# Anybody tried this substrate?



## TYB (24 Nov 2010)

Have anyone used the AquariumPlants.com's own â€œFreshwater Planted Aquarium Substrateâ€? It looks good but I wonder if it has any drawbacks? The price is also agreeable.

TYB


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## foxfish (24 Nov 2010)

I that an American site - can you post a link....


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## TYB (24 Nov 2010)

http://www.aquariumplants.com/Freshwate ... e_p/ss.htm

TYB


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## foxfish (24 Nov 2010)

Have a quick look here .... viewtopic.php?f=17&t=13801 & see what ceg has to say about substrates.


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## Nelson (24 Nov 2010)

i don't think you'll get free shipping to Sweden.won't be cheap !.


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## ceg4048 (25 Nov 2010)

Yes, this is another typical construct of The Matrix. This one is easy to decipher as they unwittingly reveal their hand by simply comparing their product with EcoComplete. So basically that means that there is a high probability that this product is the same as EcoComplete. The corroborating evidence is shown on their ingredient list. Look at the first two ingredients:
SiO2....................................76.72
Al2O3..................................11.28

Silicon Dioxide and Aluminum Oxide in such high percentages are the primary ingredients of any common Clay. The other minerals in this clay, as you can see, are composed of a bit of iron, Manganese and Magnesium in relatively small percentages, which is just about exactly what EcoComplete is composed of. 

Let's have a munch on a Reality Biscuit: 
It wouldn't surprise me at all if this were actually EcoComplete without the brand name and without the "soup" (or at least mined from the same quarry). The product contains only token quantities of macronutrients, certainly not enough to be of any real use, so what do they do? They tell you to buy their own brand of root tabs which are likely to be something like Jobe's Plant Sticks or some knockoff thereof. Of course, this is not really a big deal because clay has an excellent CEC, but I'm pretty sure they have clay sediments in Scandinavia. 

Of course, standard scare tactics apply at this website. "Ooooh, don't dose the water column because you'll get algae...ooooh, I'm really scared...I'd better swallow every illusion The Matrix has to offer..."  

I guess you have to buy their NPK products because it's made by the same goblins that made Saruman's Fighting Urakai Orcs. That way, you are guaranteed success. Powerful stuff that is... These products do not know fear or pain...






Cheers,


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## Anonymous (25 Nov 2010)

Isn't it a little bit expensive? Compared to JBL Manado I mean .. the only difference I notice is that they have also black available .. Is it worth spending double or more for a washed clay gravel?


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## TYB (25 Nov 2010)

I don't have much to pick from her in Sweden...and I would like to get som black "PowerSoil" that not going to drain my economy. 

TYB


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## ceg4048 (25 Nov 2010)

Hi TYB,
          Did you realize that you can order products from at least one of our sponsors AquaEssentials in the UK? Please navigate to the following link => AquEssentials Substrate Page Any of the substrates on that page will do the trick but I believe the Oliver Knott Nature Soil is the closest thing to the ADA product. You can even find the Caribsea EcoComplete there as well. There is no need to pay shipping charges from USA.

I'm not sure whether The Green Machine ships to Sweden but it's definitely worth contacting them. TMG are suppliers of ADA products => TMG Home Page

It's definitely worth contacting our sponsors because even if they don't ship direct they will be able to help you find products in your area.

Cheers,


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## TYB (25 Nov 2010)

I am looking to set up a new tank, 200 x 60 x 60cmâ€¦that will be a lot of weight ordering in small bags from the UK, what attracted me was the free shipping bit.

TYB


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## foxfish (26 Nov 2010)

I do understand your problem! I live on a small Island & trying to import anything heavy costs loads.
Aqua essentials wanted the same amount of money for P+P as the cost of of the soil!!!
You might have to compromise, if you cant find anything near your way - Holland or Germany would be closer than America?
Lots of folk, including myself, have had success with sands, gravels, cat litter, & now Bonsai tree planting media!
I understand why you want a black soil but, perhaps you can use some other type of substrate & cover with black sand or fine black gravel?


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## Anonymous (26 Nov 2010)

You can try finding one of these (in my order of preference):

- Dennerle crystal quartz
- Aqua medic Volcanit
- Aquatic Nature Dekoline 
- any colored quartz

Cheers,
Mike


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