[cich]

This article ignors the process of choosing substrates and determining how much is needed, and assumes that this has been done. Flourite is used as an example, but the same method applies to most other clay-based gravels as well.

First, removal of all your plants is a must. I just use a pale full of siphoned water from the tank. Scooping all the old gravel out is a real pain... but it must be done
Get out the bag of substrate. Find a large, sanitary container, put some in there, fill it with water, and stir it up until the water's dirty (it won't take long!). When this happens, pour out the water, and repeat several times until the water is coming out at least somewhat clean. After this, just dump it in the tank. Dechlorinator would be a good idea, since this is a porous clay we're dealing with and it could potentially hold chlorine/chloramine until it gets into the tank. Below is a snapshot of my 10gal after adding a bag of Flourite. Just to give you an idea of how messy this crap is. I ran the extra AquaClear in despiration from the cloudiness. It subsides, given time.
(One bag gave me between 2 and 3 inches deep)
EDIT: The best thing is to put the flourite down in an empty tank, then carefully fill it back up. Avoids a lot of clouding.

This post has been edited by cich: 23 October 2005 - 07:36 PM

[Anne]

Been there done that wound up removing it do not use with large bottom dwellers -Anne

[cich]

What happened? Just too easily disturbed?

--cich

[Wisdom16]

Dang thats messy. Good thing I am going with Eco-Complete.

[cich]

LOL. Let me know how much better that is for filth. The stuff in the picture was actually rinsed THOURALLY.

--cich

[Anne]

Yup it was a nightmare all the stuff good for plants suspends easily in the water colum plus you won't believe the color shift -Anne

[cich]

Thanks for the heads-up. Glad I don't have any fish that'll do that.

--cich

[Anne]

as you mix it towash it it creates more dust I washed mine for a good hour and my tank looked like that for 2-3 days before it settled -Anne

[cich]

Only about a day for me. I'm lucky I guess

--cich

[MWehr76364]

When I had a 75gal planted tank I had great success w/ a layer of sand on bottom followed by flourite on top of that and slate chips on top of that. That was my favorite tank for a long time.