I'm thinking of setting up another tank in the future. This time I have to
plan for the substrate so I can get some kick ass plant growth

What's better? Lacerite or Flourite? I heard that Lacerite is cheaper and
you only have to use it on the bottom 1/3 of your normal aquarium gravel
while Flourite is more expensive and must be used throughout the entire
substrate??

thanx!
Dave.

Sorry, mis-spelling, I meant Laterite, not Lacerite.
"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
. ..
I'm thinking of setting up another tank in the future. This time I have to
plan for the substrate so I can get some kick ass plant growth

What's better? Lacerite or Flourite? I heard that Lacerite is cheaper and
you only have to use it on the bottom 1/3 of your normal aquarium gravel
while Flourite is more expensive and must be used throughout the entire
substrate??

thanx!
Dave.

Flourite in mho.

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
. ..
I'm thinking of setting up another tank in the future. This time I have to
plan for the substrate so I can get some kick ass plant growth

What's better? Lacerite or Flourite? I heard that Lacerite is cheaper and
you only have to use it on the bottom 1/3 of your normal aquarium gravel
while Flourite is more expensive and must be used throughout the entire
substrate??

thanx!
Dave.

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote:

What's better? Lacerite or Flourite? I heard that Lacerite is cheaper and
you only have to use it on the bottom 1/3 of your normal aquarium gravel
while Flourite is more expensive and must be used throughout the entire
substrate??

Flourite is definitely easier, and (properly rinsed) it won't cloud up
your tank.

--
www.ericschreiber.com

For what it's worth - I don't even rinse Flourite or Onyx when I use
it initially in a setup. After laying down the substrate, fill the
tank very slowly and lay the incoming outflow on a plate or similar. I
proceed to begin planting when the setup is about half-full.

When complete, a filter with strong mechanical filtration media is
turned on, and within a couple days, the system is quite clear.

Erik Leung
r rotundifolia green! - http://www.e-aquaria.com/notes/011603.html


Eric Schreiber wrote in message . ..
"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote:

What's better? Lacerite or Flourite? I heard that Lacerite is cheaper and
you only have to use it on the bottom 1/3 of your normal aquarium gravel
while Flourite is more expensive and must be used throughout the entire
substrate??

Flourite is definitely easier, and (properly rinsed) it won't cloud up
your tank.

I prefer to use pure flourite for the bottom 4/5ths of my substrate, then
cover the top with a thin layer of decorative gravel or other pleasant
looking substrate. When I used flourite without a covering substrate, I
always had too many problems with algae in the tank (I think it leaches too
much iron into the water column, particularly when its new).

Well, FWIW,
-Owen

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
. ..
I'm thinking of setting up another tank in the future. This time I have to
plan for the substrate so I can get some kick ass plant growth

What's better? Lacerite or Flourite? I heard that Lacerite is cheaper and
you only have to use it on the bottom 1/3 of your normal aquarium gravel
while Flourite is more expensive and must be used throughout the entire
substrate??

thanx!
Dave.

On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 11:45:33 -0700, "Owen Graupman"
wrote:

always had too many problems with algae in the tank (I think it leaches too
much iron into the water column, particularly when its new).

It absolutely doesn't leach anything into the water.



Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 22:19:01 GMT, (redled) wrote:

best, period, get flourite. It's more expensive, but if you can afford it,
it's probably worth it, as it will last virtually forever - think of it as an
investment.

And substrate is the absolute hardest thing in the tank to change
later......

And if you shop around a little, you can generally find a good deal on
it that makes it a little more affordable. Since shipping charges
will be higher than normal, I suggest calling the merchant to verify
total cost before shipping.


My LFS can order flourite, and the sell it for about $18.00 a bag, but
there is no shipping charge. Ask at your LFS to see what they can do
for you.




Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

Its funny how you read something you wrote just the day before and can't
understand why you wrote it...Chuck is right, it doesn't leach anything into
the water column. I knew that, so why did write that? Silly me.

Anyway, the algae problem I experience with uncovered flourite is a thick
'carpet' algae that covers exposed flourite. This only occurs for me in new
tanks. Once fast growing plants in the tank take over, the algae slowly
disappears. In tanks where I've covered the flourite, I haven't had this
carpet algae.


"Chuck Gadd" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 11:45:33 -0700, "Owen Graupman"
wrote:

always had too many problems with algae in the tank (I think it leaches
too
much iron into the water column, particularly when its new).

It absolutely doesn't leach anything into the water.



Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

Bruce, from what I have recently researched: flourite has a high CEC (the
ability to absorb nutrients and retain it for plant roots etc.) and is INERT
(will not alter water chemistry). Flourite is nutrient rich but will
apparently not leak into the water column. It contains iron and other trace
elements.

Check out this interview with Seachem:
http://www.aquabotanic.com/flourite.htm

"Bruce Geist" wrote in message
...
Is there a study or something that documents what Flourite "gives up" to
the
water column? I wondered about this question./
-Bruce Geist

"Chuck Gadd" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 11:45:33 -0700, "Owen Graupman"
wrote:

always had too many problems with algae in the tank (I think it leaches
too
much iron into the water column, particularly when its new).

It absolutely doesn't leach anything into the water.



Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

I think I can answer my own question after some research.

From what I have recently researched: flourite has a high CEC (the ability
to absorb nutrients and retain it for plant roots etc.) and is INERT (will
not alter water chemistry). Flourite is nutrient rich but will apparently
not leak into the water column...so you don't have to worry about
accelerated algae growth or nutrients cluttering up the water. It contains a
lot of iron and other trace elements.

The nice thing about flourite supposedly is that you can use it throughout
as the gravel bed substrate without having to add any supplements. Laterite
is only a supplement that you add to substrate.

Anways, that was fun

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
. ..
I'm thinking of setting up another tank in the future. This time I have to
plan for the substrate so I can get some kick ass plant growth

What's better? Lacerite or Flourite? I heard that Lacerite is cheaper and
you only have to use it on the bottom 1/3 of your normal aquarium gravel
while Flourite is more expensive and must be used throughout the entire
substrate??

thanx!
Dave.