Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

Think that about says it all...  

[manifresh006]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

Sure does 8)

[spyke1969]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

As all the way!! 8)

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

szidlon
Louis's post should be printed in the Fish Fancier.  

[Paleoguy]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

Thanks Luis a great summation. Us old guys have seen it all. I am working on a new model of the old topsoil method. If it works, I'll let the group know.




                                                                          :axe:

"Why - cause I like it!'

[TaTeR ToT]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

caribsea eco-complete

and i just setup a 50g hexagon with aquatic plant substrate from home depot.
looks alot like flourite.
hoping it will work well for me, i will update with the progress.

[treehuggingfishlover]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

Thanks Luis a great summation. Us old guys have seen it all. I am working on a new model of the old topsoil method. If it works, I'll let the group know.

Did you read what Luis wrote?  

I use both flora base and aqua soil.  My time is very important to me, and rinsing and drying dirt in my backyard is not my idea of a good time.  Good luck with your topsoil project, though, I hope it works out for ya.

[screename]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

ADA aquasoil amazonia I.  Dont use II, it sucks.

[crudnugget]

Re: Poll on substrata for planted tanks:

I haven't had a chance to use Aquasoil or any of the other ADA substrates yet, but I think for my next tank I will try it out since I am starting to get better at aquascaping and keeping plants healthy.

The two I have used are the original Fluorite and Eco-Complete.

Of the two, I prefer Eco-Complete for a couple reasons:

- The Fluorite was a pain in the *** to rinse.  I spent probably half an hour washing one back in a bucket, and when I put it into my tank my water was still really cloudy for about a day.  I'm sure I could have spent more time and would have experienced less cloudyness, but the time wasn't worth it for me.  As far as Eco-Complete goes, you pretty much just put it straight from the bag into the tank and add water, and if you don't just slosh buckets of water into it there should be minimal clouding.

- Aesthetics are different for everyone, but I much prefer the look of Eco-Complete, and I'm not just talking about the color.  The Fluorite looks more like chips off a rock, whereas the Eco looks like little pebbles, and each back has them in varying sizes.  There may be a few big chunks in the bag, but you can usually pick them out pretty easily, or use them to hold down plants.  The fluorite is all one size pretty much.  And it's ugly, IMO.  Eco is black/gray and looks much better to my  eye.

There are plenty substrates I have not tried, but I would never hesitate to buy a bag of Eco, or recommend it to someone new.