# Flourite regular vs dark vs black vs red



## UnicornStampedes (Jul 10, 2015)

Hey all

Substrate nub here need your haalppp.

I am looking to get Flourite substrate and I was wondering if the differences between the different kinds of fluorite subs would have a huge impact on the plants? I know that fluorite is supposed to be inert but then there's all these numbers... and some are significantly higher/lower than others...

Should I pay attention to these or not? if yes, which ones are the most important (ie: Fe)

And I am also confused about the fact that it's supposed to be inert yet there are all these present in the substrate...

I also wanted to know if all of them have the same CEC and if not, which one has the highest?


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## woopderson (Feb 12, 2014)

I know how you feel with all this info about Flourite out there, it can be a bit misleading. I just recently made the plunge and purchased Black Flourite Sand. Here is what I have found:

1. The CEC is the same for each of them.

2. The Flourites with more red in them have more iron content which red/pink plants like.

3. They are supposed to be "inert" and will last for years and years. The mineral content is meant to be trace elements.

4. At the same time, they will also absorb nutrients from the water column and slowly release them back to the plants.

5. While it does have all these minerals, almost everyone is still using fert dosing and root tabs in conjunction to this substrate.

6. I visited the store yesterday to see granule size and texture. Flourite black is definitely the most sharp.

7. It seems to be a 50/50 split on whether the sharper substrate is dangerous for bottom feeders like cory cats. Some say no, others say yes. IMO if it makes you nervous, go for the ones that are less sharp. I chose sand for this reason, but regular Flourite seems to be the least sharp of the regular grain size.

So at the end of the day, which Flourite comes down to your personal preference of colour, and whether you feel the sharp ones are dangerous to bottom dwellers. Either way it is recommended to be dosing ferts, which would make up for the difference in mineral content.

Hope this helps!


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## UnicornStampedes (Jul 10, 2015)

Even the sand versions have CEC? so i can use the sand to grow plants as well?


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## woopderson (Feb 12, 2014)

Yep! The sand has the same cec. Some say the sand can compact a bit, you can either stir it a bit or get malaysian trumpet snails to help dig.


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## UnicornStampedes (Jul 10, 2015)

First of all, thank you so much for all your help. I really appreciate it. I just have a couple more questions if you don't mind:

1) CEC won't change/go away over time right?

2) I really love the look of sand but I was worried about the whole... "anaerobic pockets"... If I intend to put about 2 inches worth of sand substrate... would that really be an issue? I'm just thinking... if I have to disturb the substrate weekly and I have plants in there... it would be a lot of work to re-plant everything...

3) Since I am EI dosing and plan on adding root tabs... And the substrate has high CEC... Would I still have to replace the substrate say... within 10 years? Or would it be fine because of the CEC and the fact that I am dosing ferts & CO2?


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## woopderson (Feb 12, 2014)

I'm glad I could help! It is such a mess of info out there.

To answer your questions:

1. No the CEC will not go away over time.

2. I was concerned as well about this. I have put in an email with Seachem to get their take on it.

Here is the response from Seachem regarding the anaerobic inquiry:

_In a planted tank with a 2 inch deep sand bed, anaerobic conditions aren't going to be much concern. You can stir it periodically if you like, but it isn't required._

My own research on sand substrate returned the following:

A) Anaerobic bacteria happens more often in a thick substrate bed that is left undisturbed.
B) MTS and bottom dwellers can help dig the substrate in order to mitigate this issue
C) For extra assurance, you can also poke the bed with a stick to release some gases
D) Alternatively, you could mix substrates but I am not fond of that. The sand might sink to the bottom if it gets rustled up too much.

3. Some people have had the regular Flourite substrate for over 10 years. Seachem's site states that it should never need replacing. But I would probably get the itch to change sooner than 10 years. 

There is a really interesting article on thick sand beds in aquaria here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_7/volume_7_1/dsb.html

Hope this answers all your questions! I am going to be redoing my 26g tank while only using Flourite Black Sand. MTS and bottom dwellers will definitely be employed just in case.


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