# Need advice on choosing a substrate!



## PlatyFINatic (3 Aug 2012)

Hi there   

I'm new here, and have been reading over posts on here for a while, and finally decided to join!

Anyway, I currently have a 55 set up but I am in the process of setting up an 8 gallon for some of my platy fry.  

So, I plan to use a substrate that does ideally not need sand to go over the top, instead I would like that to be the only substrate.  I have seen several, and I am unsure as to whether any of them are good for growing plants.

(I do not want to spend much if possible, so that rules out the ADA soil!)

Please could I have some advice on some good substrates that won't break my budget of around £15 to fill an 8 gallon tall! 

How does cat litter work as a substrate?

Thanks


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## Alastair (3 Aug 2012)

Cat litter is great stuff, and you'd only need the one bag at 2-3 pound from tesco. 
I had great results using it in my 5foot.  takes a bit of rinsing and is a little light to begin with but if soaked prior it isn't. Absorbs excess nutrients from the water too which is always a bonus. I personally like the colour too. 


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## Antipofish (3 Aug 2012)

Another (and better in my opinion) budget option would be Akadama which is not perfumed like cat litter.  I think the particles are nicer too.  That said, cat litter will do the job.  Im not a fan though.  TBH at that size it would not even be that expensive to use Colombo Florabase or one of the other proprietary aqua soils.


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## Quetzalcoatl (3 Aug 2012)

I agree with Chris. Cat litter/Molar Clay/Akadama are good budget options but only really for larger projects. If you are referring to your 8 gallon I`d go for a decent aquasoil. A 5 litre bag of Colombo should do you just fine and should come in just over budget. Cheap is good, but not necessarily better?


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## PlatyFINatic (4 Aug 2012)

Thanks for the replies.

I have taken a look at other options, could I use decent quality root tabs with play sand?  Would that work as well?

Thanks


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## Antipofish (4 Aug 2012)

Hey Platy.  I think you are doing exactly what I did when I first started my tank.. you are looking at too many different options without considering the application.  

Play sand is fine.  And again, as quetzal said, for a big project it will save you money.  Root tabs are fine too.  But they dont last forever.  With a small tank of your size, for the sake of a fiver over your budget, (and to be honest, if five pounds is an issue for one of the most important parts of a planted aquarium you need to save it rather than start before you got it, which I mean in a nice way) you would get better results with a decent aquasoil.  

Sand would be BETTER if you wanted to keep fish that need sand as a preferred substrate, but it does bring its own problems.

If you dont want to spend the money on aquasoil, and dont have the NEED for sand, then my advice would be to go for akadama, which IMHO is better than cat litter.  The following link will be useful for you... I am sure James will not mind me linking to it 

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/akadama.htm


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## PlatyFINatic (4 Aug 2012)

Thanks for the link!  What sort of size would I need to get if I were to get a bag of akadama?  I didn't fully understand the link - I guess that would be the only substrate?  But the main thing was, did I read that it leaches ammonia or something?  Would the fact that I am cycling the filter in my main tank mean that I could add the platy fry immediatly if using this as a substrate?  Is that going to slow it down in terms of cycling?

Just exploring all options, I know I would need to replace root tabs, but are they as effective as a substrate?  If so, what would be a good one to go for?

I have "Tetra Complete Substrate" in my bigger tank, would that be ok under the substrate or does it not really do a great deal?

I'm sorry about all the questions!

Thanks again


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## Danny (4 Aug 2012)

I have used cat litter in my shrimp tank, if you find my journal "green green grass" you can see the result and how it looks. I ended up only rinsing it a couple of times just to get what very slight smell there was away and chucked it in then filled slowly with the bowl and saucer method.

It was a bit hazy at first but has been crystal clear since 24hrs after I filled it.


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## PlatyFINatic (4 Aug 2012)

Ok, thanks!

It seems like cat litter may be a good one to go for.  Do I need to put sand on top of that, or is it ok just on it's own?

Is it going to leach ammonia or anything like that that I should be aware of?

Is this one suitable?

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/ ... =265235247

I saw one on another thread from Tesco and cannot remember which one it was!

Thanks so much!


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## Danny (4 Aug 2012)

That is the one I have used as was recommended in the thread about using it, I have not capped it and as long as there are not many or any fish that will stir up the bottom it should be fine.

As far as I know from the other thread on it there are no worries on it spiking the water, I check the tank water every morning on all tanks anyway and that has not had any adverse effects so far on that tank.


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## Alastair (4 Aug 2012)

Yep that's what everyone uses I myself did too, doesn't need capping and doesn't leech any ammonia 


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## PlatyFINatic (5 Aug 2012)

Thanks!  So just rinse it and put it in there?  Are shrimp going to be ok on the bottom with it uncapped?

Thanks again!


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## johnski (5 Aug 2012)

PlatyFINatic said:
			
		

> Thanks!  So just rinse it and put it in there?  Are shrimp going to be ok on the bottom with it uncapped?
> 
> Thanks again!



Yea


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## darren636 (5 Aug 2012)

all will be ok. The great thing about this stuff is that it costs almost nothing and also absorbs nutrients and makes them available to your plants.


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## PlatyFINatic (5 Aug 2012)

Ok, thanks!  Thats great - never did I think I would be using cat litter as a substrate


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## PlatyFINatic (5 Aug 2012)

Bought some cat litter from tescos!  It sure is taking a lot of cleaning!  Lol


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## Danny (5 Aug 2012)

Just rinse 4-5 times until any perfume fragrance smell is gone ( the litter has its own smell anyway ) so just until any sort of perfume smell is gone, it is stronger when you get to the bottom of the bag. The water will never rinse clear I tried lol, when you fill the tank with it make sure there is no to minimal water in it and when you put the water in use a bowl on a plate and pour the water into the bowl and fill slowly so you do not disturb the cat litter to much and the water will clear within 24hrs depending on how efficient your filter is. if you have any floss ( the white stuff like cotton wool ) use it and wash it out when you notice it gets brown with the dust it traps


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## LancsRick (6 Aug 2012)

If you're not using mature filter media, then personally I'd just fill the filter with wool and run it for a day, agitate the top of your substrate, leave for a day, etc. After a few iterations you'll have done a fair bit to eliminate the dust that can be kicked up when disturbing cat litter.

(Speaking as a voice that wished I'd done that when I put in fresh cat litter...)


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## Antipofish (6 Aug 2012)

PlatyFINatic said:
			
		

> Bought some cat litter from tescos!  It sure is taking a lot of cleaning!  Lol


        

Doesn't it just !  Hope you have all day.  I did not get the smell out and then it scented the bogwood I put in and ended up creating a right stink in the tank.  Pulled it all out in the end.  Hence my advice to go with Akadama which is not scented.


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## Danny (6 Aug 2012)

My tank has a slight smell of it but not much more than any tank smells really


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## PlatyFINatic (6 Aug 2012)

Lol!  I have rinsed it probably 10+ times already!  I will keep trying - the smell isn't so bad, but hey!  It looks nice  

I was thinking - Low dust!  Can you imagine if it wasn't!  It's so dusty 

Can't wait to set it up now 

Thanks for the advice


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## Antipofish (6 Aug 2012)

Danny said:
			
		

> My tank has a slight smell of it but not much more than any tank smells really



A perfectly healthy planted aquarium should not smell of anything though.


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