Red clay

Hi all. I have a friend with a clay mine (red and yellow) and wanted to use it as a substrate for a planted tank. What would i need to do to it?

 

Well clay is rich in iron. Don't think that you should use it as a complete substrate but, add chunks to the substrate near hevvy root feeders. They will love you for it.

If you are just setting up the tank then it would be rather easy to add it bellow the substrate if you have a tank that is running you have to be very carefully

 

Sorry phone is giving problems. Like I was saying, adding it to your tank with water will make a rather ugly mess.

You could when doing a water change add the clay. What you do is make a few clay balls and pop them in to the freezer. When frozen it will be easy to add them quickly to the substrate. Hope this helps.

 

Thanx. The clay is still in sand form and fresh from the crusher. I was thinking of sterilzing it in the oven first to harden it a bit. Dont know if that will work

 

@dash.... My property, in fact the whole area where I live, is mostly clay and rocks. Yellow, red and grey clay... A nightmare to garden in...
If I work in garden for 1 day without gloves my hands are like sandpaper and after a couple days work the skin is so dry it cracks and bleeds
Even just water that has been in contact with the clay does this to my skin
Not sure what it is in the clay, but would it not affect the fish or some of the more sensitive ones? Just wondering....

 

How dwell are the plants growing? The clay is probably leaching some kind of said or alcaline substance that is doing that to your skin. That is why I said I dint recommend using as a complete substrate.

 

My plants are doing great BUT.... I have lost count of the truck loads of topsoil and horse manure have gone into the actual garden around the house area !!!!
The rest of property only indigenous and acid loving plants that can withstand wet feet in heavy rainfall
Would whatever the clay leaches not go through the top layer of the substrate and still contaminate the water?
Don't mean to question your advice....just curious to know

 

Please don't apologize for asking questions that's what we are here for.
Very small amounts of red clay mixed in to soil or substrate will not cause harm to fish. The minerals from the clay are slow releasing and the plants will happily take them up.

 

I will set up a tank with a clay and gravel mix and will let you all know what happens

 

keep us posted. will be interesting to see. I have been told only use the red clay.