Re: [APD] Substrate Help

[Vaughn Hopkins <hoppycalif at yahoo_com>]

Hi Jeff,
You don't really need laterite or any other substrate additive to  
grow plants very well.  Plants all take in nutrients from the water  
if they are available, so root feeding is not their primary means of  
being fed.  So, I recommend that you stick with the substrate you  
have, follow the estimative index method of fertilizing, and enjoy  
the aquarium.  The EI method assumes no substrate nutrients, so you  
won't need to increase the dosage at all.

Vaughn

On Jan 3, 2007, at 9:17 AM, Wojciech J. Pilat wrote:

> I just started a freshwater 20 gallon tank. 6 teras. 20 Whisper  
> Filter. roughly 20 plants. I have a hagen C02 system with  
> ferltilizers coming in the mail. Im in the 7th day of the cycling  
> the tank. The substrate is nothing but typical natural gravel. I  
> really want to upgrade it up to Laterite or Volcanit. Can I pull  
> everything (plants,gravel) out and put down the Laterite or  
> whatever without damaging the beneficial bacteria? (or shocking the  
> fish) Another option I guess would to be work in the laterite into  
> my existing gravel. My third option I guess would be to ferltilize  
> more than advised in order to compensate the absense of the  
> laterite. Or should I just wait until the cycle is over to do any  
> major rehaul work like this. Any advice or help would be great.
> Jeff

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