[Guest]

i know some people from this forum use this in their vivs and id like to know how to make it.

 

[josh_r]

clay

yes, im also interrested in how u guys did it? i have been thinkin about using clay for a while but i know alot of clays have harmful components in them...but i dont know which ones....thus delaying my progress. please share your info. thank you and have a great day!

-josh

 

[Guest]

im pretty sure that potters clay is ok because you can use it to grow moss in a methodn similair t buttermilk moss. im sure there must be more to it than just pure clay.

 

[josh_r]

some pottery clay has harmfull substances in it tho. i guess ill do some searching or just use clay from a stream and put it in the oven for a while...

 

[Guest]

I know someone who used the cheap 100% clay kitty litter.
It worked for him and all I can say is the root structure of the plants in that tank is incredible! I know the tank is at least 5 years old.

 

[dmartin72]

100% clay kitty litter is used with a lot of success in the aquarium. Iron rich soil or addiditives in general are staples in freshwater planted aquariiums today.

 

[Guest]

But kitty litter is not rich in iron--it just has a high CEC rate (or something like that) which means that it binds up nutrients and whatnot within its structure, and then releases it when tapped by a root. Kitty litter in and of itself is pretty much 'empty' of any organics or nutrients. One of the best and cheapest brands is the "Special Kitty" litter at Wal-Mart: no additives or deodorants...just pure clay.

 

[dmartin72]

I didn't know that! I always thought that clay was iron rich. Maybe I'm thinking of Laterite.

 

[Guest]

laterite

laterite has alot of iron in it but then again laterite is a kind of clay is it not?

 

[bbrock]

I know someone who used the cheap 100% clay kitty litter.
It worked for him and all I can say is the root structure of the plants in that tank is incredible! I know the tank is at least 5 years old.

I know that guy! I live with his wife! I have 3 vivs that use a pure kitty litter substrate. All are more than 7 years old now. Kitty litter clay is a really crappy substrate to grow plants in which is why I use it. Here's a link to some info explaining why:

http://www.bbrock.frognet.org/information/general_design_philosophy.htm#substrate

I've learned more about tropical soils since writing that and will be working on some modifications to the substrate mix in the future but have not entirely worked out what I want to try.

If you want to see some old images of the vivs, you can peruse the gallery from the main site http://www.bbrock.frognet.org The pumilio, auratus, and vittatus vivs have the kitty litter. The pumilio viv looks quite different and is overgrown and needs to be redone. The other two vivs look pretty close to how they did when the photos were taken which was at least 3 years ago.

Just in general, I think the standard philosophy of using nutrient rich soils in vivaria is not the best way to go. I've had arguments with some very well known viviculturists about this and they don't agree. But of course I'M right :wink: