# "Profile" clay soil conditioner as substrate



## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

I found this product which looks exactly like Fluorite. Very cheap: $5 for 40lb! It is called Profile soil conditioner, basically it is kiln baked clay "gravel", reddish when wet.
I've read that many people use it as substrate.
Same company makes Aquatic Plant Soil http://www.profileproducts.com/en/lawn_garden/category/item/30 which is believed to be the same stuff as soil conditioner.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

mauve said:


> I found this product which looks exactly like Fluorite. Very cheap! It is called Profile soil conditioner, basically it is kiln baked clay "gravel", reddish when wet.
> I've read that many people use it as substrate.
> Same company makes Aquatic Plant Soil http://www.profileproducts.com/en/lawn_garden/category/item/30 which is believed to be the same stuff as soil conditioner.


I've used Turface,which is essentially the same product from a different manufacturer. It's good stuff and plants grow well in it. Compared to flourite, it's somewhat more uniform in color.

Two points about it, however. One, it's less dense than regular gravel, so I usually find I have to weight down the roots of plants for a week or two until they get established. I use pebbles. Two, like flourite, it seems to take forever to wash the dust out of it, but actually what's happening is that as you wash, the particles grind more dust off each other. So wash it lightly, then put it in the empty aquarium and add water carefully, pouring into a plate or bowl so the substrate doesn't get stirred up.

As you say, it's cheap, so if you decide you don't like it, you're not out much, and you can always use it on your garden. Rock gardeners in particular like it, and when I was on a rock gardeners' mailing list, a lot of them were using it as cat litter, too!


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

> I found this product which looks exactly like Fluorite. Very cheap: $5 for 40lb! It is called Profile soil conditioner, basically it is kiln baked clay "gravel", reddish when wet.


Where can you get this? Love to put this in the middle layer of a substrate for the iron content


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

I wouldn't be surprised if Flourite turns out to be an overpriced version of the same stuff. At big Al's in Mississauga a few tanks with plants have very similar (color, shape) to what I've bought.


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## RaidZero (Jun 15, 2008)

arc said:


> Where can you get this? Love to put this in the middle layer of a substrate for the iron content


Interested as well, which store sells it?


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Here are locations in Ontario. I found one 25 minutes away 

MAR-CO CLAY PRODUCTS INC.

Bright
(519) 684-7591
O.J. COMPAGNIE

Monkland
(450) 247-2758
www.ojcompagnie.com
PLANT PRODUCTS CO. LTD.

Brampton
(905) 793-7000
www.plantprod.com
PODOLINSKY FARM EQUIPMENT

Petrolia
(519) 844-2360
UAP PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS

Port Perry
(888) 818-9400
www.teamutica.com


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

I found it at a Gardening place on Mississauga road. The place is run by an old italian guy. He asked $2 for a 10kg bag of this stuff. I gave him 5 bucks because he was really nice and down to earth. The bags have been under the sun for a long time so the plastic is fragile, he gave me a strong plastic bag to put it in. It is quite a bit far, but if you drive, you can get there pretty fast. It is Mississauga road just North of 403 before Badminton drive.


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## RaidZero (Jun 15, 2008)

Thank you Tbemba and mauve.

Is this the place: http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour....563546,-79.689106&spn=0.007183,0.016512&z=17


mauve said:


> I found it at a Gardening place on Mississauga road. The place is run by an old italian guy. He asked $2 for a 10kg bag of this stuff. I gave him 5 bucks because he was really nice and down to earth. The bags have been under the sun for a long time so the plastic is fragile, he gave me a strong plastic bag to put it in. It is quite a bit far, but if you drive, you can get there pretty fast. It is Mississauga road just North of 403 before Badminton drive.


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

yea, it's right before that pin-point.
He has these bags piled up on the left side outside the green house.
Bring a strong bag, and, please, pay him a little more than he asks. It's not a yuppie "gardening centre", the guy hardly makes ends meet, you'll see what I mean.


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## RaidZero (Jun 15, 2008)

Thanks, I'll try to pay him a visit sometimes this weekend.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Just a point. These laterite being light does have a draw back. Plants like anubias and fava fern don't stay rooted. Carpet plants don't work as well either.

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## RaidZero (Jun 15, 2008)

Would it be OK to put a layer of 0.5" of gravel on top of that? Or the gravel, being heavier, will end up at the bottom after a couple of water changes?


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## shadow_cruiser (Jan 26, 2010)

Is all of it red when wet or is it a mixture of red,brown and black like flourite?


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

it is all reddish, burnt orange color, no mix-ins.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

RaidZero said:


> Would it be OK to put a layer of 0.5" of gravel on top of that? Or the gravel, being heavier, will end up at the bottom after a couple of water changes?


Yes. Being lighter, eventually, they all end up at the top layer.

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