Joetee

I'm going to be redoing my 50 gallon. I'm going to try Wasserpest' idea of using about a 1/2 inch of Peat with plenty of Jobes plant sticks, 1 - 1 1/2 inch or so of Special Kitty, and then topped of with ???? Wasserpest use about a 1 inch topping of flourite. But I am trying to find something else less expensive. Something black if possible or natural looking. But I am trying to find it locally. I've been to Lowes, Home Depot. I don't want white sand.
I was thinking of getting some of the small plain gravel from walmart, not the painted stuff, and top it with that, but it looks to big for a planted tank. What do you think? I have not been to any hobby craft stores yet. Do they have something I could use? Where do we get 3M colorquartz?

I am just hoping that I could find something local without have to spend a lot of money and without having to order it.
Thanks for any help you can give me.

Joe

__________________
10 gallon hospital tank.
29 & 50 gallon - High Tech C02 enriched.
50 gallon Pond - Natural.

AquaZilla

Did you try Black 3M Quartz? Its cheap and comes in 50LB bags. Myself I would stray from special kitty..That stuff gets messy

Joetee

Can we get Black 3M quartz locally? I don't know where to start looking. That is what I was trying to find.
Thanks
Joe

__________________
10 gallon hospital tank.
29 & 50 gallon - High Tech C02 enriched.
50 gallon Pond - Natural.

AquaZilla

Sure! Go to 3m site and find a local dealer near you...You may even try your local Lesco

Joetee

Have you ever planted in that small plain gravel that we could get from Walmart? I wonder how it would hold plants?
Joe

__________________
10 gallon hospital tank.
29 & 50 gallon - High Tech C02 enriched.
50 gallon Pond - Natural.

AquaZilla

1-2mm grain size works perfect!

ShaneSmith

Why dont use just get some Zeosand and put it over worm castings? Worm castings are rich and high in Organic matter like Peat+jobes and zeosand is super high in CEC and attractive. Zeosand at pool stores worm castings at farmers market or online. Super cheap

Joetee

Well we all heard about Special Kitty and that we should test it first to see if what and where we buy it, that it is ok to use in out tanks.

I bought mine at Walmart here in Lexington, KY.

Using a Nutrafin KH/GH test kit:
Tap water GH - 7 drops or 140ppm
Tap water KH - 4 drops or 40ppm

Water from unwashed kitty liter after it set for 3 days in a bucket:
GH - I stopped after 20 drops or 400ppm.
KH - 9 drops or 90ppm.

This just goes to show you that when the experts says to test something, test it. I am glad I did.

Joe

__________________
10 gallon hospital tank.
29 & 50 gallon - High Tech C02 enriched.
50 gallon Pond - Natural.

Joetee

Ok, I think I have made up my mind about a cheap substrate.

Peat on the bottom.
Laterite on top of the peat.
Course sand on top of that. I'm going to try pool sand I think.

Any problems with this that you might see?

Joe

__________________
10 gallon hospital tank.
29 & 50 gallon - High Tech C02 enriched.
50 gallon Pond - Natural.

ShaneSmith

Well nothing is wrong but there are definately better options. Why dont you look up AaronT's Mineralized soil substrate. I have never used it but tons of people have success with it, including orlando.