Substrate Question...

[Rooster]

If I am using sand (play sand!) could I put some plant friendly stuff under it ? Such as Tetra soil ?

 

[The-Wolf]

you could.
PFK did an article about useing aquatic soil (found in the pond section of lfs)
I have used fullers earth under my pool filter sand.
fullers earth is often sold as cat litter, just be sure what you use is 100% natural with no addatives such as odour absorbers etc.
The brand I used was petex cat litter and is aquarium safe.

 

[Rooster]

The brand I used was petex cat litter and is aquarium safe.

CAT ............ LITTER ? (said in a high pitched Peter Kay voice) Is this a wind up ?

Would have though it would be jam packed with chemicals and deoderisers ?

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

I've also heard about using kitty litter, someone was saying on another forum it gets quite mushy and messy when digging. I'm going to be putting Laterite i think under my silica sand. Though it needs tons of rinsing otherwise you get chocolate coloured tank.

 

[The-Wolf]

CAT ............ LITTER ?
Would have though it would be jam packed with chemicals and deoderisers ?

No Fullers earth! which is packaged and sold as cat litter.
As I have already stated petex cat litter is 100% natural
and perfectly safe for aquatic use. I phoned them and spoke to a techie
he confirmed that the product is 100% gaureented natural
There are other brands of cat litter (fullers earth) that do have cheicals added to them
so they absorb smells etc but not this brand.

The only time I've had problems useing this as a sub-substrate is when re-planting
it does tend to cloud the water a bit, but the filter sorts this out within hours.