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Laterite
> As for there being no laterite in the United States, well that's just not
> true. What is true is that laterite is formed due to tropical weathering
> over geologic time (read thousands and tens of thousands of years). While
> today, in the last milliseconds of the 20th Century, most of North America
> enjoys a temperate climate, that was not always the case. Millions of years
> ago, even the area surrounding the North Pole was tropical (coral fossils
> have been found in the high Arctic, and where do you think the oil in Alaska
> comes from???). The area where I grew up, in northern Nova Scotia, was once
> a lush tropical jungle - gosh, they have recently discovered that the town I
> was born in is built over an ancient forest where the trees have been
> fossilized in place (standing).
>
> During those millions of years, there have been many areas in North America
> which have had climatic conditions suitable for the formation of lateritic
> soils. One major difference might be that those soils are probably now
> overlain with newer deposits which are much more fertile, having formed
> under different geological and climatic conditions.
Well thanks James, at least you were a little kinder than Chris.
> Many posts can be found in the archives attesting to the quality of
> Substrate Gold.
I never doubted the quality of Substrate Gold, only the definition of
laterite. The response shouldnt have surprised me. I know there are many
more people here that have already researched this, and are much more
knowledgeable than I. I figured I would be bringing up a subject that to
some was exhasted. And quoting sources of information outside of
aquaria circles on this list always seems to meet resistance. Whenever I
post something like this I get a half a dozen emails from people off
list who are afraid of ridicule. I figure there is no harm in asking. I
dont doubt what you or Chris say on this matter, but I personally seek
information from other sources as well. When I see a geological map
showing the different soil types and their origin, I tend to believe it.
Where in North America are these laterite deposits?
As far as searching the archives, I have...hours that I care not repeat
again.
Robert H