# Any Experience With Velda Superdensa?



## JoeFromWales (17 Apr 2018)

I've been searching for a natural looking substrate for the 120cm low tech tank I'm setting up. I don't like the dark colours of the ADA type soils nor the tan/clay brown colours of things like Akadama and Tetra complete substrate. Unfortunately anything I do like is usually gravel, and while I won't be doing anything too demanding I am hoping to have something with more potential than gravel/sand. I like the grey/white colour of the Velda Pond Substrate and the cream and grey look of the their Superdensa pond substrate.




 

From the Velda website:

*White substrate from Velda* has been the standard for a biological substrate of your pond for many years. Owing to its very light and porous structure this substrate provides maximum adherence of micro-organisms. An at top of that clear water guarantee!

*Superdensa *is a complete substrate for plants which are growing entirely under water, the so-called oxygen producing plants. These plants absorb large amounts of nutrients and provide high oxygen water for a healthy pond environment. Oxygen plants thrive optimally with this light and porous growth substrate. Superdensa contains exquisite minerals, which guarantee excellent growth of oxygen producing plants. It is used in plant baskets and prevents the plant from rotting.

I unfortunately cannot find any information other than Velda's translated descriptions and stock photos, so no idea how much it changes colour when wet, size of the granules or its suitability in an aquarium - I've emailed Velda, but no reply so far so am hoping someone here has experience with them or any other suggestions.


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## shikasta (1 Oct 2021)

Hi, happy to be resurrecting this old thread because I had the exact same questions and no one had replied (or anywhere really).  I've taken the gamble and will document a bit of my early impressions so there's a record for the next person to wonder about this.

I'm in the process of setting up a new 700l aquarium and was looking for substrate options that were affordable and good for plants.  I was getting the impression that people are finding the expensive substrates to be overhyped in how effective they really are for plants, so pond substrates seemed and more affordable alternative.  For comparison I have run various aquariums on Dorset gravel, play sand and CaribSea Eco Complete.




Velda Super Densa appears to be a pourous volcanic gravel.  The modal grain size is 5mm and there's only a small amount of "sand" at the bottom of each bag: maybe enough to fill a shot glass.  This is reminiscent of Eco Complete, although Super Densa arrives dry so it's easier to get out of the bags.  As pictured, the grains are a mix of light colours: predominantly beige and light grey with some terracotta, brown and mid grey.






When hydrated, there is the usual water turbidity and a bit of scumming: it doesn't matter if you add water to gravel, or gravel to water, it happens both ways.  I'm not able to run the filter yet, so I'll let it sediment out.  The colours are enhanced a little but not so dramatically as I'd expected.

That's pretty much it for the initial impressions.  I'll report back once the aquarium is running and I have plants becoming established.


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## zozo (1 Oct 2021)

Since Velda is a Dutch company and widely available in my country that white one was the first substrate I ever bought for my pond setup... I found it extremely dusty and it needs quite a good and long rinse before use, especially if you plan to use it in an aquarium. It doesn't really change colours when submerged.

For the rest, I didn't experience it better than others. And whatever you buy all have the same sales strategy praising their product into heaven... 

If it is a purely aesthetic reason why you want it, then why not it's is as good as any other substrate out there... Just make sure you clean out the dust properly or else you will need to wait for all the dust to settle again and then don't disturb the substrate to keep it as clear as they state it.

I actually never bought it again because it is so extremely dusty... There is enough out there that doesn't need such excessive cleaning as this stuff does. So why should I be bothered to take the time? As said it was for a pond setup where aesthetics are not really much of an issue for what lays on the bottom.


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## shikasta (30 Jan 2022)

As promised a follow-up.
As zozo said, it doesn't change colour and even over time it hasn't picked up any particular change.  I didn't find the turbidity lasted that long but there were a few bits of stick that floated to the surface.

The plants are growing well (better than they were but that may be better lighting or lower biological load because of larger volume).

Compared with the black substrate, the fuzzy film of short branching algae growing on the substrate is much more visible growing on the lighter coloured Velda.

Overall I'd say it's a perfectly good and more affordable light-colour version of the expensive volcanic substrates, and no worse for intial cloudy water.


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## MirandaB (30 Jan 2022)

I use it in all my tanks as a base layer but not on show as such and I find it very good for Cryptocoryne especially.


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## JPT1974 (28 Aug 2022)

Hi All.
Sorry to Dig  up this old Thread again . Pretty sure I did put something up about Velda L and SD a long time ago? I love the stuff! So much so that I bought up all the bags we had in store before we stopped selling it and now  I sit on my own SuperDensa mountain.

I've been using and promoting the use of Velda's Lelite or Plant Soil in conjunction with  Velda's SuperDennsa for many years Since I first mixed them together looking for a more open substrate that would be good for root growth and help assist good CEC  values on a budget.  (As Miranda im sure will testify  ).  it really is an excellent substrate with along working life.  My aquarium in my living room  was set up with this substrate mix, an has been up for four years and still going strong.  Yep it is a little dusty but in my experience nothing that a little rinse wont sort out (Washed through 3-4times).
As far as using it as a surface medium Joe ... I can't see why not. I have used to top dress my lily ponds and that looked fine but obviously that was a different context.  Some might argue that it's not the prettiest substrate but hey they're not the ones enjoying your aquarium  . I guess you are a long way down the road now anyway......and all this might now be irrelevant 😄

If anyone reading this with a spare aquarium, looking to experiment with substrates.  I've had no negative experiences Mixed 1:1.  Not a sales strategy. I want to promote it just because of my own experience. Give it a go. I'd love George F or some of the administrators to give it a  go and see what their experienced thoughts are.
Cheers All
John


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