[Prev][Next][Index]

Re: Substrate Gold source (fwd)



This was mailed to the list owner (by mistake, I presume).
Happy new year, everyone.

-Shaji
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaji Bhaskar, Durham, North Carolina                   shaji at nando_net

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 1996 08:54:58 -0500
From: James E. Morehouse <attme!aljem3 at attme_attmail.com>
To: owner-aquatic-plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Substrate Gold source

The only source I know of for Substrate Gold is to go directly to Karl 
Schoeler..I spoke to him last week and got the following:

address:  Karl Schoeler
          241 County Rd 42
          Apple Valley, MN (didn't get the zip)
phone: 612-432-9608

He quoted me $68 for 11 lbs (!) of Substrate Gold and 1 liter of Natural Gold 
Liquid Fertilizer inc shipping.  Wanted a check ( I forgot to ask if he'd take
a credit card) and apparently would wait for it to clear before shipping.

I'm setting up a 125gal and did a fair amount of searching around the net for 
substrate recommendations...finally decided to use vermiculite (seemed hard to
go wrong with this 'sterile' medium) mixed with #2 gravel on bottom and with 
chunks of Dupla Laterite spread around covered with 2-3" of mixed #2 and #3 
gravel on top.  I would have used the Substrate Gold but became to anxious to 
wait for the check to clear and shipping.

Here are the directions Karl had for use:

1. Put down 1/2" of fine sand
2.sprinkle Substrate Gold and mix
3. add another 1/2" of fine sand
4. cover with 3" of gravel

He recommended that I use somewhere around 6-8 lbs(as I recall) for my tank 
(72" long by 
18" deep by about 20" high) but buying the 11lb size was less expensive than 
buying two of the next size down (don't remember what it was).

Any comments out there on the Vermiculite bottom? (I'll use MH lighting and 
intend to keep Discus/angels...been out of this for 12 yrs and anxious to get 
things setup but want to do it right...tap water is pH 7.4, dH about 9 degrees
, almost 0 kH and I intend to use some form of DIY CO2 injection ..yeast or 
bottled).

Hope this helps and that this post makes it (newbie here!).

Jim Morehouse
aljem3 at attme_att.com