# Does Fluorite scratch glass?



## kshafer (Dec 31, 2005)

I'm looking at doing a planted tank down the road and wondering if I used fluorite does it have the potential to scratch glass like the pool filter sand I'm using now? Thanks in advance for any replies.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

Any sand or sand-like material will have the same potential to scratch the glass if it is picked up by an algae scraper. For info how to avoid this see this thread. Obviously unless moved around by something like an algae scraper, sand will not scratch a tank.


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## kshafer (Dec 31, 2005)

Thanks for the reply. I'm not familiar with fluorite. Is it sand-like?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Flourite does sell a sand, but it's relatively new. Black.

The flourite usually available and familiar to most people is a gravel.


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## The Novice (Jan 27, 2011)

Are we talking about flourite, the mineral, or a commercial product? Flourite mineral has a mohs hardness of 4, glass is 5. Flourite mineral shouldn't scratch glass. No say about a commercial product.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

I assumed the OP was inquiring about Seachem FluoriteÃ‚Â®. I have never used it myself, but I understand it's a relatively fine gravel with an uneven size distribution. Due to the chance of picking up smaller particles, I would not use magnetic algae cleaners with it - same as with pool filter sand. YMMV.

The reason I have not used fluorite is that my plants seem to get all they need from wish waste. In fact, part of the reason for having life plants is for them to remove some of the fish waste. I an wary about adding additional minerals to the water. I would be particularly worried about boosting algae growth, but again, I have not tried it.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I use Flourite in my planted tanks but only in pots...not for the general substrate. I have absolutely *no problem with it adding to algae or nitrate (or phosphate) *in my tanks. I still have to fertilize and add Excel to get decent growth, else my nitrates go to zero, plants languish and I get cyanobacteria.


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## fox (Jun 11, 2009)

I use flourite in the refugiums. Very irritable, does not like to be bothered. Good for plants from what I have found using it though as others have stated, you still need to fert. I dig innit to rearrange plants and it settles fairly quickly.

Stay away from it with any magnetic device as there is a lot of iron innit and if you use a magnetic glass cleaner it will pick up ore.


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## kshafer (Dec 31, 2005)

These are great replies. Thanks. I don't know if fluorite is the answer for me in a planted tank that I want to do down the road but I do know I've had enough of sand. Even being as careful as I can, I've scratched the you know what out of my glass.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

Just for the record, I don't fertilize either. My plants have to make do with the fish waste that's available in the tank. They grow very slowly, but I wouldn't say they languish.


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## The Novice (Jan 27, 2011)

Just a note: My 10 year old grand-daughter did a science fair experiment to test phosphate and nitrogen uptake.

A six inch anacharis stem, fertilized only by the waste of 1 well fed betta (1 gallon jar). grew 1/4 inch per day. Ammonia 0.0, Nitrite 0.0, Nitrate 0.0, Phosphate trace >.2. In two weeks the anacharis grew 2 inches.

No water changes made, no filtration.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

fmueller said:


> Just for the record, I don't fertilize either. My plants have to make do with the fish waste that's available in the tank. They grow very slowly, but I wouldn't say they languish.


I know about your success and I'm very jealous! Have not been able to replicate however. Mine definitely languish!


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

DJRansome said:


> I know about your success and I'm very jealous! Have not been able to replicate however. Mine definitely languish!


I am willing to demonstrate my method. You just have to come to OH


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