# Plant substrates, messy stuff



## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

I tell you what this "volcanit" substrate is some messy stuff, very cloudy.

Volcanit is a name brand it is volcanic stones, it is supposed to be used as a substrate.

I got a bag i was gonna run some as a bio media, it is supposed to release some iron into the tank for plants, and be non buffering, which is why I was gonna use it for some biomedia.

After 10 washings of a small amount of this stuff in a media bag, just big clouds of orange dirty water in the sink.


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Most planted substrates I know of are pretty nasty unless you wash the hell out of them. I put laterite in my tank and I probably lost 20% of the stuff down the drain when I was washing it beforehand.


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## Husky_Jim (May 26, 2003)

I never wash any plant substrate.....you need to place it in the tank and then put a very little ammount of water just to be wet and then you put very carefully the substrate......you always have to try not to disturb the gravel when filling the tank with water.

With this 'technique' you don't loose any of the beneficial nutrients of the fertilizer substrate.

p.s. If the substrate directions say that it should be washed then just follow the directions....


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

elTwitcho said:


> Most planted substrates I know of are pretty nasty unless you wash the hell out of them. I put laterite in my tank and I probably lost 20% of the stuff down the drain when I was washing it beforehand.
> [snapback]1018258[/snapback]​


yep this stuff is messy,I dont think your supposed to wash it, that orange liquid I figure is good for plants, but I was trying to cheat, without using it as substrate.

I have to do gravel vacumes, with my heavily stocked tanks,I dont use co, just flourish and and fourish iron, not to heaily planted.

I was cheating bcecause I thought I could use the volcanic for plants and biomedia in my filter,I dont want to get into planted substrates, as Im moving more into breeding only in all my tanks.



> husky_jim Posted Today, 05:02 PM
> I never wash any plant substrate.....you need to place it in the tank and then put a very little ammount of water just to be wet and then you put very carefully the substrate......you always have to try not to disturb the gravel when filling the tank with water.
> 
> With this 'technique' you don't loose any of the beneficial nutrients of the fertilizer substrate.
> ...


thats makes sense Jim,

you see what I was up to though :laugh: , no interest in using it as substarte, but as a bio media, in my filters, its supposed to be 5%-10% Ferrolit or iron I believe

I guess I could still try it in my filters,but yes it may help my plants, but all the nutirents it's supposed to provide them is gonna be distrubuted thorugh the water and not directly to the roots..

Besides the fact that 80% of my plants are anubias and most are attached to wood and not in my substarte anyway.

I think what I was up to would of just left me with orange water :laugh:


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Nah the laterite is meant to be washed, the substrate is just solid clay anyways, so the "dirt" that gets washed off is just ground up clay.


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## Husky_Jim (May 26, 2003)

elTwitcho said:


> Nah the laterite is meant to be washed, the substrate is just solid clay anyways, so the "dirt" that gets washed off is just ground up clay.
> [snapback]1018398[/snapback]​


Not all substrates need to be washed....take as an example Leaf Mold....:nod:

p.s.It is not 'washed' it is 'rinsed' ....


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