SMS or Turface? [Archive] - Aquaria Central

shawnhu

04-10-2009, 3:05 PM

I have an option to purchase one of these for my new planted tank. I've done a little bit of research, and it truns out that SMS(Soil Master Select) is very similar to Turface. Which would you go with if you had to choose between the two?

jmhart

04-10-2009, 3:22 PM

They are practically the same thing. Turface has a slightly higher CEC, but in use this doesn't really mean anything.

So go with whichever looks better to you, or if they look the same, whichever is cheapest.

shawnhu

04-10-2009, 3:35 PM

I'm going for an Amazonian look, which would be best for that?

SnakeIce

04-10-2009, 3:35 PM

Yeah I'd say choose the color of your preference. In my opinion darker is better.

jmhart

04-10-2009, 3:40 PM

Again, same difference. Charcoal Turface or Charcoal SMS....get whichever is cheapest

Sounguru

04-10-2009, 4:52 PM

I thought SMS had be discontinued....

shawnhu

04-10-2009, 5:03 PM

I thought SMS had be discontinued....

It has, from Lesco, aka John Deere. But the company that makes Soilmaster is still around, read my research on this.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189986

Sploke

04-10-2009, 5:05 PM

SMS was about half the price of what I could get Turface for around here, so I went with that.

jmhart

04-10-2009, 5:32 PM

SMS is still produced, just no longer distributed by Lesco. Lesco distributes Turface now.

Yeah, I was able to get SMS and Turface, and SMS was $9 for a 50 lb bag, so I went with that.

debaric

04-10-2009, 5:51 PM

SMS is fine and I use it in my tanks. With that said try to seed the hell out of it with mulm from another fish tank because it has no nutrients in it at all, obviously. Or, would suggest mixing one of these with eco complete.

I am not sure what color the dark turface looks like but i mix about 5 parts SMS with 1 part eco complete and it looks really great, really natural looking.