Aqua Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Does anyone know if these are available? I'm looking at options to get my plants looking more alive :lol: and supposedly laterite balls can be inserted into existing substrate, as opposed to ripping everything out, and then putting laterite in the bottom 1/3 of the substrate...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 hollywood fish farm have some JBL fertiliser balls, I don't know whether these are laterite, might be worth a look. anyway it's another excuse to check out all the fish they have got. And did I mention that Jansens is just down the road. LOL, any excuse or no excuse it doesn't matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Aqua said... > Does anyone know if these are available? Laterite is sometimes available in the LFS but is generally very expensive. When I was in Western Australia I saw heaps of it all over the place (a lot of the plants I was looking for grow on it) and was very tempted to bring some home, but of course resisted... My understanding it that its very rich in available iron and that's what makes it useful in aquaria. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Don't know if it will help, but a lot of the garden centers are selling 'Plant Tabs" that are made for water gardens and such. They are about the size of an asprin and you just stick them under or near your plant roots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted July 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 that could be helpful - thanks Peggy! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Pegasus said... > Don't know if it will help, but a lot of the garden centers > are selling 'Plant Tabs" ... These are *not* laterite though so don't confuse the two. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted July 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 they'll still be better for my plants than plain old gravel though aye? I need a new plant now as well, cause I'm pulling the PEACE LILY out as soon as I've got a new, terrestial home for it! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Not really an answer to Aqua's initial question but a bit of info for those that may want to 'hunt' their own laterite for setting up a new tank - you can gather your own from road cuttings etc providing it's in a locale where laterite is found. You're looking for a brick red coloured clay (yes clay, so if it's moist it will be reasonably sticky) not just a reddish dirt. I know of one place here in the Waikato where you can get it. If people are interested in the location PM or email me and I'll let you know where it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Aqua said... > ... they'll still be better for my plants than plain old > gravel though aye? Yep, most likely. > I need a new plant now as well I'd recommend some other sort of 'sword' plant, one of the Echinodorus. > I'm pulling the PEACE LILY out as soon as I've got a > new, terrestial home for it! It'll thank you for it, I'm sure. While you're at it, keep away from Syngonium species as well: http://paul.aaquaria.com/ProfilesHome2/ ... synog.html as they're commonly sold as aquatics. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted July 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 I've already got an Amazon Sword (I think... I really need to get a digital camera so I can show y'all!) in there, so that'll be the centre piece... I want more 'thick' plants, that the fish can hide in etc... They seem to LOVE the cabomba & ambulia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Rob said... > You're looking for a brick red coloured clay (yes clay, so if > it's moist it will be reasonably sticky) not just a reddish dirt. The stuff I saw in WA was in little weathered nodules that would've been ideal for aquaria I reckon. Anybody tried baking the clay to make it less likely to cloud tank water? I'd be interested in hearing the location, if you don't mind e-mailling me Rob. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 My top paddock is full of red clay looking soil... wonder if its the right stuff? Must give it a try in a spare tank. BTW: You can always make it very moist, then freeze it in an ice cube tray, then place a cube under your plants. Please Aqua... I am not a pirate... just use Bill or Pegasus :) that could be helpful - thanks Peggy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Hi Bill, Being from the Northland area you could be right about having laterite in the backyard. I went for a laterite "hunt" when I was up that way in March. One of the easiest places to find it was on the road side on the KeriKeri / Okaihau Rd (Lake Omapere), on the lake end of the road about a km before the SH1 intersection. Of course taking it from the roadside may not be the best for the tank. I never grabbed any because of roadworks in the area where lime was being laid down. Not to mention the ethics of digging up the roadside and the weird looks I would have got! 8) For more info and other outcrops take a look at http://www.med.govt.nz/crown_minerals/minerals/docs/comreports/report15_iron.pdf. Personally I'm happy with my Kitti Litter / Gravel / Jobes Palm and Fern substrate. But the Laterite "hunt" was an interesting excercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Laterite is only good in a tank for 2 years or so then the iron content is all used up. Unless you plan to strip your tank every 2 years another alternative is required. First you need to know the requirements for the plants in question. It is simple if your aquarium is planted with one type of plant, but this is rarely the case. Different plants require different types of fertiliser. Some don't need much root based fertiliser at all, yet others need lots. Some like iron rich fertiliser and some prefer higher P and N content. Once you know what type of fertiliser is required for each plant type, then it can be added to the water and/or the substrate in the correct places and the correct type. A good iron rich fertiliser is Root Tabs. This is good for Sword plants, Crypts etc. Pond Tablet fertiliser is usually quite rich in P and N and is good for Lilies. Most other plants benefit from P and N as well but in lower quantities than that of pond tablets. By smashing the tablet up and using small fragments less P & N can be added. Using the right combination and a bit of trial and error will show which combinations work best for different plants. Look at the % concentrations and keep a log of what you tried. When something works you'll know what to do next time. Here are some combinations that work for me: Echinodorus amazonicus - Roots Tabs: Pond Tabs 2:1 ratio Echinodorus Osiris - Root Tabs: Pond Tabs 3:1 ratio Echinodorus tenellus - Root Tabs Crypts - Root Tabs Cabomba - Root Tabs: Pond Tabs 1:1 ratio Rotala macrandra - Root Tabs Barclaya longfolia - Root Tabs: Pond Tabs 2:1 ratio (Excuse the above spelling I haven't checked it). Most stem plants do not need a lot of root based fertiliser and get their nutrients from the water directly in its absence. They do benefit from a little though. The tabs are pushed about 50mm into the gravel near the roots but not right under or on them, as the concentrated fertiliser will burn them. I use long sewing tweezers to place the tabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 Another use for Laterite, and check out how she makes her backgrounds http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/man ... ation.html Seems it is available in a lot of other places he he. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 29, 2003 Report Share Posted July 29, 2003 One of our members did the siliconing onto polystyrene trick and she says to make sure you have well ventilated room or preferably do it outside or the fumes get to you pretty quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 Quite right Caryl... forgot to mention that. I like the idea that she (or he) makes a skin that can be cut and applied anywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenbok Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 Laterite is only good in a tank for 2 years or so then the iron content is all used up. The iron content of laterite is only one of its benefits. Laterite also acts as a binding site for trace elements, making them available to plant roots. See http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilize ... ndall.html and http://home.infinet.net/teban/substrat.htm for some good information on substrates. To answer the original poster, what I did years ago was get regular laterite and make them into a whole bunch of ice-blocks, which I then just pushed into the gravel at regular intervals. Over time the laterite distributes itself through the substrate as you disturb the gravel with plant uprooting etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 Good point. Another cheaper alternative is crushed pumice. It binds trace elements in a similar maner and is much cheaper. The only problem is the odd floater for the first yesr or so until all the pumice is saturated. Most potting mixes used pumice. Potting mix is a really good very cheap alternative to laterite. My experience has shown no negative effects yet. It doesn't have enough iron however, so more must be added at regular intervals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.