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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/13/2008 5:23:59 PM
Posts: 70,
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| I was reading about the Flourite substraights, but don't have enough info on them. I know it is ideal for planted aquariums, but if you use the gravel, can you place natural sand over the top? and if you use the sand, is it really fine sand or is it more like gravel?? I was thinking of either using this or doing the top soil first, then a layer of sand ontop of that. which way is better?
Current Tanks:
10 gal DIY:
pair of Neo buescheri (zaire)
10 gal:
5x serpae tetra
3x lamp.ocellatus
33 gal Long:
1x paracyp. "neon blue"
2x brevis "katabe" breeding pair
2x brevis "sunspot" pair
4x lamp. meleagris
125 gal: 6 x altolamprologus calvus (white) 6 x altolamprologus calvus (black) 5 x altolamprologus compressiceps (orange mwela) 6 x altolamprologus compressiceps (red lubufu) 2 x neolamprologus moori (pair) 2 x julidochromis marleri (pair) 5 x synos SOON:
20 gal L DIY (N.American Biotope)- 8 pygmy sunfish, 10 least killifish, 6 oto cats, 6 pygmy killifish (????)
20 Gal L DIY (Natural) 3neo mustax,3 lamp occelatus
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/7/2008 8:58:50 AM
Posts: 2,
Visits: 19
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| I can't speak to Seachem's Flourite substrates (personally haven't used them yet), but you'll always want to put in the substrate with the smallest particulate size first and work your way up. Unless you have a screen or mesh type of material separating the layers, the smaller particles -- if put in LAST or on top of bigger particles -- will eventually settle through the larger gravel and end up on the bottom anyways. Picture this... while an exagurated example, image what happens if you put a handful of sand in a jar of marbles. The sand pours in around the marbles and settles to the bottom, right? Same thing happens with aquarium substrate -- just on different scales of space and time. Hope this is helpful! KH
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Senior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 7:04:12 PM
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I've heard good things about that brand. I was thinking of buying the same brand myself.
__________________________________________ 46 Gallon Tank Planted-1 Female German Ram-5 Gymnogeophagus Sp. Norte-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)-4 Otto Cats 25 Gallon Planted (High tech)- Two Bolivian Rams- 10 endlers/guppy cross 10 Gallon Tank Planted. (At the office)-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/10/2008 5:32:54 PM
Posts: 165,
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I have used seachums flourite with good success,my brother has it in his tanks right now,he put an inch of gravel over his,I don't see why you can't put sand over the top,seachums makes a sand substrate now,it is fairly new,I don't how well it works, it is pretty new and I don't know anyone who has used it,hope this helps alittle
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Fishkeeping GURU
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/8/2008 4:09:27 PM
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I use fluorite in one of my planted tanks, and I don't particularly like it. It is just too dirty for me. You can rinse it and rinse it and rinse it and the water never runs clean, so every time you move a plant or a fish burrows it kicks up a bunch of nasty red/brown dust. I have heard that this varies greatly bag to bag (I apparently got a bad one) and the red is worse than the original, so you may not have the same experience. At this point I am alright with mine as it has fully settled and I never really move plants around, but I added some a few weeks ago and was reminded of how annoying those dust clouds are (luckily they do settle quickly).
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Moderator
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 1:46:09 PM
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| I too have had problems with Seachem's red fluorite. I have it in my 300 gallon show tank, and the plants are doing OK, but every two or three weeks I have to siphon off red junk from the bottom of the sump. I have a small tank on my desk where I used their new black fluorite, and it does not have the problem of constanting throwing off dust. I've also had better luck with the red fluorite in pots in some of my large tanks. I put in about 2" of it and cover it with 2" more of #2 natural gravel. It only becomes a real mess if I remove the plants, rather than removing the pot.
*************************** Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/10/2008 5:32:54 PM
Posts: 165,
Visits: 161
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| moving plants can be a cloudy experience and so can vacumming,seachum's recommends not to rinse the stuff before using it,when I used it I did not rinse it before putting it in the tank,the only problem that I had is what David said the red stuff is a pain,I am currently using potting soil,it can get quite dirty also but my plants do seem to love it,and they are growing quite nicely,just my 2 cents
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/13/2008 5:23:59 PM
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So from what is said, the black substraight is better for less cloudyness( was going to use black anyways seeing the fish like darkness) and not to rinse it before use, and sand could be added if wanted. Ok guys, if anyone else has additional information, please share it. THANKS EVERYONE!!
Current Tanks:
10 gal DIY:
pair of Neo buescheri (zaire)
10 gal:
5x serpae tetra
3x lamp.ocellatus
33 gal Long:
1x paracyp. "neon blue"
2x brevis "katabe" breeding pair
2x brevis "sunspot" pair
4x lamp. meleagris
125 gal: 6 x altolamprologus calvus (white) 6 x altolamprologus calvus (black) 5 x altolamprologus compressiceps (orange mwela) 6 x altolamprologus compressiceps (red lubufu) 2 x neolamprologus moori (pair) 2 x julidochromis marleri (pair) 5 x synos SOON:
20 gal L DIY (N.American Biotope)- 8 pygmy sunfish, 10 least killifish, 6 oto cats, 6 pygmy killifish (????)
20 Gal L DIY (Natural) 3neo mustax,3 lamp occelatus
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