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Post by brio on Jul 23, 2010 13:16:21 GMT -6
Advice and experience needed on Turface Pro League as substrate for planted tank: I've been using Flourite, Eco Complete, Mineralized soil, pool filter sand... and plain small gravel. I have followed Diana Walstad's method with good success. This time I decided to try something new: Turface Pro League. My questions:
1. Did you experience PH/KH crash?
2. How long did it last?
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Post by bunnie1978 on Jul 23, 2010 20:31:09 GMT -6
I actually had a strange thing happen with the turface, and I'm certain that the Turface is indeed the cause.... I had in several tanks a PH climb, long term. Weird. I've had one tank set up for months that still climbs up over what my test reads within a week, and it's only a small amount in the tank.
I have transitioned several of my planted tanks to Walstead method. It's great!
By the way, I was using turface pro league grey. I think I have a whole bag of it left. I also have some pro league red.
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Post by brio on Jul 23, 2010 21:26:07 GMT -6
I am a big fan of the Walstad method too.
I have two bags of Turface. I'm going to try it in a small tank with easy to grow plants and see what happens. I've heard of ph crashes caused by Turface, and now ph pikes! and ph is already way high here! Well, interesting. High CEC though, so that's too bad if it really messes your water parameters.
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Post by ree123 on Jul 24, 2010 1:03:11 GMT -6
Hey brio. I have ben using SMS or Soil Master Select; red and black (my mix) for some 8 months now, --- and some tan colored Turface brand for some 3 months now. No significant ph swings. Up some at first but not by much. Then stabilized around 7.4. Water from tap around 7.2 most times anyway. No degrading so far that is noticable. No idea about over the long haul of several years if it will last or not though. ------- Never followed the Walstad method, but have read all about it. On that note, I have a rather large in ground pond and have many lilies and marginal plants planted in straight soil that I mixed up myself and plants do wonderful in mud. :-) I have added no mud to any of my tanks though. --- The Turface and SMS do all seem to hold nutrients well and I fertilize by the EI method. Loosly though. My tanks get dry fert. 2 to 3 times in a week and water changes occur ever 10 to 14 days. I have to many tanks to change every week as the EI method suggests. Just not ample time in my schedule. Hope this info. helps. And , my plants are growing quite well. Note: growth is beter under the compact flour. lighted tanks than under the reg. strip or shop lights over other tanks. Later..............................Rick aka ree123
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Post by brio on Jul 24, 2010 10:26:22 GMT -6
Thanks Rick for the info. I use CF on my tanks but will probably convert some to T5 soon. I have been using Pfertz liquid ferts and Rootmedic tabs in the substrate. I HIGHLY recommend the latter.
So that's a bit reassuring about the relative stability of your water parameters. I hope I'll be as lucky as you are. Having read a little more about Turface, it looks like Bunnie1978's experience is quite common. Live and learn...so I'll give it a try.
Jerome
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Post by bunnie1978 on Jul 24, 2010 11:55:14 GMT -6
I expect that it has something to do with minerals leeching from the turface. The situation was the same when I used tap water or RO water. That was the situation even in SPITE of having new mopani wood leeching lots of tannic acid. You wouldn't expect tea colored water to have a high PH!!
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