Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V1 #105

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V1 #105
From: Brad Lauchnor <Brad.Lauchnor at m_cc.utah.edu>
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 1995 11:45:15 -0600 (MDT)
In-Reply-To: <199506041939.PAA13271 at looney_actwin.com>

> Steve Black wrote:
> > As someone who wants to do things right but who's always ready to save
> > a buck, I'm wondering whether it would work to buy plain undyed modeling
> > clay and some ferric sulfate, mix the ferric sulfate in the clay, form
> > it into little balls, let it dry, then plug them into the substrate?
> >    What do you all thing (I mean think)?
> 
> I have read, in a local magazine, that some people had been using flour to
> make "Initial-D" balls before Tetra sold the "Initial Sticks".  It worked.
> They dried up the balls and stocked for occasional use.

I would try using a Bentonite (var. montmorillonite) for the clay. It has 
a much higher CEC than typical modeling clay which is usually Kaolinite 
which has a MUCH lower CEC. I think if you mix a small amount of 
liquid fertilizer with this clay and dry it into balls it will work ?? 
You can usually get Bentonite from any drilling supply company. It will 
cost you quite a bit though, about $9.00 for a 50 lb. bag in my area :) 
Just remember to use small balls because this stuff will expand a bit in 
water (though not as much if the CEC sites are saturated with Fe, Mn, etc..)

Brad L.