Seachem on Rinsing Flourite

[TPIRman]

In deciding a substrate for a 30-gallon planted tank I'm setting up, I looked through the AC archives and tried to figure out whether Flourite should be rinsed, and if so, how much -- there were plenty of opinions on either side. It seems everyone has their own regimen, but I was determined to figure out the BEST method! So I asked Seachem whether the rinsing made any difference, and here's what I got in response:

In regards to your questions, the amount that Flourite is rinsed is inconsequential. Basically, as long as the roots of plants can contact this substrate (regardless of particle size), you will always derive a benefit from it. If there is minimal or no rinsing performed on this product, any loose particles that are in your water column will soon settle or be removed by your mechanical filter. The longer your aquarium is set up, the more any fines will settle to the lower levels of the gravel bed as well as bio-films coating the substrate.

In a nutshell, do what works for you. I doubt this settles the debate, but I thought it might be of interest.

It's a moot point for me since I decided to go with Eco-Complete for the 30g.

 

[Shikkapow]

Good lord i can't even imagine what a tank would look like if you didnt rinse the Flourite.. I rinsed mine quite a few times before i set up the tank, and it was stil cloudy for a bout a week. Every time I used to gravel vac (before plants) it would churn up for HOURS...and its been set up for almost a year....

 

[geoffgarcia]

ya its a personal call.

Myself I don't rinse it. nor will I ever.
if you dump in a bag and let all the dust settle (takes about 2 days)
you'll have an awesome level of super fine dust on the top of your gravel, your fish will LOVE it as the majority of fish in the wild live in environment with a silt bottom.
Once you see your fish rooting around in this stuff I'm sure you'll fall in love!!!

Just leave your filter off till it all settles...onces its settled turn on your filter, it should all stay down.
Of course over time this will settle down to the lower layers of your gravel bed...bottom line IMHO is that it won't harm anything to leave it in there....and if its questionable about the benefit...then go ahead and leave it in! *hahahah*
good luck on your 30g! I used 2 15lb bags in mine for a great depth!
Geoff

 

[promethean_sprk]

shoot

I've got an inch or two of "yolo loam" under an inch of playground sand. The yolo loam is basically grey dust. The plants seem to love it and I can see roots all over the bottom from under my stand. It makes a mess when I uproot something large, like a crypt, but the tank clears up within an hour or two and the fish don't seem to mind. Somehow no matter how much digging I do the loam stays on the bottom with the sand on top.

 

[125gJoe]

Flourite and Onyx Sand substrates should be rinsed to get rid of dust/powder that is in most all types of substrates.

SeaChem's substrates are exceptional quality products for 'live' plant aquarium environments. I highly recommend SeaChem and thier products! (Ask me why... )