Substitute for Cat Litter - Colombo Flora Base Mano

[Polly]

For those having trouble finding the pink Moler Clay Cat Litter, I have accidentally found a dark grey version (with some pink bits !)

Colombo Flora Mano Base Black sold by Aqua Essentials.

As no one seemed to have tried this, I took a chance on buying it. I loved using the Cat Litter, still have 2 bags of it which were used in my aquarium. But I hate the colour of it, preferring a darker substrate. I used Limpopo sand for a while, but never got the same growth with the plants, and over quite a short time, it seemed to lose colour, getting lighter.

I switched to Colombo Flora Mano Base in December last year as I had to relocate, and the aquarium was stripped down to move it.
Followed the instructions of 3 rinses and the substrate went in. Planted up fine - same deal as cat litter. Granules same as Cat Litter - range from 1mm to around 4mm random rounded shapes - not balls. Water cleared by the next morning. Sparkling the day after

Not sure if it's because of our very soft water here, but the only problem I had was GH started rising, and it took a week or two to settle. Daily large water changes until it did. But I had that happen with the cat litter when new too - Sorted by a 3 week soak in a large bucket with daily flushing. I should have anticipated that, but 10 years is a long time.

9 months on and I'm really happy with it. It's behaving exactly like the Cat Litter and no sign of softening or breaking down.
Images from when I set it up last December.

 

[Arecki]

I just setup a tank with Mano Base Black. Really like the look of it. Tank is only 4 days old, I have media from my previous tank in the filter so I was hoping I will be able to put fish there pretty quickly but I found that the soil increased pH. My tap water is ~7.7. Water in the tank is around 8.5 - 8.7. I had inert gravel in my previous tank and no issue with raising pH. I'm doing ~50% water changes daily and pH drops to ~8 but next morning is back at 8.5. Is it matter of time and pH raising capacity will be exhausted or I need to live with it, get different fish?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

but I found that the soil increased pH. My tap water is ~7.7. Water in the tank is around 8.5 - 8.7.

Do you have really soft water out of the tap? You should be able to get figures from your water supplier, but because you live in Scotland it is quite likely that you get soft, low conductivity water out of the tap. Assuming you that is the case? Then <"pH will never be stable"> and <"it doesn't matter">.

I have media from my previous tank in the filter so I was hoping I will be able to put fish there pretty quickly

Can you let the <"plants grow in">? It gives you <"belt and braces"> even with <"established filter media">. People worry that if they don't have an ammonia source their tank will lose the "cycle", but it <"doesn't really work like that">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Arecki]

Thanks Darrel, that's quite informative. Yes, my water is very soft. Plants and wood are in since day 1. I added some casuarina cones on day 2. I've never noticed any big pH variations in my first tank. Still not sure of how pH above 8 will affect the fish. Elsewhere I read that pH at that level may harm / kill my fish and that's my worry. I've got 2 electric blue acaras, 4 x-ray tetras, 5 pepered corydoras, 7 kuhli loaches, 2 otocinclus, clown and bulldog plec I want to keep in that tank when conditions allow. Online search for their requirements says they need lower pH.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Yes, my water is very soft.

That was my guess. If you want to harden it a bit you can add some <"Oyster shell Chick-grit">, it is really cheap and does the job.

Elsewhere I read that pH at that level may harm / kill my fish and that's my worry.....Still not sure of how pH above 8 will affect the fish.

Unfortunately <"pH is a much misunderstood parameter"> and requires some interpretation. I'm guessing that there were processes in your old tank that reduced pH, that aren't present (yet?) in your new tank. Soft, alkaline tap water is actually reasonably common now because of <"sodium hydroxide (NaOH) dosing">.

If you have very soft water with low alkalinity, then pH isn't a very useful parameter. Have a look at <"Some handy facts about water">

clown and bulldog plec

Oxygen is going to be the thing you are really interested in, these are fish with a <"high dissolved oxygen requirement">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Arecki]

Thank you for your replay Darrel. I think I was just inpatient, Tuesday evening pH was already bit lower, and Wednesday morning reached 7.5 and didn't go above 8 since. I can forget my worries of harming fish when I let them in. (I'm using calibrated probe with fresh, trusted standards)

Soft, alkaline tap water is actually reasonably common now because of <"sodium hydroxide (NaOH) dosing">.

My tap water is pH corrected with calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2. If I'm correct it will only raise pH without raising alkalinity.

Oxygen is going to be the thing you are really interested in, these are fish with a <"high dissolved oxygen requirement">.

In terms of practical tips, can I do anything else apart of ensuring good surface agitation to provide high dissolved oxygen environment?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I think I was just inpatient, Tuesday evening pH was already bit lower, and Wednesday morning reached 7.5 and didn't go above 8 since.

That sounds promising.

If I'm correct it will only raise pH without raising alkalinity.

This whole area is a bit of a mess, because dKH kits actually measure alkalinity etc.

Interesting that they use calcium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the normal alkali, just because it is / was cheap and fully soluble etc <"Has Caustic Soda Become the New Unobtanium?">.

In this case the calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) will raise both alkalinity and pH. This because you've added two hydroxide ions (2OH-) and each OH- has the capability to accept a proton (H+) ion to get back to H2O ~ (OH- + H+ = H2O) - <"Brønsted-Lowry Acids and Bases | Introductory Chemistry">.

What the calcium hydroxide doesn't add is any carbonate buffering (dKH) because <"it is a strong base*"> and the hydroxide ions (OH-) go into solution (solubility is only 1.73 g/L (20 °C)). It will raise dGH, because you've added calcium (Ca++) ions.
* but see below

..... A strong base is a base that ionizes completely in an aqueous solution. The most common strong bases are soluble metal hydroxide compounds such as potassium hydroxide. Some metal hydroxides are not as strong, simply because they are not as soluble. Calcium hydroxide is only slightly soluble in water, but the portion that does dissolve also dissociates into ions........

In terms of practical tips, can I do anything else apart of ensuring good surface agitation to provide high dissolved oxygen environment?

<"Plants help massively"> and the other major factor is making sure that the <"filter media isn't impeding flow">.

cheers Darrel