Flourite or Laterite?

[serjuanca888]

I am in the process of making a 20g planted tank. I am currently hung up on what to use for substrate. My current ideas are (along with costs):

1) a three layer substrate (bottom to top) - 2in sand, 20oz laterite, 2in fine gravel ($8)

2) 2 bags flourite ($40)

3) 1 bag flourite mixed with gravel ($20)

Option #1 is much cheaper than the other ones. Is flourite really worth the money?

What would you do? I am willing to pay the extra money if it is worth it.

[CHINABOY1021]

im not experienced enough to tell ya which one is better.


but from what i've heard, its literally impossible to keep any substrate in layers because or uprooting, planting, vaccuuming, etc. eventually ending up with a mixture that is also literally impossible to seperate

imo, flourite doesnt look well mixed with other colors. but thats just me.

[125gJoe]

IMO, 100% Flourite.

No need for messy (potentially messy), laterite.

[djlen]

Agree 100% with Joe. It's a one time expense that lasts for years and years. Mixing substrates gets messy after a while.
You can buy Flourite for $10.99 a bag at: www.bigalsonline.com
plus shipping of $4.
Len

[Skittyfish]

On a new tank, I'd go with the flourite. I added laterite to my exsiting tank and it was a mess. But I chose laterite because I already had a full tank of fish and gravel.

[wetmanNY]

Baked laterite or unbaked laterite, that is the question. Flourite is naturally baked laterite. Cat litter is unbaked laterite.

Don't overwash laterite, or you might as well have gravel...

[Faramir]

Fluorite appears to be unavailable in the UK (or extremely hard to get hold of) and laterite is prohibitively expensive.

Yet we can still grow plants.

These specialist substrates are great, but they are not essentials.

[TwoTankAmin]

I have a number of planted tanks. Most use bits of walnut gravel (very small size) and laterite. When starting the tank I put 1-1.5 inches of gravel in and then sprinkle laterite over it (I use a bit more than the suggested 1 oz/gal). I thoroughly mix this and then top with another 2+ inches of plain gravel. I have never had a mixing problem and the plants do great, esp in the high light co2 added tank.

I also have a 75 gal tank which I bought used and which came with fluorite. Since I don't like the look of it, I used the fluorite as the lower layer (about 1.5 inch) and then covered this with 2+ inches of large gravel. Again no mixing problems however this tank has few fine plants such as stems. It does have several swords and crypts which do fine.

I would not layer sand and gravel. the chance of compaction and anerobic pockets becomes too great.