Tom's special substrate

Re: Tom's special substrate

It'll be till Oct or so.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Tom's special substrate

No, we plan on giving some away for shipping cost.
New subscriptions only
Ahh there is a catch, but since PS and AS cost roughly 30$ for a little bag, this will pay for itself for joining the BarrReport for peanuts.

You folks will get near cost and the shipping etc. Also, unlike EC, Flourite and other heavy products, this stuff is fairly light weight to ship.

So you could do a 75 gal for about 50$ or less.
The ADA version would run................
The SeaChem version would run.......
The EC version would run..........

The only competitor: MPV Turface.

I've always been able to undercut anyone on CO2, light, nutrients, and substrates..........
I basically give stuff away..........but now I'm doing the BarrReport so I can intice a few more, perhaps a lot more folks into signing up.

The articles will help anyone, myself included.
So even the most hardened vet will get a lot out of the monthly articles.

I will be doing a marine plant version as well after some of the main parts of the FW are completed. So I can see the articles going for several years now.

I do plan on maintaining distinct articles sections etc for the Marine plants.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Tom's special substrate

Well, it will not be a lot for the sign up and only if they want it, it'll be sent a predetermined amount at cost, the rest of the folks will get it for cheap.

But unless you are a subscriber, you will not be able to get it at all.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Tom's special substrate

I can supply the needs of a large organic farming operation, actually, several.
You do not have enough planted tanks to run out of this stuff.

It is also Certified Organic, no one else can make that claim.
The grain size is 1.4mm to 2.8mm 14-7 mesh size.
Mixes well with peat and sand.

3% Ca
0.8% Mg
1% sulfur
0.05% Mn
0.04% Zn
0.2% NH4
0.2% Water soluble N
1.6% water insouble N

They have richer NH4 depending on need.

All products are natural, contain humic, Fluvic, ulmic and amino acids, coated with souble carbohydrate(molasses) for enhancing microbial growth, these microbial communities contribute to N minerization, nutrient uptake and natural plant protection.

Also, they are available world wide in the Middle East, Asia, N and S America, Europe.

Gee, I sound like some type of salesman

We will see how it will do next to the ADA stuff shortly.
It's not quite as dark as the ADA stuff and it's a little smaller grained.

They have a size smaller also, 0.6mm to 1.4mm.

I am also seeing about getting MPV Turface black also, it's sort of grey, a tad like Onyx sand, looks much nicer though and hopefully the pro league formulation will be available in this color also. This is about 1/2 the grain size as normal Turface(also sold as Profile, Schlutz's aquatic plant soil etc for 6-8$ for 10lbs, this should be about 12$ for 50lbs).

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Tom's special substrate

I'll bring some samples to the OH talk for you as well as some of the Yuba Elatine.

I just founhd almost identical Aqua soil for roughly 15-20$ for a 50lb sack.

That's 10X less than ADA Aqua soil, same stuff, looks the same also(this is a bit less uniform in sizing is all).
It's also 4X less than Flourite/Onyx sand and about the same cost as MPV Turface.

The only things cheaper are soil and plain sand.

Expensive substrates have bugged me for years.
I've reduced or eliminated the cost of Ferts, lights, CO2, need for RO, cables, pH controllers, test kits, DIY stands, tanks, and substrates was one of the last items to focus on.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Tom's special substrate

Well, the reason why I've held off seller this is not without merit.

You must rinse this product to death(still not a a killer issue) to remove the molasses/tannins.

I used a small amount below the sand and rinsed it very well prior.
When I used 10 lbs at 3" depth alone in a 10 gal, I rinsed for a couple of hours.

Made Flourite rinsing look easy, but with a 100 mesh screen, it might go easier.

All the other characteristics are good.
Just this one issue.

I am going to look into it further.
Meanwhile, I am going after the semi soft clays for the Aqua soil materials.
I'll come up with something cheap, as in 15-20$ for 50lb bags.
It might take me a little time, but it'll happen.

I think folks would love the looks of this material (powersand like stuff), it's about the same weight at the ADA aqua soil and little finer grain.

I can have the comapny make it without the molasses , but I need to buy a ton at a time. I'll see what that cost.

It does not cloud the water at all, unlike Flourite, ADA soils etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Tom's special substrate

It's light weight, but this will be like the ADa stuff.
I doubt I'll sell this particular product at this point.
But.........I'm experimenting and looking for something else as well as getting ready to run a Aqua soil like test.

The powersand issue is less of a problem, I'm fairly sure I'll find something.

If you want to look at this product, I do have photo's(and it does look good), but I'm not likely to sell it.

Regards,
Tom Barr