Eco-Complete Vs Aquasoil?? JUSTIFY PRICE PREMIUM - Page 3 - Substrates

ingg · 08-09-2008, 12:19 PM

Quote:

I think proper CO2, good water movement and flow, and a good fert regime is foremost to what substrate you use in the end. Not that it is not important I think it's a few notches down the list, is all. Some people even use just pure sand and get great results.

I don't use ferts, and grow things like mad.

Guess why? My substrate.

It does make a huge difference.

ADA, priced out, is often right in line with Flourite and Eco - don't price it by bag, price it by volume, folks.... ADA is pricing volume liters and you are comparing it to 20 pounds. Not the same thing!

FWIW, the Soilmaster-lookalike from Aquariumplants isn't enriched, and doesn't honestly belong in the same conversation. You are either going to work to put something under it, add money to put something under it, or have terrible results in comparison. As I understand it, it is an inert substrate with a high CEC, that is all it is. Same as Shultz, Soilmaster, etc.

davemonkey · 08-09-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ingg

I don't use ferts, and grow things like mad.

Guess why? My substrate.

It does make a huge difference.

ADA, priced out, is often right in line with Flourite and Eco - don't price it by bag, price it by volume, folks.... ADA is pricing volume liters and you are comparing it to 20 pounds. Not the same thing!

FWIW, the Soilmaster-lookalike from Aquariumplants isn't enriched, and doesn't honestly belong in the same conversation. You are either going to work to put something under it, add money to put something under it, or have terrible results in comparison. As I understand it, it is an inert substrate with a high CEC, that is all it is. Same as Shultz, Soilmaster, etc.

That makes good sense (and cents). I have the aquariumplants substrate which is good for root development as far as it's texture, but I have to dose ferts and even use root tabs under the heavy feeders (swords/crypts).

You'll have to figure out what you'd spend on fertilizer in addition to cost of substrate, and factor in how long this tank would be set up. (The nutrients is the other substrates will run out eventually.) I still prefer the inert substrate because I know exactly what I'm putting in and how much, etc...

-Dave

BryceM · 08-09-2008, 01:45 PM

The soilmaster "look-alike" from Aquariumplants probably is Soilmaster Select, just repackaged. I agree - it isn't going to do anywhere near as well as the ADA substrate at first. After six months to a year there probably isn't much diffference. The SMS stuff is cheap, it grows plants well enough, but it's very lightweight.