Can You Use Too Much Laterite?

[constantine03]

Just as the title says...is this a very delicate measurement, or not? Can you use too much? What would happen if you use more/less than the box says?

 

[Colin_T]

Laterite is only iron rich clay. You can have 2 inches of it across the bottom if you like and it isn't going to cause any real problem unless you don't have any plants in the tank and you don't do any water changes. Then the iron level could go up a bit too much and some of the fish might have health issues. However, if you have plants in the tank they will use it and if you do regular water changes then you will dilute any excess out of the tank. It is usually held under the gravel quite well also and as such very rarely if ever causes any problems.
You don't need too much and I often mix some of it with some gravel and put the laterite covered gravel in first. Then normal gravel over top. The plants seem to thrive on that and you don't use as much thus saving you money. I also make laterite balls by rolling some laterite into small 10mm diameter balls and allowing them to dry. Then I push one or two of these into the gravel around the base of plants. If I am putting in a new plant then I put the ball in the gravel and put the plant on top.