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Re:Substrates and Profile
Dave Gromberg states he has had good luck with Profile/Turface in pots with
Jobs/Fern sticks. I too have had excellent success using profile in the
bottom 1/2 of a 30g set up over two years ago and a 10g in my office. The
profile seems very stable, extensive roots on crypts, swords and stem
plants, no real signs or compaction or major anerobisity (I make up words as
I go), accumulation of sulfide gases etc.. or that it is exhausted in
anyway. I do sometime uproot/vacuum an on occasion and I have basically
"Roto-Tilled" the whole tank and replanted once. I add DIY clay balls from
time to time and the Jobs Ferns stick under heavy root feeders every 4-6
months. I also think, to Profile's credit, that it helps provide a better
rooting medium than gravel/sand alone. Anything I put in this tank grows
well given a spot with good light.
To give you an example: after receiving a two-inch-square mat of
glossostigma elantinoides from a friend, I cleared a section 5" square by
3/4-1" deep of the existing gravel and added a mixture of Profile and
smaller 1-2mm gravel, mixing lots of the existing mulm into this section as
a bedding for glossostigma.
After repeatedly pushing the glossostigma down into the Profile-bed and
taking some of the fine gravel and covering it then knocking the gravel off
the top layer of glossistigma leaves, over a month or two, I have finally
got it to take root, stay in place (not floating up) and with some
horizontal growth. Taking into consideration that 2 Corys and two 4" Discus
are working against me not to mention the little earth-moving MTSs.... I am
amazed it's rooted finally.
No hair nets, no tying it to rocks or driftwood or sticking U-shaped paper
clips in the gravel (not that these methods don't work), just persistence
and patience. I think the 80W of Chroma50 and Tritons help and I can't
accredit this entirely to the Profile but I think it does help fine-rooted
plants such as glossostigma. Maybe it's reportedly good CEC retains and
makes available cations that would otherwise not be so available using
regular gravel. I am happy with Profile and will use it again. YMWV.
Peace & Cheers!
Tom Brennan
brennans aaaaattttttt ix ddddoooottttt netcom dddddooootttt com
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