Pre-Soaking Turface

[abcdefghi]

Has anyone pre-soaked Turface with ferts? I read somewhere that it can be helpful to do so, but not sure if its worthwhile. I picked up 100lbs yesterday, but have a couple weeks until I will be putting it into my tank.

Can I dump the Turface into a Rubbermaid tub, add some ferts and let is sit for a couple weeks? if so how much fertilizer should I use? I was thinking of rinsing it all in the tub, and then leaving it sitting there soaking until I was ready to use it.

Thanks.

 

[Crispino Ramos]

Whatever the Turface absorbs will dissipate in the tank - it's just a chemistry principle of osmosis.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/kinetic/diffus.html

 

[jmhart]

Whatever the Turface absorbs will dissipate in the tank - it's just a chemistry principle of osmosis.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/kinetic/diffus.html

:thm:


If you're worried about it, better to just add root tabs.

 

[abcdefghi]

If you're worried about it, better to just add root tabs.

I think I will just do that then, have a few root tabs lying around, will use them up when I switch the substrate out.

 

[phanmc]

Whatever the Turface absorbs will dissipate in the tank - it's just a chemistry principle of osmosis.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/kinetic/diffus.html

Except Turface has a very high CEC ratio which attracts positive ions (our ferts) to its negatively charged surface and prevents it from leaching into the water. Its the main reason we're spending money on more expensive plant substrates rather than inert gravel.

Pre-loading would help in the short term but over time Turface would absorb the nutrients anyway, provided they are present in the water.