# Flora Max & Black Flourite



## attackonthebass (Aug 3, 2013)

I bought 2 (15LBs) of Flourite Black, and I have a 12LB bag of black Flora Max

was thinking of buying some Fluval stratum just to add to the mix but figured I would keep all of the substrate black. The stratum looks like a chocolate/brown color.

I've talked to a few people and they've told me that growing live plants in gravel isn't the best for the roots. My plants aren't looking bad, however I've been wanting to change up the substrate so now is my chance.

A few other people recommended the ADA soil, but thats a little too expensive for me. 

I've read that you really need to rinse the flourite prior to putting it into the tank but I'm excited to see what the transformation is going to look like. I've had the same gravel in all 3 of my tanks for the longest time so its due for a change.

I just hope that the new substrate helps my plants go crazy, I had a small growth spurt when I first put the plants in the tank but they've seemed to stop growing as fast as they were.

I'll post pictures when I'm done

heres an older picture when I purchased my first couple plants


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

I know this to be an old picture but if it's fairly new and there's no sediment between the gravel, then what nutrients
are there for the plants to use ? The reason for root tabs /ferts etc. That gravel offers very little resistance to the
roots growing through it so I'd think they would take off at first, once they got a bit of new roots that is.
But then they would rather quickly run out of nutrients except what they might have there from fish waste which
due to the newness of the gravel is not much.
Watch your plants just the same as you did lately, after putting in the new sub as if they slow down on growth
it's a sign that they may need some ferts/root tabs for them to be getting enough nutrients.


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## attackonthebass (Aug 3, 2013)

yeah I realized now why my plants grew great and then slowly tapered off to little to no growth.

the gravel sucks, I've been looking to buy a new tank so that I can use the floramax and flourite. I put some in the tank above, but I dont want to throw away all that old gravel.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Gravel is okay for plants, it just needs to all be pea-sized. Flourite will work well. Its all just a matter of the roots breaking through the substrate easier. The nutrient value of all these special products do not last very long and cannot replace the need for tank supplementation at some point.

Flourite needs to be rinsed and rinsed and when you're finally satisfied, rinse it again.


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