How Do You Prepare Cat Litter For Planted Tank?

[aly_starh]

As topic, im making a 10l Low Tech (Red Cherry Shrimp) planted tank, how do you prepare the cat-litter for it?

Also, for the substrate i am using *smashed up* Slate, is that ok?

Finally, is Moss from the garden ok to use?

 

[Truck]

just add it into the bottom of the tank dry, then cap with sand and then fill up whilst being careful not to disturb it, otherwise you'll end up with a rather muddy looking tank.

 

[aly_starh]

whoops, ive just washed it, ill have to start again

 

[Honeythorn]

Moss from the garden is not remotely aquatic so no, it's not ok to use. It will simply rot and cause an ammonia spike. Use Java moss.

The only way you can use garden moss is if you have a Paludarium with an area of land which is damp for the moss to grow in.

 

[aly_starh]

Moss from the garden is not remotely aquatic so no, it's not ok to use. It will simply rot and cause an ammonia spike. Use Java moss.

The only way you can use garden moss is if you have a Paludarium with an area of land which is damp for the moss to grow in.

Thanks

 

[aly_starh]

What about the *smashed slate* ?

 

[OohFeeshy]

Moss from the garden is not remotely aquatic so no, it's not ok to use. It will simply rot and cause an ammonia spike. Use Java moss.

The only way you can use garden moss is if you have a Paludarium with an area of land which is damp for the moss to grow in.

Actually, it depends on the species. 'Pillow moss' doesn't work underwater, but I have had some success with the sort you find growing on the lawn. Most (if not all) 'aquatic' mosses are happy to grow on land, java included, and it should therefore work the other way too.

Besides which, even if it doesn't work, it's not going to decompose overnight and kill the fish. It will live for a while then start to die, at which point it can be removed. It's worth a go.

 

[Honeythorn]

Ordinary garden moss will not live fully submersed. I've tried it several years ago ( there were no fish in that tank fortunately )

It does like a lot of water ( not submereged ) and dampness which is why it works excellently in Paludariums.

It's just a waste of time adding something to your tank that you know will eventually die, when you can just get a clump of Java moss that you know can live fully submerged in the first place. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were members on here willing to either give some away for free or at a very low cost indeed.

The smashed slate should be just fine.

 

[ellena]

How did you wash it? I tried on my first attempt and it turned to mud in seconds!
I'm not sure about the smashed slate. You need a few inches of substrate to cap the litter and keep it at the bottom. I'm imagining the slate will be largish pieces and won't pack down firmly and keep the litter in place? The water will get through the gaps and wash the siltiness from the clay up and make a right mess of the water.

 

[aly_starh]

I did wash it first, then had to re-do it and put it in dry. The slate tiles have been smashed up into 1p coin type pieces.

 

[Truck]

I did wash it first, then had to re-do it and put it in dry. The slate tiles have been smashed up into 1p coin type pieces.

They need to be smaller, the water will seep through and cloud, your best off capping with sand and then layering the slate on top.

 

[aly_starh]

Ok will do!

Wow, if there was no forum, my tanks would have been a right mess!

 

[Hawkins]

1p sizes.. wow.. mine ended up being £5 note sized