Joined
·
2,315 Posts
1.) - I haven't used this myself, but it seems to be a pretty commonly used formula with pretty good results. Although, I question the worth of the muriate of potash. That's basically KCl, and has a solubility about the same as regular table salt, so I doubt there is going to be much left in the tank after a couple water changes. Although, I don't think it's at all harmful, I just suspect it's actual usefulness.
3.) - I'm pretty sure that dirt, both the organic components (humus, peat, etc.), and the inorganic components (fine silt, clays) have pretty good CEC values, so I don't think you have to worry about 'adding' something with a high CEC. I also think a lot of concern over the CEC in substrates comes from people using a gravel-only approach, where something like safe-t-sorb, eco-complete, flourite, etc., has much better results then say, pea gravel.
As to MGOCPM, I've set up two tanks using it, and didn't notice any ammonia leeching in either one. However, I was doing a fishless cycle, and dosing ammonia at 5ppm (first tank) and 3ppm (second tank), so it's possible that it was leeching a much smaller amount that just faded into the noise.
3.) - I'm pretty sure that dirt, both the organic components (humus, peat, etc.), and the inorganic components (fine silt, clays) have pretty good CEC values, so I don't think you have to worry about 'adding' something with a high CEC. I also think a lot of concern over the CEC in substrates comes from people using a gravel-only approach, where something like safe-t-sorb, eco-complete, flourite, etc., has much better results then say, pea gravel.
As to MGOCPM, I've set up two tanks using it, and didn't notice any ammonia leeching in either one. However, I was doing a fishless cycle, and dosing ammonia at 5ppm (first tank) and 3ppm (second tank), so it's possible that it was leeching a much smaller amount that just faded into the noise.
