joe wrote in message ...

Everything I have read supported Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil as a good
medium.
For every bad posting I found 10 good ones
I just need to keep my startup costs down.

That's cool... Do plenty of research/reading... and make your own
decisions. I did the same thing when I decided to go the
flourite/soil/heating cables route; so I totally respect that!

Two things to consider though...
1. Your plan is to use the Schultz soil underneath a layer of gravel
because it will float if exposed. One thing you have to keep in mind
with a plant tank is that you will invariably stir up the substrate
during replants. Trust me, you are not going to get the perfect layout
on your first attempt... And even if you could -- likely you will want
to add a plant here and there after it's set up. All this movement
will eventually uncover some of the "soil" and it will float.

2. Remember this is a long-term choice you are making! Partially in
reference to #1 above, but keep in mind that it's a really big deal to
break down a heavily planted tank and restart it with another choice
in substrate. Took me a full day saturday (12+ hrs) which doesn't take
into account the prepwork before, and cleanup after.

I also considered the Schultz route, even sampled a bit from a pond
retailer who had an open bag. I concluded it was just not for me. BTW:
I didn't find many positive... or negative... comments on this as a
medium for the aquarium. I researched for a good deal longer than two
weeks, and still could not find much opinion for the application.

On a side note -- If we are all so sure this medium will float in the
aquarium environment then how do the pond folks deal with the issue?
Certainly it must float in the pond as well? Maybe because that
environment is largely a container-based planting (with gravel as a
top layer of each pot) as opposed to a wall-to-wall substrate?