Re: Greensand

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Greensand
From: PacNeil at aol_com
Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 15:16:27 -0400

I've been reading for some time the discussions about major elements and
their effects on algae growth. I concluded that, one of the major limiting
factors in getting higher plants to successfully out compete algae, is
potash. According to my encyclopedia of organic gardening: "Glauconite
greensand or greensand marl is an iron potassium silicate that imparts a
green color to the minerals in which it occurs. ....... The best deposits
contain, in addition to the porash, 50 percent silica, 18-23% magnesia, small
amounts of lime and phosphoric acit and traces of 30 or more other elements,
most of which are important in the nutrition of the higher plants. ........."
(more information for using on terrestial plants)
Now for my question to the experts. Would Glauconite greensand be a useful
addition to the substrate of a planted aquarium? How much, as a percentage of
the "soil" substrate? Are there any risks or noted side effects in using
greensand?

The sun is shining and the day is warm in Poway, CA.

PacNeil at aol_com[Neil Schneider]