Which Substrate?

[JenCliBee]

Hi..excuse my ingnorance,but when you say"capped" do you mean that it doesn't need another substrate on top of it?..standalone?...thanx

Yes sorry mate.. it doesn't need capping (anything on top) and is used as a standalone substrate , but you can always put something like osmocote(sp) underneath for added fertilizer. I never have, but i never forget to dose either .

 

[bobbydog]

Hi..excuse my ingnorance,but when you say"capped" do you mean that it doesn't need another substrate on top of it?..standalone?...thanx

Yes sorry mate.. it doesn't need capping (anything on top) and is used as a standalone substrate , but you can always put something like osmocote(sp) underneath for added fertilizer. I never have, but i never forget to dose either .

hi..thanx for that...is this My link stuff ok?

 

[JenCliBee]

Hi..excuse my ingnorance,but when you say"capped" do you mean that it doesn't need another substrate on top of it?..standalone?...thanx

Yes sorry mate.. it doesn't need capping (anything on top) and is used as a standalone substrate , but you can always put something like osmocote(sp) underneath for added fertilizer. I never have, but i never forget to dose either .

hi..thanx for that...is this My link stuff ok?

Hi mate, yes that would work, i dont actually use the stuff myself so not entirely sure if one company would be better than another?

 

[russellbrooke]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[russellbrooke]

After everything I've read, and advice, I'm thinking of the Akadama.

I'll let you all know how I get on!

Thanks again.

 

[JoshuaA]

I'm planning to do that but the whole soaking it for a few weeks before hand is putting me off, added on top of the fact it appears some carpeting plants don't do so well in it....

 

[bobbydog]

does it come in different colours and types? as some sellers descriptions are "double red line"..help!

 

[russellbrooke]

I'm planning to do that but the whole soaking it for a few weeks before hand is putting me off, added on top of the fact it appears some carpeting plants don't do so well in it....

I'm lucky in that I've got several weeks until my new tank arrives, so soaking shouldn't won't be an issue. Yeah, saw that about some carpeting plants. Trade off between price of other mega expensive substrates I guess.

 

[FishyWishie]

I went for JBL Aquabasis and topped it with JBL Manado I know some people say Manado is to light but I've had no problems at all with it even with a 5" Snowball plec and Cory cleaning crew and I love the colour (which is just as well as there only is 1 )

 

[JenCliBee]

I'm planning to do that but the whole soaking it for a few weeks before hand is putting me off, added on top of the fact it appears some carpeting plants don't do so well in it....

Never found this tbh... grown most, glosso, HC and many 'apparently hand' plants to grow all in akadama.

If you read about other substrates, there will be many that also say they couldn't grow carpets in them... many will probably refer to much more costly and supposedly better substrates. Each person has there own success with different substrates so trying it for yourself instead of reading negatives would be a much better option.... i bet there are just as many successes growing carpets in akadama as there are unsuccessful.

As to soaking, if your not planning on stocking for a while, the stuff can be soaked within the tank planted, ive never had any issues and wouldn't do it any different

does it come in different colours and types? as some sellers descriptions are "double red line"..help!

Yes colour variation can be different but not drastically, i guess some area's where it's dug up make it this way, could even be from different depths which give a slightly different colour. Grading wise yes, the place by me will grade it to size you require (large or small and various in betweens), i would imagine it is pretty standard if buying pre-packed from retail outlets. Basically it is all the same, weather graded bigger or smaller or a slightly different colour.

 

[JoshuaA]

My Akadama is soaking as we speak now , I've read Jamesplantedtank review over it and I've read elsewhere people have soaked it in a bucket and dosing the bucket with nutrients in an attempt to load up the Akadama... seems interesting but I don't think I'll bother with that.

Peat moss and osmocote are also going to go in, I was going to put some Leonardite in but at £7.99 postage for a £4 product I couldn't come to do it.

I haven't got the tank yet though!

 

[JenCliBee]

My Akadama is soaking as we speak now , I've read Jamesplantedtank review over it and I've read elsewhere people have soaked it in a bucket and dosing the bucket with nutrients in an attempt to load up the Akadama... seems interesting but I don't think I'll bother with that.

Peat moss and osmocote are also going to go in, I was going to put some Leonardite in but at £7.99 postage for a £4 product I couldn't come to do it.

I haven't got the tank yet though!

Excellent mate, keep us posted how you get on and of course a journal when the tank starts .... yep there are a few i know that have soaked it with nutrients but tbh i dose in excess to the tank so it would get chance to absorb anyways.

Ive never used anything underneath it so will be interested to see your results with the os and moss.