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Re: kitty litter substrates



> Aquatic Plants Digest      Friday, June 16 2000      Volume 04 : Number 348
> Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 16:20:52 -0800
> From: "II, Thomas Barr" <tcbiii at earthlink_net>
> Subject: Re: Substrates & Roger's ?

I'm piggybacking on Tom's post since I don't the original APD this
was posted in:

> >When Dan Q. originated the kitty litter substrate idea I thought his
> >intent was that a small amount of litter should be mixed (along with
> >Osmocote pellets) into the bottom layer a sand or gravel substrate.  I
> >don't have his original article anymore, so I can't check what he actually
> >wrote.  I don't know where the idea came from to build substrates with
> >solid beds of kitty litter. Several people have tried it; have any
> >experienced long term success with it?

Last week I tore down my 29-gallon tank which had a kitty litter
bed (90% litter, maybe 10% sand) 2 inches deep, topped with 1 inch 
of sand.  The tank was 3 years old and still doing great, though I 
don't know if this qualifies as "long term".  (I tore it down to make
room for a new 75 gal.)  When scooping out the substrate, there was
just one small, dark grey, slightly rotten-smelling spot which had been
directly under a piece of driftwood.  Plant roots never seemed to
have a problem growing into the litter.

You can see photos and tank specs at
http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~boingy/aquaria.html

-Heide