# Cat litter



## foxfish (1 Nov 2021)

Anyone who has been a member for more that 7-8 years will remember the ever so popular Tesco cat litter,
If not then I will quickly explain that the hard baked clay type of cat litter was a very popular substrate choice for a few years even though is is Pink.
Unfortunately Tesco stoped selling the product a few years ago … but it is back…..
Well actually that is not quite true because although the packaging is the same the content is not!
I have been using the ‘Pets at Home’ product for the last few years (mainly for bonsai soil mix) but it was never as good as the Tesco version due to the much larger grain size.
So today I went to Tesco and noticed our old favourite was back on the shelves, fantastic I though and bought a 10 lt bag) ) (£4.50) but when I opened it, I found it is exacly the same stuff a the big 30lt bags from Pets at Home (£12)
So yes they are selling it but, only in the big grain size.


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## hwscot (26 Nov 2021)

New to the cat litter thing. I wouldn't know clumping from non-clumping. I did see that PAH stock it.
Does anyone know of a good article on how best to use it for a planted tank, pros and cons of using it, etc?
Also had considered blasting sand as a substrate option, but hadn't come across Black Diamond in the UK .. I see there's a lot of discussion of it on US sites. Most uk suppliers seem to have generic iron silicate. Is it safe? Are there particularly good brands?Is it ok for corys or does it abrade their barbels? Aa they questions!
I'm newly back to all this, after a long lay-off. Currently have a couple of small tanks for plants growing on, which I can also use as quarantine tanks, but have a 90L cube tank which I'm getting organised to set up, and one of the things I want to do is use a variety of black / dark substrates, rather than have a uniform look. So, pondering both the soil / compost layer at the moment and the covering over it.


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## Angus (26 Nov 2021)

hwscot said:


> New to the cat litter thing. I wouldn't know clumping from non-clumping. I did see that PAH stock it.
> Does anyone know of a good article on how best to use it for a planted tank, pros and cons of using it, etc?
> Also had considered blasting sand as a substrate option, but hadn't come across Black Diamond in the UK .. I see there's a lot of discussion of it on US sites. Most uk suppliers seem to have generic iron silicate. Is it safe? Are there particularly good brands?Is it ok for corys or does it abrade their barbels? Aa they questions!
> I'm newly back to all this, after a long lay-off. Currently have a couple of small tanks for plants growing on, which I can also use as quarantine tanks, but have a 90L cube tank which I'm getting organised to set up, and one of the things I want to do is use a variety of black / dark substrates, rather than have a uniform look. So, pondering both the soil / compost layer at the moment and the covering over it.


i've used argos play sand and westland play sand they are great, but need a fair bit of washing, as far as cat litter i have no idea, my litter tray always ends up a big cement block after a couple days so i can't imagine how it would work in my aquarium? is this stuff less absorbant than the white value stuff?


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## dw1305 (26 Nov 2021)

Hi all,


Angus said:


> as far as cat litter i have no idea, my litter tray always ends up a big cement block after a couple days so i can't imagine how it would work in my aquarium? is this stuff less absorbant than the white value stuff?


The Tesco/P&H cat litter is <"Danish moler clay">.  It is mined from a <"deposit of "diatomite">. The white one might be <"Fuller's Earth"> or another Bentonite <"clay type">.

cheers Darrel


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## Angus (26 Nov 2021)

That's weird because i thought my cat litter looked like oil absorbant granules, but upon checking, those are made from moler diatomaceous earth according to the company that makes them, also those seem like an off white colour whereas the cheap cat litter is really white, that could just be bleaching though. 

Can you crush the granules of the pink stuff between your fingers? or is it more like akadama/volcanic balls?

Fullers earth is great for oily skin and spots too!


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## foxfish (26 Nov 2021)

Here is one of many threads …. Cat litter


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## Angus (26 Nov 2021)

foxfish said:


> Here is one of many threads …. Cat litter


Thanks foxy!


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## dw1305 (26 Nov 2021)

Hi all,


Angus said:


> Can you crush the granules of the pink stuff between your fingers?


No, it is really hard.


Angus said:


> or is it more like akadama/volcanic balls?


Harder than Akadama, they sell it (or something very similar as <"Seramis">). It has the remained intact for ~10 years in the tank I have it in.


Angus said:


> Fullers earth is great for oily skin


Mining it used to be a <"big industry in Bath">.


Angus said:


> i thought my cat litter looked like oil absorbant granules, but upon checking, those are made from moler diatomaceous earth according to the company that makes them,


Yes, same source, possibly cheaper, but you need to <"buy a large amount">.

cheers Darrel


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