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RE: Ducks, Laterite, and PMDD Ingredients
Alysoun McLaughlin is getting bored with our discussion of Laterite...
>Laterite schmaterite <g>.
>Other than the terminology, is there any reason to prefer *genuine*
laterite
>over other tried-and-true clay products?
>If it walks like a duck... and talks like a duck... ?
Oh God! Here I go again.... Quack, Quack, Quack....
Laterite is _specific_ type of soil (clay), formed under certain
circumstances over tens of thousands of years. There are _many_ kinds of
CLAY, and just as all ducks are birds, but not all birds are ducks, not all
clay is laterite.
Laterite has specific properties which make it very useful as a substrate
additive in a planted aquarium. "Clay" may or may not have some of those
properties, depending upon it's chemical and physical construction. Many of
the "clays" discussed here as possible "laterite substitutes" are
Bentonites, a form of clay which expands when wet, becoming gooey and in
some cases gelatinous. The term "clay" is only an indication of the particle
size of the material, i.e., less than 0.002 mm. It indicates _nothing_ about
the elemental nature of the minerals making up the particles.
Please STOP confusing laterite with other clays. It DOESN'T quack...
Phewww.... that felt good! <g>
Bob Dixon is looking for a source for the PMDD chemicals. Apparently, no
hydroponics stores in his area have clued into the potential of our market.
Bob, I got my PMDD chemicals from Homegrown Hydroponics, a chain of stores
here in Sourthern Ontario. They will probably do mail order (if I can buy
from an American mail order store, you can buy from a Canadian one). Here is
their URL: http://www.hydroponics.com/
James Purchase
Toronto