complete – approx 250lbs

    Did you see the recent thread re EC and they getting the mix wrong? Just that Caribsea have a new supplier and they sent suite a bit to the UK that wasn't right, so be sure to check before you buy it. The normal stuff will be ALL black, the wrong stuff is coloured. Sam
  96. T

    Eco-Complete problem

    OH THAT EXPLAINS IT!!!!! I saw some EC in a LFS and was looking at and thinking 'this isn't the same as the stuff I got last time?' It looked exactly like the stuff in planters pic. The colour isn't the same either, it should be all black. Cheers for keeping us posted. Sam
  97. T

    Changing the substrate

    I second the call to not under estimate yourself!! That tank looks quality!!! If you want to change the substrate, its really a complete strip down, which means taking everything out and starting fresh. Changing the substrate is a sod of a job, but it can be fun, I tend to take a weekend over...
  98. T

    Eco complete info.

    Check out http://www.plantedtank.net/substratecalculator.html :)
  99. T

    Eco complete info.

    I would think fish could go back in almost straight away, the cloudiness is nothing to worry out. Just keep an eye of the NH3 and NO2 levels for the next few days, but with a mature filter these shouldn't be a problem either. When I did a rescape in my main tank I use EC and put the fish back...
  100. T

    Using substrate for depth

    Yeh it can get messy in thr substrate but its not really something to worry about. Glad to be able to help :)
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