Powersand alternative?

[|squee|]

I found this at Nature Aquarium today, might be a good alternative to Powersand without the nutrients, i.e. the bacteria cultivation benefits.

[anttz]

Price also very attractive

[|squee|]

Well the stuff is new to me, I'm trying them out with my Aquasoil Amazonia.


This is how the stuff looks like up close.. certainly looks porous

[evolim83]

Terence, is this meant to be used as filter media or is it mean to be added as substrate?
Quite commonly seem in LFS, and all this while thought it was a filter media.

[PeterGwee]

If the "thing" ends up on the top along with aquasoil, it will look real bad. Why would you want to add that since bacteria is all over the tank once established? Save the dough and get yourself ADA inlet and lily pipe outlets would be a better investment since it makes the tank look better.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[richietay]

squee, any comments on this stuffs??

[|squee|]

evolim, it's supposed to be substrate, the bottom layer before Aquasoil. I have not seen it till that day!

richietay, I can't comment much, I bought this thing because "I just felt like it". According to stuff I read on aquaticplantcentral.com, powersand is supposed to be used with Aquasoil to maintain a long term substrate system. The lava rocks have lots of nooks and crannies so bacteria can grow on them, it's kind of like allowing lots of space for the mulm you add in a tank before laying down the substrate.

And of course in a planted tank, there are so many variables, I might have just wasted my money or anything

[XnSdVd]

The stuff looks calcium rich... did you guys do the vinegar test yet?

[|squee|]

Never occurred to me... I might test it tommorrow when I get back from school.