What is this? What is it used for?

[Aheartlessfish]

I got this along with a BRICK (literally a brick) from donna kaiser who used it for her aquariums. The brick was also clay except very very hard (ill fiddle with that later but if anyone can help me with it that be great)



I was told its clay. Shape of an m&m. Crumbles when u squeeze. When i soak it in water it melts and becomes a puffy mess with white substances.

I took the powder in its bag and poured it as a first layer (very thin) in my emersed setup, then used organic soil on top, then flourite substrate on top.


So my question is, what is this used for? how to use it correctly? What can i do with it?

[Fishies_in_Philly]

my guess would be that those are clay pellets that they use for mixing up large batches of clay. crumble, sprinkle, dirt , ect. could probably use the powder in gel caps to kick start an older dirt tank again.

[Aheartlessfish]

in gel caps...sounds...work intensive...why not just put the m&m pellets in the dirt?

[Fishies_in_Philly]

Might make a mess? You said they get smush and dissolve. You could try freezing them first, might slow down the rate it breaks down

[Complexity]

Run a search for "hydroton" to get some idea of what those are.

[Aheartlessfish]

ahhs looks like hydroton.

they dont really dissolve bill, i dropped one into open water and it just expanded into what looks like an algae wafer that has been sitting in water for 10 minutes.

maybe i can just grind up into powder form and mix up a MTS with dolomite and M of potash?

[Fishies_in_Philly]

I thought it was hydroton at first, but it's useless in a tank. I have used it in a frog tank as an aquifier, but they never expanded when they got wet. And if the brick she sent you is the same material, i would still suspect it being clay. I have yet to see a hydroton brick. Send me a ball or two when you send me plants and maybe i can get a better idea what it is.

[discusonly]

These look like home made root tabs that my friend used to make for me. They are made of pottery clay. Forgot the exact content but if you search on AC forum, I believe there are posts with instructions. They are supposed to slowly dissovle under your substrates.

Here is a link. Have not read it for a long time. Will read again later.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums...+with+red+clay

[Fishies_in_Philly]

Hahaha! Master Van to the rescue!! I was close though

[Aheartlessfish]

root tabs aye?

i will send bill some and he can confirm it for me

Donna told me they were some clay substance but root tabs would be great too (since im looking for some)

Now correct me if im wrong, once i plunge these into my gravel, it will leave behind clay substance...if i ever disturb the gravel the clay will get everywhere...correct?

[Fishies_in_Philly]

yes and no. depends on how deep you bury them. should be at least 2". as long as you don't disturb right on top and don't go down as far as the tab, you should be ok.

[discusonly]

The way you use them is to buried them deep into the gravel. If you just put them on top, they will dissolve quickly. I had some issue using these a few years ago in my tank with pleco. The pleco would dig them up too quickly.

It's fine when they dissolve. The clay is very fine. If you ever look at these clay powder, they are very fine. You are most likely going to vaccum them if you ever use a gravel vac.

Hope this helps.

[Fishies_in_Philly]

What's a gravel vac?

[discusonly]

Originally Posted by Fishies_in_Philly

What's a gravel vac?

One that I use everyday to get all the poop out of my BB tanks.

You should definitely get some of those root tab to try. The quite a large bag too.

[Fishies_in_Philly]

Don't need root tabs, all my tanks are dirt