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JBL Aquabasis?

sanj

Member
Joined
10 Apr 2008
Messages
1,531
Location
Coventry, UK
I haven't seen any post with this substrate, which I thought was quite common and relatively cheap compared to ADA and ecocomplete.

I have used it before and plan on using it again in my high tech. I has a heater cable there is already old soil in the tank im just adding some more to boost and changing my gravel for silica sand. The reason I prefer the 1-2mm, but I am assuming this wont compact like fine sand?

I understand it does not have phosphate and nitrate like ADA, but otherwise have any people tried it?
 
I have Jbl aquabasis in an aquacube 25 at the mo with a HC carpet. The HC is in perfect health. Ive used lots of different substrates now and cant really choose between them. Jbl aquabasis is cheaper than most and allows you the option of covering with a substrate of your choice. I used the tropica substrate in the last scape in the same tank and have seen no noticable difference in plant growth. IMO If you want to save your self a few quid Jbl aquabasis is a good option.
 
I think the thing we most of these substrates is that they are clay based, which means they are more or less the same stuff. Well that's would I would think, I could be wrong! Even ADA AS is clay based, it just has NH3 added. They all work by absorbing nutrients which they then hold for the plants.

Sam
 
Where are you planning on getting your sand from? From the sand I've seen, both silver sand and play sand are quite fine (< 1mm). There's horticultural grit, but I think that has fairly sharp edges.
 
I've also had good results with the JBL stuff and 1-2mm Unipac silica sand.

I honestly believe that most off-the-shelf substrates perform very much the same. I've tried around six manufacturers now, with no noticeable difference, except ADA Aqua Soil that is superior.

If you are fertilising the water column regularly too, the substrate nutrients become even less important.
 
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