# Tropica Substrate !!!



## JazzyJeff (6 Aug 2008)

Time has nearly come for me too replace the Substrate in my 500l tank in the lounge, I have had Dennerles Deponit in there for nearly 6 years now and I feel its pretty depleted, Dennerle recomend 4 years so I'm way over that, I was wondering if anybody had experience of the Tropica range
http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.p ... ts_id=1120
As I can get it from my local Maidenheads for a decent price, will it work as well as deponit which is bloomin exspensive and will it work with a heater cable ?


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## JamesM (6 Aug 2008)

*cough* don't let Clive know you have heater cables *cough*


Have you thought of using Eco Complete?


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## johnny70 (6 Aug 2008)

I have just used Tropica for the first time today to replace eco-complete. so I will see, no help i know, just thought I'd tell you, from what I have read its very very good  

JOHNNY


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## JazzyJeff (6 Aug 2008)

Dennerles Deponit has too be used with a heater cable, when I originaly set the Tank up I was using Dennerles Ferts as well as way back then they were the only real complete range, but they did get a tad exspensive although the results were amazing................ I like the idea of a heater cable too be honest, almost another filter from what I understand !!!!


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## TDI-line (6 Aug 2008)

*CLIVE, CABLE ALERT! CABLE ALERT!
*

The tropica substrate is one of the best, but have you considered using any of the ADA aquasoil range. 

I'm like you and have been using Dennerle depoint mix and heating cables for quite a while, but after pulling the tank to pieces, have come up with even better and cleaner results.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2347


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## ceg4048 (6 Aug 2008)

Let me ask you this: How do you know that you need heater cables? Have you tried _not_ using them in order to see if there was a difference in plant growth and/or health? Or did you simply adhere to the neural interactive programming of The Matrix? We need to unplug ourselves from The Matrix by unplugging the heater cables. Overwhelming evidence from hobbyists across the globe over the past 20 years shows unquestionably that there is no benefit whatsoever in heater cables except that they heat your tank when the weather is cold. It doesn't mater what substrate you are using, whether it's called Duponit or Younameit. 

There is already plenty of flow across the roots due to thermal gradients, due to pressure gradients caused by hydraulic movement across the substrate surface, due to electrochemical reactions of root hairs and bacteria, due to pneumatic movement of gaseous pumping by the roots during photosynthesis, as well as osmotic forces during root uptake of nutrients. 

This enables a humble little specimen like this:







To grow a root structure like this in just a few months, all without the aid of any cable.






Cheers,


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## George Farmer (7 Aug 2008)

Hi Jeff

I've had good results with Tropica substrate, topping with inert substrate.  

It's not nutrient-rich immediately but has a high cation exchange capacity (CEC) meaning that it obtains nutrients from the water column making them available to the plant roots.  So a nutrient-rich water column is advisable.  Tropica Plant Nutrition+ is good, or EI, or its many variations.  Both fert methods are perfectly safe with discus. 

Here's a good discussion on heater cables - http://www.aquascapingworld.com/forum/e ... y-not.html


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## Wolfenrook (9 Aug 2008)

Heard lots of good things about Tropica Substrate.  I chose to use eco-complete though as it met my criteria better.

As to the heater cable, so long as you have it hooked up to a thermostat it will do no harm, just acting as another heater.  Without the thermostat though it is going to be on all of the time, even in very hot weather, and to my mind this is a BAD idea.  As to whether plants grow better with them, I have to say no they don't.  I used to have a heater cable in my planted many years ago, and noticed no change in growth rates when it finally packed up (blowing all the house fuses at the same time), and I've not used one since.

Ade


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