Re: [APD] RE: denifitication, Ca and PO4

["Scott R.H." <irons_21 at yahoo_com>]

Would it be possible to make a layered substrate with
"cap" of sand/light clay mix.  Or just fine sand. 
This way when you pull a little little of the mix is
pulled and the sand will help fill the gap?  Then
flourite atop this.  This way you can lock your macros
away for when the roots delve deeper.  Of course this
work work better for a long term tank 6mo-1yr with
only a little bit of "re-scaping".  I don't think it
would work to well for have to replenish after a years
time.  To bad something dense and sponge like couldn't
be used.


--- Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net> wrote:

> > Background: I'm looking at materials that can be
> used within the
> substrate,
> > especially in clay balls, to provide nitrogen &
> possibly other nutrients
> for
> > aquatic plants.
> >
> > Steve P
> 
> I'm looking for some materials as we speak. I want a
> simple cheap easy to
> make Jobes stick without the soft material and the
> NH4/Urea added in there
> also.
> 
> Some clays such as illite(old term for fine grained
> micas), have 2:1
> lattice structure. Both K+ and NH4+ can be bound to
> the Si-O laters like a
> sandwich.
> But then it's no long available to plants for
> uptake. Vermiculite has the
> greatest capacity to bind NH4+ and K+.
> 
> But I want something that will dissolve in the
> substrate or/and release the
> NO3 slowly and somewhat consistently over say 3
> months to a year.
> I think I'll give up on having the NH4 for the
> substrate.  
> 
> Just some hardered, porous, slowly dissolved
> material that I can add a fair
> amount of KNO3, KH2PO4 to.
> That's an easy to make DIY Jobes without the
> NH4/Urea.
> 
> Something heavy enough that will not pulled up and
> fluffed around, rock
> like.
> 
> Most folks have KH2PO4/Fleet enemas/KNO3 so all we
> need is the material
> that will hold and desposit the nutrients over time.
> Clay works, but I want something better.
> 
> The goal to have some macro's in the soil is a good
> one, something I've
> suggested and played with a dozen or so times over
> the years. 
> 
> But at least today we know the problems associated
> with the substrate and
> fertilizer Nitrogen sources and associated algal
> blooms cause by the one
> component, NH4. 
> So we can move forward with a better substrate fert.
> Some have been using Fertiplant, Dupla product or
> something made in
> Belgium, but it's 50$ for a tub.
> I think a cheaper DIY version can be made for 10$ or
> less and might be
> better because we can make it to suit our own needs
> and also experiement
> with various levels of macro's in the substrate
> easily. 
>  
> Regards, 
> Tom Barr  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
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>
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