To identify the effects of using Kitty Litter as base substrate in a planted tank.

1. Place 1cm depth of Cat's Own Natural Kitty Litter in a 10 Gallon (25L) tank
2. Add 3cm depth of fine gravel, suitable for aquariums, aka regular gravel
3. Fill water gentally not to disturb substrate
4. Add some typical hardy plants
5. Add DIY Co2
6. Add Daily Grow liquid fertiliser daily in the mornings

- Within 1 week after adding plants, they began to thrive and spread
- Next few months of continued fast growth
- During such time, hair algae became present as a result of excess iron from substrate and liquid fertiliser
- Changed lighting duration to 8 Hrs daily, and changed liquid fertiliser to Basic Grow, with no Iron, further a phosphate absorbing compound was added for a period of 2 weeks.
- Hair algae died away as a result of those actions. Tried various recommendations to rid of hair algae with no sucess, until contacting manufaturer of aquarium fertiliser, which provided the solution.

The kitty litter substrate was highly sucessful, and 10 months later all the plants are still alive and well, without adding any liquid fertiliser. A word of caution, kitty litter, which is just dried clay, acts exactly like charcoal with it's absorbing abilities. I added medication on numerous occasions, only to realise that the medication was absorbed in a matter of hours.

Further, for the first 6 months, a constant dusty skim coating occurred on water surface, but this was insignificant because the fish regularly broke the skim layer from their regular activities.
With regards to substrate which is stirred up, it clouds the water, but for a short period, as the particle were large and settled quickly.

I do recommend you try some natural kitty litter (without the clumping agent) for a substrate in a new planted tank. Its cheap, and available everywhere. For further details of experiment and results, just contact me by clicking the link in the menu bar.