----- Original Message ----- From: "mopargrrl" <mopargrrl@mindspring.com> To: <apisto@listbox.com> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 8:11 PM Subject: Re: profile as substrate > Al, > > I just started experimenting with Profile. After a not-so-scientific test > here at home, i found that it significantly raised the general hardness of > my water, but not the carbonate hardness. So fine for plants, but not > so good for most Apistos, or my new dwarf Pikes. > > Flourite is really the way to go, but terribly expensive. Supposedly > there is an Aquatic Plant Soil made by Schultz, but i have only seen > it once. The aquatic plant soil is supposed to be totally inert. On the > Aquatic Plants Digest several folks have reported raised hardness > levels in tanks with the Profile Clay Soil Conditioner. > > I recently set up and planted a tank with the Clay Soil Conditioner. > Our water is very soft here straight out of the tap, about 35 ppm KH > and less than 20 ppm GH. In my little test i found that the GH went > up to 180 ppm, while the KH remained stable. I'll test this newly > setup tank and see what the levels are. > > later, > christine > danville, CA > The aquatic planting soil is suppose to be the same stuff as the soil conditioner..the soil conditioner on the Shcultz page says it is inert also..also I just used a condutivity meter not a reagent kit...the stuff looks nice in the tank....but changing the water chemistry is not good.....just looking for something simple to grow some of the easy plants....looking for ideas from others who grow plants in soft water and do not go the super substrate method..if there is such a way... AL ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com. For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help, email apisto-request@listbox.com. Search http://www.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!