Oil Dry - Safe-T-Sorb
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The problem with oil dry is breakdown. And it is SUPER dirty. I ran my 75 g with it for a while and uncapped, couldn't handle it at all. Then capped, it ends up getting messy.
You could soak it in a bucket with a dilute fert mixture, and even more importantly some calcium carbonate so it doesn't strip KH completely.
In my tank(tap ph almost 9, TDS 450) it would strip the kh down into the 5-10 from near 30 or higher.
I wouldn't use it or recommend it anymore. Cheap option close to it is the Turface line of products. Better color, too.
I tried it in a few "test" tanks and by the end of a year it was mush. Completely worthless and makes the oil dry not useful for us, in my eyes.
You could soak it in a bucket with a dilute fert mixture, and even more importantly some calcium carbonate so it doesn't strip KH completely.
In my tank(tap ph almost 9, TDS 450) it would strip the kh down into the 5-10 from near 30 or higher.
I wouldn't use it or recommend it anymore. Cheap option close to it is the Turface line of products. Better color, too.
I tried it in a few "test" tanks and by the end of a year it was mush. Completely worthless and makes the oil dry not useful for us, in my eyes.
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118 Posts
I'm using it..It is very dirty...requires alot of rinsing..not easy to plant in either...very light..
I just threw together a cheap experiment -1/2 inch of peat on the bottom,some osmocote spread lightly over the peat and then covered with 2 inches of oil dri...
Got it all at walmart for under 20 bucks ..
tank is dong good at 3 mos in...just a little algae bloom (hair algae), but the swords I have in it have tripled in size !! I think they like the peat...
we'll see how it goes long term...
I just threw together a cheap experiment -1/2 inch of peat on the bottom,some osmocote spread lightly over the peat and then covered with 2 inches of oil dri...
Got it all at walmart for under 20 bucks ..
tank is dong good at 3 mos in...just a little algae bloom (hair algae), but the swords I have in it have tripled in size !! I think they like the peat...
we'll see how it goes long term...
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2,090 Posts
I've decided to finally give this a go. I was anticipating a very cloudy dirty mess but was pleasantly surprised. I rinsed about four cups at a time.
This stuff rinsed out almost as good as PFS. Very minimal dust even when I poured it into the tank. I gave the tank a good dose of ferts to soak in.
It's a nice dark color as well unlike the much lighter beige looking type that I've seen in the past.
I'll snap up a pic shortly as soon as the camera battery charges up.
This stuff rinsed out almost as good as PFS. Very minimal dust even when I poured it into the tank. I gave the tank a good dose of ferts to soak in.
It's a nice dark color as well unlike the much lighter beige looking type that I've seen in the past.
I'll snap up a pic shortly as soon as the camera battery charges up.
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2,090 Posts
The more I research items like this, the SafeTAbsorbent product from Moltan Corp. is different from Oil-Dri. Maybe now I understand where the frustrations from others came from.
This is the product I'm currently testing out. It's the bag in the middle.
SafeTAbsorbent
Was surprisingly clean when rinsed out. Didn't take much effort to rinse and after adding to the tank, it wasn't cloudy. Planting was no issue either as the grain size is heavy enough to hold. No cloudiness occured when the substrate was disturbed.
This is even what it looks like.
This is the product I'm currently testing out. It's the bag in the middle.
SafeTAbsorbent
Was surprisingly clean when rinsed out. Didn't take much effort to rinse and after adding to the tank, it wasn't cloudy. Planting was no issue either as the grain size is heavy enough to hold. No cloudiness occured when the substrate was disturbed.
This is even what it looks like.
Attachments
I bought several different colors of SMS (Soil Master Select) about a year ago and have found it very light weight also, but it has not broken down into mud on me. I will say that for the first few months I could not get any Aq. plants to grow in the tanks, other than algaes, but now I am having much better luck. I did not treat the SMS with any ferts. when I first placed it into my tanks. Maybe that is where I went wrong.
I apprecaite this thread. I think I might like to try some of this product either alone or mixed with my SMS substrate in use.
My SMS came from The Tractor Supply Co. as well.
I apprecaite this thread. I think I might like to try some of this product either alone or mixed with my SMS substrate in use.
My SMS came from The Tractor Supply Co. as well.
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2,090 Posts
I was curious to know the CEC value of the SafeTAbsorbent. I couldn't find it anywhere so I contacted the company directly. This particular product has a CEC value of 33.6 which is equal to Turface MVP. Excellent choice!
Now time will tell how well it does. Routine EI dosing and CO2 should do wonders.
Now time will tell how well it does. Routine EI dosing and CO2 should do wonders.
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2,328 Posts
The reason is these oil absorbants are not kiln fired for as long or at as high a temperature as lawn additives such as Turface are. This makes them softer so they create more dust and eventually break down. Basically the same as raw kitty litter without the perfumes added.
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2,090 Posts
Yeah..I'm not concerned now after doing more research into this product. The Safe-T-Sorb product is much different than the OilDri product on many fronts. At first I didn't realize they were seperate products. When I started working with it and noticed the color difference right off the bat, it got the gears in me head turning.
High CEC, virtually nil solubility and not to mention a very nice color.
So far I have trimmed and replanted several of the plants in the tank and there were no cloudiness issues in doing it.
Looks like this is going to be a very viable product.
High CEC, virtually nil solubility and not to mention a very nice color.
So far I have trimmed and replanted several of the plants in the tank and there were no cloudiness issues in doing it.
Looks like this is going to be a very viable product.
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2,090 Posts
Here was a little more info I was able to get from the company:
"SafeTSorb is kiln-dried, calcined and milled natural Montmorillonite Clay with medium bulk density, medium sorptive capacity, average surface area and high hardness"
Think that pretty much sums it up eh? :icon_cool
Will continue to monitor this particular tank over the next few weeks and see what the parms do.
"SafeTSorb is kiln-dried, calcined and milled natural Montmorillonite Clay with medium bulk density, medium sorptive capacity, average surface area and high hardness"
Think that pretty much sums it up eh? :icon_cool
Will continue to monitor this particular tank over the next few weeks and see what the parms do.
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6,820 Posts
Hi James0816,
So, I called Moltan and talked to the West Coast salesman and found out I can get Safe T Sorb #7941 from WW Grainger. I checked the WW Grainger website and it was listed for $8.64 per bag. I called the local Grainger Supply office, confirmed product, price, availability and they will ship two bags from CA to Seattle and I can pick them up on Friday for $8.64 per bag plus tax. A lot cheaper than driving to my nearest Tractor Supply in CA or MT - lol!
So, I called Moltan and talked to the West Coast salesman and found out I can get Safe T Sorb #7941 from WW Grainger. I checked the WW Grainger website and it was listed for $8.64 per bag. I called the local Grainger Supply office, confirmed product, price, availability and they will ship two bags from CA to Seattle and I can pick them up on Friday for $8.64 per bag plus tax. A lot cheaper than driving to my nearest Tractor Supply in CA or MT - lol!
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2,090 Posts
Excellent! Do keep us posted on how your tank turns out as well. I have grown to like it thats for sure and it's not even two weeks yet.
I'm going to try Turface MVP soon as well.
It's not too obvious that I like conducting experiments is it?
I'm going to try Turface MVP soon as well.
It's not too obvious that I like conducting experiments is it?
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