The ultimate clay-based substrate thread

[kyle1745]

Guess the link would help...
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/P ... 004+113555

Interesting Ed and Im trying a couple of things. At least my current thinking is to use one thing for pumilio and something else for the none egg feeders. Having had poor luck with pumilio until now I am preparing a larger tank for another shot at it. I am hoping to use a "Brent based soil". :-)

If I had to guess at my problems they would go like this in order:
- too small of a tank
- poor substrate which broke down over time and became infested with mites.

[Corpus Callosum]

Flora Base, interesting, let us know how that works out. I just ordered some Fluorite to give that a try.

[gary1218]

Has anybody bought a large bag of the redart clay and wants to sell a small quantity of it?

[Exoticdarts]

We just received a 1000 lb shipment of tropical Laterite clay and will have it for sale on our website very soon. It will be offered in powder and crushed forms. Pricing will be .50 per lb and we can fit 5 lbs in a 1 gallon bag. Shipping is USPS priority flat rate box. Two 1 gallon bags can be shipped in one box to save on shipping. We have personally tested this product for over a year and it is currently being used in all 60 + of our tanks with very good results.


We do have both for sale.

[Scott]

Interesting - what % are you using in soil?

I use ABG mix, so I'm not sure that this would be a proper additive for it, but I'm very interested in Brent/Matt's view on the soil world.

s

[UmbraSprite]

So why would one choose Redart vs Lateralite (sp?)?

[gary1218]

Originally Posted by UmbraSprite

So why would one choose Redart vs Lateralite (sp?)?

I'm interested in the answer to this as well before I buy one or the other.

From previous discussions it sounds like the calcium level in the substrate is what people are concerned about. Does one or the other contain more calcium? Are there other advantages to using one over the other?

THANKS!!!

I use ABG mix, so I'm not sure that this would be a proper additive for it, but I'm very interested in Brent/Matt's view on the soil world.

If you're thinking of the clay in terms of using it as an additive in more organic substrates, I think you're missing the philosophy behind it (I'm not picking on you at all, Scott--just pointing out the idea of using it as an additive, which has popped up in nearly every thread about soil). Organic substrates are useful for growing plants. A clay-based substrate is about helping bridge the gaps in the ecological cycle in our vivs and the overall health and well-being of the frogs contained in them.

Organic substrates break down into muck and lose their structure over time. Clay-based aggregates hold their structure, providing a permanent habitat for microfauna to inhabit and repopulate. Adding aggregate to an organic substrate defeats the purpose, because you eventually end up with clay particles surrounded by dense muck--there isn't any suitable space provided for inverts.

Dealing with clay-based soil is a complete shift in mindset from working with organic substrates. I don't see that the two can be cohesively integrated.

[Scott]

Thanks! That's why I asked... I've followed it, but not as closely as I could (or will).

s

[Corpus Callosum]

I know tree fern (loose) is an organic substrate, but it seems to hold up well over time for me. Would making a mixture of that and the clay still defeat the purpose of using the clay?

KRM, I too would like to hear more about any comments you might have on laterite vs. redart, thanks.