Where to get/buy clay?

[valiko]

What is the place to dig out some clay or buy it for the purpose clay balls?

[tigerize]

My garden! lol...You might try looking anywhere around orleans or cumberland...there's a lot of clay in the soil around here. You'd have to rinse it a lot though.

[cichlid_girl]

you can buy clay from any pottery supple store for very cheap. its usually around 20 bucks for 50 lbs. some pottery supply stores will even have a kiln if you want to fire it.

[Migs]

Hey Valiko,
If you buy some clay around town, would you mind if I pitched in?  I only need about  20 pounds worth.  I don't wanna waste/store extra clay in my house...
Thanks!
Miguel

[valiko]

sure... If I opt to buy it.

I still hope to find some place where I can dig some out

[Migs]

Cool, if you find some tell me!  I could drive you out there!

[Migs]

Hey Valiko,
I read on a few spots on the internet that kitty litter works well as a clay bottom-layer substrate.  So I'm going to try it.  I got a bag of non-clumping kitty litter(Ingredients state only Natural Clay) for a few bucks.  We'll see how it turns out..

[Migs]

Oh bitter failure!!!
Apparently, there was something dreadfully wrong with my plan...  After 3 days, the water was clearing up so I gently shook my plants...  all the leaves fell off!!!   Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!

I am currently cleaning the mess in my tank and will start over,  a little wiser and a little more bitter...  I will be looking for a less processed form of substrate.  Everything outside is melting so it should be easier for me.  and no...  I will not consider using fluorite or eco-complete.  My goal is to find cheap, unprocessed alternatives for substrate.

[cichlid_girl]

i have always had good success with a 1" layer of steralized potting soil covered with 1" of small very rounded rock from a river. The breakdown of organic material within the soil will also provide all the CO2 needed for most tanks. Just let the tank cycle for a couple weeks before you add fish.
a good book to pick up would be "Aquarium Plants" by Peter Hiscock. they have it at chapters and i have found it very helpfull.

[luvfishies]

Profile Pond Soil

"dirt" cheap, but lightweigh and will need a "cap" of gravel.