Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil

Liz

Liz

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Mar 25, 2005
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Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil - and other plant questions

Could I use this entirely, without gravel or anything?
And if I were to use entirely gravel, could I just substitute a good substrate for frequent fertilizings/"plant food"? Is potting soil any good? What kind could I use?
 
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I used the shultz but mixed 20# schultz with 60# of flourite and then used sand which I had to top it off. It has since mixed up. Shultz's aquatic soil is light and might have a tendcy to move around very easily. If you can mix it with flourite that would help keep the plants stable in the substrate. You could do a 50/50 mix to save money. This of course is what worked for me, others will probably have different ideas.
 
Could I use flourite entirely? What substrates could I purchase that come with plant supplements in them?

Could I just add some clay pots to my water? Maybe crush them up?
 
In my opinion if you used flourite only that would be the way to go. The store I purchased mine from only had three bags left so I icked up the shultz to add more depth. Flourtie is rich in iron which is great for heavy root feeders like swords. I don't think clay pots are rich in iron I could be wrong.
 
Okay thanks. I'm tight on budget but I am not liking the bright red and black gravel in my aquarium anyways so I think I'll go all out and pay the $25 for flourite at petsmart. If I do that will I need to use fertilizers/plant "food" any time soon? I have some plants coming in the mail in the next few days, hopefully. But right now I only have 20 something dollars and I'll owe my parents $22 for the plants, so I am kind of in a bit of a spot.
I'm getting:
2 Marble Vallisneria, 1 Amazon Sword, 1 Rubin Sword, 6 Dwarf Chain Tennellus, 2 Red Temple Bunch Plants, 2 MoneyWort Bunch Plants, 1 Ruffle Sword, 1 Anacharis Bunch Plant, 2 Cabomba Bunch Plant
What do you think is the least I could get away with? I am sure that some of them require a rich substrate.

Aquariums are expensive, it's getting very stressful.
 
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Well the Schultz is about $6 for a 20 pound bag so why don't you do a 50/50 mix or just use the schultz and then put in root tabs.
 
I am using one of the Shultz products and Seachem plant tabs. Cheap. I do find this substrate sometimes hard to work with and sometimes easy. But I have found that the plants roots are very healthy in it. Besides the fact that it was cheap, I kind of liked the idea of being able to push fertilizer tabs into it periodically and specifically under certain plants. I really like the color of it.
Stem plants seem to hold fairly well in it. I have found that when moving large rooted plants it is easier to pour some over the plant's roots. The biggest problem has been with some anubias but again the pouring process seems to work.
The lightness of it seems to be the biggest problem.
 
Thanks a bunch. I think I will go with the schultz. I believe home depot carries it, if I'm not mistaken. I'll get someone to drive me up sometime in the next few days.
 
I'm using Profile, same as Schultz I believe 100% in my 20g, only drawback is its extreme lightness. It might be better mixed with small plain gravel I'm thinking. Otherwise the plants root really nice once they get a hold.
 
Swimfins said:
I'm using Profile, same as Schultz I believe 100% in my 20g, only drawback is its extreme lightness. It might be better mixed with small plain gravel I'm thinking. Otherwise the plants root really nice once they get a hold.
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i have a 4" layer of schultz and have no problem rooting plants. the pouring thing really works. you just have to be patient and dont stick a powerhead at the gravel, you will have a ditch in the morning because it is so light

schultz has just as much iron as flourite, it is made out of the same stuff.
 
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