Question about Fluorite

[Soulviolence]

Someone suggested I should get some for my planted sand tank I'm setting up. My question is: I saw someone on Craigslist who had 25 lbs for $15 but it was used in his tank. He took it out and boiled it and was now getting rid of it. Does this matter (the boiling) and should I get it?

 

[carolinyens]

I think the boiling is to sterilize the medium. I have never heard of someone boiling their substrate b4 so Im not sure as to if it would break down flourite seeing as its a clay based one. Personally i think its probably all right their prolly not selling it as mush clay. Just never heard of someone selling their used substrate. just my .02

 

[petluvr]

It should be fine, people boil substrate all the time. Flourite doesn't contain anything really anyway it is just able to take nutrients from the water column and store them if I am correct, and I am pretty sure that I am lol

 

[Slappy*McFish]

I'd buy it. Flourite is an excellent plant substrate and the boiling will not degrade it in anyway. Here's a chart showing the mineral composition of Flourite. It certainly offers more micro nutrients/trace elements to plants than ordinary gravel.
http://www.seachem.com/support/GravelMineralComposition.pdf