Re: problems with Flourite dust

[john wheeler <jcwheel76 at yahoo_com>]

Hey gang,

I'm still surprised to see all this hub-bub with
Flourite rinsing. A simple solution is just to rinse
it quickly and cap your Flourite with an inch blasting
grit. It cuts down on the cost of Flourite and saves
you the clouding. Plus, you can leave more of the
fines which are better for the roots than the big
chunks. 

Yes, it will mix over time, but that will allow the
really smal bits to sink to the bottom where they will
be *much* less offensive. Plus, people seem to like
the way Flourite looks, so once it mixes a little you
can have the appearance back. 

I also find exposed Flourite to be a prime attachment
site for BBA. How annoying is that? 

SeaChems recommendation to use no less than 50%, if
you mix it, is a little optimistic. I've used it with
the same success whether I use 100% Flourite or a half
inch layer under 2-3 inches of plain gravel.

An even simpler and cheaper solution is to use
laterite-- any laterite will do if you insist on some
sort of substrate enrichment.  

In these days of water column fert dependance, the
substrate is so insignificant (IMO) that I'm not sure
why more folks aren't using plain gravel and using the
money they saved to buy good CO2 stuff..... 


 

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