View Full Version : kitty litter
Does anyone use kitty litter and if so what are your results. Thanks
Toro Driver
12-07-2003, 2:08 PM
For?:scratch:
Aquarius0015
12-07-2003, 2:23 PM
For substrate?
Kagh't
12-07-2003, 3:10 PM
i've heard of people using it, with mixed success, the general consensus was a little layer had to be used, covered with an inch or two of gravel, and only the best kind was any good, the rest just clouded the water.
aquariumfishguy
12-07-2003, 3:48 PM
YUCK, I'd imagine that would get quite messy, especially with all of the chemicals they use for today's common "clay litter". Heaven forbid someone accidentally picks up the clumping cat litter to put in their tank! :sick:
I'd have to agree with aquariumfishguy. I have a cat, and have seen quite a bit of kitty litter. I sure as heck wouldn't use that stuff in my tank! :p
AquaVelva
12-07-2003, 11:06 PM
Actually, if you do a google search for "kitty litter substrate" you will find that quite a few people use it in planted tanks with great success. Of course, you need to make sure that you get just plain litter with no perfumes or additives. The pure stuff just baked clay, similar (but not identical) to laterite substrates, and used just like laterite. But the quality of the clay varies greatly from brand to brand, so you have to be careful.
One popular brand used for substrate is Hartz PH5, which I found at a local dollar store for $1.00 for a 10 pound bag. Although I have not tried it, I have been tempted to do so. According to what I have read the Hartz PH5 remains solid when submersed. Another one that people often use is called Wal-Mart Special Kitty.
The subject of using kitty litter is contoversial among aquarists, but is not uncommon at all. The kitty litter has a high cation exchange capacity, which aids in making nutrients available to plant roots. If you decide to try it, let us know how it turns out.
...AV
Go to your local nursery store and check out Schultz's Soil Conditioner. It is very similar in composition to Flourite, but it is more porous and therefore lighter. It is also lighter in color, but as it ages up it becomes darker. You can use it alone or mix it with Flourite to cut the cost that is often prohibitive for many of us. I bought a 40lb. bag for about $17.
Len
FASTRAKR
12-08-2003, 4:27 PM
DO NOT USE THE CLUMPING STUFF!!!!!
I made that mistake once. It was ok for the first little while, but it keeps expanding and breaks through the gravel like a volcano. I thought it was cool, the wife didn't. After 2 days of complete teardown we were back ready to go sans kitty. It has taken my over 6 months to try kitty litter again. This time I experimented with decent results in a juice pitcher. I would post the name that I am thinking of attempting with but I can't recall it(I am at work).
One thing I did notice is that with the kitty litter in the tank the plants flourished, without we have been struggling.
Toro Driver
12-09-2003, 4:19 PM
Originally posted by Toro Driver
For?:scratch:
Didn't want to be a wise guy. I have cats and the first thing I thought of was all the crap that they put in kitty litter...ich. I've been to a plant were they dig the stuff up and make the finished product. In theory it isn't much different than flourite. (clay)
P.S. Look in the automotive isle at Target/Walmart. Its oil dry, but as cheap as it is, they can't have done much to it.
Dwarfnut
12-09-2003, 7:45 PM
Being the somewhat tight-a$$ DIT'er. when I first heard of the kitty litter thing as a substarte, I thought it was too good to be true! And it was... to an extent! As has already been mentioned, there are BIG differences in different brands!
I ended up trying the first 'natural' kitty litter I could find from Petsmart and that turned into a big mess!! THe plants loved it, but talk about huge clouds in the water anytime you messed with the tank!! After that fiasco, I decided to buy 4 or 5 different kinds and compare them, so I stuck about a cup of each in some water and left it for a week. Most of them tunred to a big pile of gooey mush... all but the Walmart Special Kitty and the Oil-Dry!! Both are listed as all natural clay and are a grey/blackish color. I have since used the Walmart stuff several times and it works good. I would recommend you mix it into the lower layer of the substrate. I use a mix of blasting sand, the kitty litter and some Flourite. I'd say the mix is about 70%-20%-10% respectfully and all my plants to great... when they have enough light and ferts!
Basically, I say go for it... especially for a planted tank, but mix it with something else.
Good luck,