Activ-Flora Substrate?

[Fish Folk]

Does anyone on the forum have experience using Activ-Flora substrate on a large planted aquarium? 

[Cory]

We sell and use the black version of it. Works well for our customers, it's very similar to eco complete for the black version. I'll be doing 3 tanks in it in my new fish room.

[Jungle Fan]

Looks interesting, does it contain any clay?

[Fish Folk]

30 minutes ago, Jungle Fan said:

 

Looks interesting, does it contain any clay?

 

Not sure. Here’s the composition analysis from their website...

[Acenorm]

I have had it in my 29 gallon for a couple of years. My plants seem to be happy with it, especially my bronze Cryptocoryne Wendtii, it has spread across my tank.

[Anita]

22 hours ago, Jungle Fan said:

Looks interesting, does it contain any clay?

 

21 hours ago, Fish Folk said:

Not sure. Here’s the composition analysis from their website...

Just guessing from the mineral composition—high percentages of aluminum, magnesium, and iron—I suspect there is clay in this substrate. Here is a reference about the minerals most commonly found in clay. 

[Jungle Fan]

I might have to check that one out as a cover for the soft belly Amazon soil substrate I like to use.

[Fish Folk]

3 hours ago, Anita said:

Just guessing from the mineral composition—high percentages of aluminum, magnesium, and iron—I suspect there is clay in this substrate. Here is a reference about the minerals most commonly found in clay. 

So, pardon my ignorance... are there any concerns with clay? 

[Jungle Fan]

@Fish Folk No concerns, just benefits. Red clay holds iron and is beneficial to all root feeders like Sword plants, and Cryptocoryne, your dwarf lilies will also benefit, as do all red plants generally. Some companies even market plain red clay balls as fertilizer, but you'll do much better with Easy Green root tabs, or other specifically composed root tabs because these root feeders also need potassium.

[Fish Folk]

1 minute ago, Jungle Fan said:

@Fish Folk No concerns, just benefits. Red clay holds iron and is beneficial to all root feeders like Sword plants, and Cryptocoryne, your dwarf lilies will also benefit, as do all red plants generally. Some companies even market plain red clay balls as fertilizer, but you'll do much better with Easy Green root tabs, or other specifically composed root tabs because these root feeders also need potassium.

Awesome!

(So all this time I’ve been feeding my plants bananas for potassium, and NOW I learn that I should have been feeding Root Tabs??! My grocery bill is going to be revolutionized! 😜)

[Jungle Fan]

In regards to my fish tanks I gave up on banana floats years ago. LOL😄

[Anita]

5 hours ago, Fish Folk said:

So, pardon my ignorance... are there any concerns with clay? 

Nope! As described by @Jungle Fan. Planted tank enthusiasts often use bonsai potting mixtures, many of which are high-fired clay pellets. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Anita

[Anita]

4 hours ago, Fish Folk said:

Awesome!

(So all this time I’ve been feeding my plants bananas for potassium, and NOW I learn that I should have been feeding Root Tabs??! My grocery bill is going to be revolutionized! 😜)

ORD 🤣

[Andy's Fish Den]

I came across this stuff last week in a LFS and I think that I am going to try it out in a tank soon. It will be interesting to see what Cory thinks of it when he uses it as well. 

[Fish Folk]

2 minutes ago, Andy's Fish Den said:

I came across this stuff last week in a LFS and I think that I am going to try it out in a tank soon. It will be interesting to see what Cory thinks of it when he uses it as well. 

Looking at it, it seems like the pebbles / tan / black / red are all different sized stones and textures. 

[Brian]

@Cory so I use a mixture of Eco Complete and river gravel I buy from a building supply company - My question is.  With the use of EZ Root and the complete line of EZ fertilizers will my mineralized substrate last long?   In theory?  I know depends on plants ...  how many...   lights...  the use of CO...   and growth rate...  water changes.    Just to many variables...   

Thanks.   

[Cory]

Eco complete absorbs liquid fertilizer, so it should last as long as you keep dosing.

[Tlane]

I actually purchased 3 bags of this substrate for my 45 gallon. The bag says you don’t rinse it and the liquid inside is supposed to go in the tank. it has a fine layer at the bottom for the roots to absorb nutrients, that is supposed to settle under the top layer of gravel. Well I sent think tank up on Friday (1/21/22) and the water has only slightly improved. I was running the filter but we could see all the particles flying around and I don’t think that’s going to help them settle. So the filter has been off for 2-3 days and I’m just going to try and do a careful 80-90% water change when it fully settles. Any other suggestions for those of you who have used it before?

[Fish Folk]

On 1/24/2022 at 8:23 AM, Tlane said:

I actually purchased 3 bags of this substrate for my 45 gallon. The bag says you don’t rinse it and the liquid inside is supposed to go in the tank. it has a fine layer at the bottom for the roots to absorb nutrients, that is supposed to settle under the top layer of gravel. Well I sent think tank up on Friday (1/21/22) and the water has only slightly improved. I was running the filter but we could see all the particles flying around and I don’t think that’s going to help them settle. So the filter has been off for 2-3 days and I’m just going to try and do a careful 80-90% water change when it fully settles. Any other suggestions for those of you who have used it before?

Set up a HOB loaded with aquarium wool / floss. It should polish up your tank quickly. Not sure exactly what the cause might be. 

[Tlane]

On 1/24/2022 at 8:05 AM, Fish Folk said:

Set up a HOB loaded with aquarium wool / floss. It should polish up your tank quickly. Not sure exactly what the cause might be. 

So that’s what I have on it right now. It’s an marineland penguin 200. When I did have it on it just made it look like the particles were just flowing around with no chance to settle—because the flow is just crazy. It has a flow restrictor on the intake but even the lowest was crazy strong. I’m scared to kick it on and make it cloudy again lol. I attached a picture of the tank today, about 3 days in VS the first day I set it up.

[Fish Folk]

On 1/24/2022 at 9:58 AM, Tlane said:

So that’s what I have on it right now. It’s an marineland penguin 200. When I did have it on it just made it look like the particles were just flowing around with no chance to settle—because the flow is just crazy. It has a flow restrictor on the intake but even the lowest was crazy strong. I’m scared to kick it on and make it cloudy again lol. I attached a picture of the tank today, about 3 days in VS the first day I set it up.

I’d try getting some floss. Take out everything else in the HOB. Jam it up with floss, and let it run for a day.

[Tlane]

On 1/24/2022 at 9:25 AM, Fish Folk said:

I’d try getting some floss. Take out everything else in the HOB. Jam it up with floss, and let it run for a day.

So update! The floss is coming in today, no local store had it so I had to order. But the plants came in before the floss and I decided to just do a water change and WOW. That made a world of difference. Here it is all planted! Still appreciate the suggestion for the floss, it’s WAY cheaper and I don’t have to buy those expensive replacement filters. 😉 

[glenn anthony]

I also recently discovered this substrate also, will be setting up a 40 breeder (petcos 50% off sale) but, just my luck looks like i'll be building the stand. I had an old one but, guess i messed up my dimensions got the front to back wrong (now im trying to figure out what the stand was for.

Anyway that was the first time i had come across, a planted substrate that contains plant nutrients and bacteria to help tank cycle (that was not sand, dirt or other. Was wondering 2 things: if anyone can help a fellow NERM. 

1. would this gravel be okay for Corydoras  (as far as size of gravel and them being able to get/find  food)

2.  Would i still need to use root tabs loose after nutrients                 (oh i lied last question)

3. Since the bag supposedly contains beneficial bacteria,  would using Btightwell or ftitzyme bottled bacteria be overkill

                                                                THANK TO YOU ALL FOR LISTENING AND A DOUBLE TANK U FOR ANY QUESTIONS U COULD ANSWER

[Fish Folk]

On 7/7/2022 at 10:36 PM, glenn anthony said:

I also recently discovered this substrate also, will be setting up a 40 breeder (petcos 50% off sale) but, just my luck looks like i'll be building the stand. I had an old one but, guess i messed up my dimensions got the front to back wrong (now im trying to figure out what the stand was for.

Anyway that was the first time i had come across, a planted substrate that contains plant nutrients and bacteria to help tank cycle (that was not sand, dirt or other. Was wondering 2 things: if anyone can help a fellow NERM. 

1. would this gravel be okay for Corydoras  (as far as size of gravel and them being able to get/find  food)

2.  Would i still need to use root tabs loose after nutrients                 (oh i lied last question)

3. Since the bag supposedly contains beneficial bacteria,  would using Btightwell or ftitzyme bottled bacteria be overkill

                                                                THANK TO YOU ALL FOR LISTENING AND A DOUBLE TANK U FOR ANY QUESTIONS U COULD ANSWER

1 - Yes, it's fine for Corydoras. There are slightly different consistencies to the different colors, some of which Corys might prefer. However, on the whole none are problematic. I like the look and texture of Black the best. But the Red is interesting to me too.

2 - Yes, if you're growing Swords, Valisneria, Crinnum, etc -- you'll still need to add R. Tabs.

3 - No, using FritzZyme is just fine. Just be sure there's lots of air going when you add it. Aerobic bacteria requires sufficient oxygen to propagate.

Share photos when you've got them!

[glenn anthony]

Thanks, I always use some sort of bacteria starter, even when i use some seeded filer bio material, most of my tanks ( 2 10gall 1 20 gall have alot of easy rhizome plants< so this being a 40g breeder i wanns use (pogo, vall, maybe dwarf chain, bacopa carolina? along with java fern and anubias. Ghess ill have to season tank for a bit anyway to make the corys happy

Just wanted to get an idea on the substrate, been using redular rounded type gravel (black in 20g and a neutral mix in the 10s

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT