BenPursglove
Fish Fanatic
As well as being a new fish and underwater plant keeping nut, I am also a keen bonsai tree keeper of some years. This thread is for those in the know or even willing to speculate bonsai soil use in tropical aquaria please...
For approx 5 years I have been keeping my bonsai trees in pure Akadama and more recently Akadama/Kyodama mix.
For those not in the know:
Akadama: is a porous clay small ball soil dug from a mountain in Japan and fired to increase hardness (strength) of the soil. Used in bonsai because it is free draining whilst retaining moisture, micro pourous and inert - you can add the nutrients as needed and surpus washes away.
Kyodama: is a much harder substance very similar to Akadama but based on volcanic particles. Used in bonsai as per Akadama but it is a HARD (strength) partical and not so trusted as a pure soil (by me anyway). Kyodama is far newer to the bonsai market so not as tried and tested but early results are good in terms of it's water and nutrient retention ability.
First Akadama
Although I have read accounts that it is a successful aquarium substrate (it also has a nice dark red colour when in water) I know from experience that in a bonsai pot even the double red variety will degrade (breakdown to dust eventually) due to watering / frost / general elements at about the 6-12 month mark.
Second Kyodama
I use Kyodama mixed with Akadama (sometimes 50/50) in bonsai as it retains moisture and nutrient (in air) similar to Akadama but the medium does not break down (can leave potted for 2-3 years before Akadama breakdown intereferes with drainage)
Akadama is what the Japanese people use and they produce some of the best bonsai on the planet.
Back to tanks however...
I am considering using one, some or both these soils as substrate (soil and substrate are both names for the same thing really) in a well planted community tank. I have been growing in pure gravel in a community tank for a few months now and am not happy with plant health (it's good but could be better) despite having high lighting, good homemade CO2 and ferts - I have put not so good health / growth down to pure gravel substrate.
These soils (or maybe I should call substrates) are super cheap in comparison with the aquarium grade alternatives and will lock in micro nutrients (they do so "on air" in bonsai) for the roots to feed off because they are so micro porous.
Of course I will need to do some serious feeding as both soils are inert...
Base question: I'm keen to test by switching out my 100% gravel substrate and replace with 50/50 mix of akadama and Kyodama as a trade off, can anyone here give any input to my idea?
For approx 5 years I have been keeping my bonsai trees in pure Akadama and more recently Akadama/Kyodama mix.
For those not in the know:
Akadama: is a porous clay small ball soil dug from a mountain in Japan and fired to increase hardness (strength) of the soil. Used in bonsai because it is free draining whilst retaining moisture, micro pourous and inert - you can add the nutrients as needed and surpus washes away.
Kyodama: is a much harder substance very similar to Akadama but based on volcanic particles. Used in bonsai as per Akadama but it is a HARD (strength) partical and not so trusted as a pure soil (by me anyway). Kyodama is far newer to the bonsai market so not as tried and tested but early results are good in terms of it's water and nutrient retention ability.
First Akadama
Although I have read accounts that it is a successful aquarium substrate (it also has a nice dark red colour when in water) I know from experience that in a bonsai pot even the double red variety will degrade (breakdown to dust eventually) due to watering / frost / general elements at about the 6-12 month mark.
Second Kyodama
I use Kyodama mixed with Akadama (sometimes 50/50) in bonsai as it retains moisture and nutrient (in air) similar to Akadama but the medium does not break down (can leave potted for 2-3 years before Akadama breakdown intereferes with drainage)
Akadama is what the Japanese people use and they produce some of the best bonsai on the planet.
Back to tanks however...
I am considering using one, some or both these soils as substrate (soil and substrate are both names for the same thing really) in a well planted community tank. I have been growing in pure gravel in a community tank for a few months now and am not happy with plant health (it's good but could be better) despite having high lighting, good homemade CO2 and ferts - I have put not so good health / growth down to pure gravel substrate.
These soils (or maybe I should call substrates) are super cheap in comparison with the aquarium grade alternatives and will lock in micro nutrients (they do so "on air" in bonsai) for the roots to feed off because they are so micro porous.
Of course I will need to do some serious feeding as both soils are inert...
Base question: I'm keen to test by switching out my 100% gravel substrate and replace with 50/50 mix of akadama and Kyodama as a trade off, can anyone here give any input to my idea?
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