# Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil for drainage?



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil vs Pea gravel.


These are my options right now. Home depot is having a sale on the aqua soil for 5 bucks a 10 pound bag. Or I could use pea gravel that I already have. 


Will the Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil benefit my vivarium substrate, or will pea gravel be no better?

Thank you in advanced!


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## Devanny (Jul 11, 2008)

Schultz APS is great for drainage in my experience, I also use it as an ingredient in my ubstrate aswell as a substitute for LECA.
Its good for the plants too.


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

How about 10 bucks for a 50 pound bag? You can get some infield conditioner for this price and it is the same material, check out your local lesco distributor.


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Corpus Callosum said:


> How about 10 bucks for a 50 pound bag? You can get some infield conditioner for this price and it is the same material, check out your local lesco distributor.


That's really the same stuff?!?!?!


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

Yep, just a fired montmorillonite clay (known as arcillite).


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

So the aquatic soil is much better then the pea gravel then? As far as how long it will last, and how it helps the plants.


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

ChrisK said:


> That's really the same stuff?!?!?!


I've gone away from Schultz's and use infield conditioner as well. Can't beat the price, as Mike already posted.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

So the question now is it better then pea gravel?


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## basshummper (Jan 13, 2008)

With the Schultz soil you don’t need a screen. I like this because I feel plants roots can grow more freely and it just makes for a simpler setup. The one negative I have to say about it is that I have a hard time seeing my water level since I have no pond and the stuff is so fine that you almost get a capillary action with it. After watching how it acts I can look for the amount of little air pockets to see how dry it is.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

I would choose the infield conditioner and/or aquatic soil vs. pea gravel simply for the lack of weight it will add. (as compared to the pea gravel).


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I cant find infield conditioner anywhere, anyone have any suggestions? Preferably in the north east USA.


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## jpg (Jan 3, 2009)

Im going to usew the schultz aquatic soil next week on a vivarium .


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I've still got no luck finding this stuff, anyone know?


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

NickBoudin said:


> I've still got no luck finding this stuff, anyone know?


Try this branch of John Deere Landscapes:

19 Norman St
West Springfield, MA 01089
(413)732-5335


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I just found a lesco abotu 20 minutes from me. I cant seem to figure out how to check their inventory on the website to check to see if they have this in stock.


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

Nick go here Welcome to LESCO.com and type in your zip code for the store finder, see what places might be near you. Call them up and ask if they have any of the Pro Choice line of products (infield conditioner or soilmaster select will probably do for your application). If they don't, ask if they have any Turface products, a lot of the distributors are switching over to Turface and they have a line of products that is the same thing and has the same MSDS, so that is fine as well. Hope this helps.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

It shows an option for me to check the inventory, and it shows their inventory for the closest store to me on the website when I add my zip code in, but I cant yeild any search results. Anyone have any ideas how to do so?


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

Well, just posted that at the same time as you and Ron posted.. looks like you have found what you need. The inventory on the website is out of date so you will have to call them to find out what they have in stock. The search is actually bugged, you can't just press enter, you have to actually click the search button. But either way, the inventory list online is not too great and some locations have stopped stocking the Pro Choice line of products so they may not be on the site anymore. A call should do the job.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Called today, they have it in stock. I'll be going to pick it up tomorrow. 

A little less then 15 bucks a bag, , and they have a pallet in stock. He said it's the newer product, and it's heat conditioned clay. Redish orange was the color that he described.


Now, do I use this as a drainage layer, or do I mix it in with my substrate? Should I put window screen between the two?

Any ideas?


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Anyone?


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

Some people use it just as their drainage layer, while other people use it as a substrate, so really it's up to you.

Do you have any goals you would like to accomplish with the substrate? Like maybe, creating a substrate that will last forever, a substrate that will provide refuge for thriving microfauna populations, a substrate you can mold/shape into forms, or a substrate that has high calcium content? If so, there are a few threads that go into those issues and have a lot of ideas that might interest you.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I basically want a substrate that I wont have to dig out after 6 months because it smells like decaying plant matter, or almost like swampy. I have no bulkhead drilled in this tank, and I dont think it's an option. But I would really like it to be much more easy to maintain, while obviously contributing to plant growth and to "gut load" my microfauna.


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## basshummper (Jan 13, 2008)

as long as you make sure that your drainage layer is deep enough so that the water doesn't come in contact with your soil then you shouldn't have a problem with your soil smelling like decaying plant matter.


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