JBL Aquabasis and Florapol

[dukydaf]

I have a 62.5G aquarium (120*45*45 cm). I bought 3 bags of 5L of Aquabasis and a box of Florapol(JBL)(laterite).

I want to mix the aquabasis with Florapol ( some kind of laterite from JBL) to provide extra iron. Or do some sort of 3 layerd substrate.
I want to go with a substrate of 7cm. The Aquabasis will be about 2.5cm. Now i don't know where the use of floarapol. If i use it on the top of the aquabasis when i uproot a plant this will come but if i use it under the aquabasis will it be to deep??They say to mix the florapol with 2-3mm sand so i figuered that1 cm of this florapol with sand.After that some 2-3mm gravel.Now here comes the problem. Here in romania i can't find any2-3 mm grave l. The one that i have in my aquarium ( the mulm from the fish keeps comming out and this is why i want sand) is about 3-10 mm. The biggest sand i can find is 1mm.
I would realy like a sand substrate because the mulm is easier to clean, plant stay there and it looks cleaner. I think that a 4 cm sand substrate will not compact so fast ( i have catfish)

What would you choose the 3-10 mm gravel ( i think it would leak the iron from the laterite) or the 1mm sand????

Any experiences with JBL Aquabasis or Florapol??

[vinz]

I would go for the 1mm gravel. On AQ we usually recommend 1 to 2mm gravel.

Don't use the 3-10mm gravel at all. Though, if you don't want to waste the investment, seive out the 3 to 5 mm gravel with a cheap basket and mix it with the 1mm gravel.

JBL Aquabasis was quite popular here in Singapore planted tank community a few years back because it was one of the cheapest specialised aquatic substrate fertilisers. I've used it in a number of tanks and they've done well.

I've no experience with Florapol, but had some interest in it some time back. I've always had the impression that it is more then just iron and can be used in place of Aquabasis.

In your case, I would suggest Aquabasis as the bottom layer, followed by a layer of Florapol/gravel (1mm) mix and topped with just gravel (1mm).

I wouldn't worry too much about pulling the FloraPol out, nor depth. The plant roots will find them and Florapol is easy to push back into the gravel.