Ikea coconut substrate

[Zalth]

Hi! Just wanted to check if someone uses Ikeas coconut substrate with their salamanders? Is it safe?

KOKOSNÖT Soil block - IKEA

It says it contains nutrients for the first few weeks, but it doesn't say that anything was added to the product. I checked their webpage and it only says "Renewable material (coir and coconut husk). Does not contain peat." Could these "nutrients" be written on the label just to make it sell more, or are the nutrients natural to coconuts? I also checked with the staff on Ikea today and they said they couldn't find a list of anything being added.

What do you think/do you have experience with this substrate?

 

[mr cyclone]

This is the stuff I use

 

[adler0]

Why not just go to a pet store and get something you're sure of? It looks like a very small price difference.

 

[Zalth]

This is the stuff I use

Great!

Why not just go to a pet store and get something you're sure of? It looks like a very small price difference.

In the US perhaps. Also, the pet store was out of them.

 

[mr cyclone]

The stuff in petshops is the exact same .Its just got a fancy label and 3 times the price

 

[Chinadog]

It's always the same, put a fancy label on and bump up the price. I've even seen "Amphibian water conditioner" for sale at a local herp shop, Its just the exact same de-chlorinator that we've always used for water changes, but there was a glossy picture of a frog on he label and a massive hike in price! Crazy, but lots of people new to the hobby will buy it until the penny drops.

 

[jAfFa CaKe]

Yeah, I always try to buy unbranded stuff, the guy near me who owns a reptile shop sells bricks of coconut substrate that's unbranded. A similar thing is that I always used Tetra fish Aquasafe from my LFS but I realised they Tetra do a pond version of it where you can buy twice as much for half the price!

 

[Chinadog]

yes, dechlorinator for ponds is definitely the best value if you know what you're doing. If you don't, it's very easy to massively overdose the tank due to its super high concentration. I use the same one as I use for my Koi pool, and that's way more than double strength, so you need to be certain of the volume of water you're treating to work out the exact dose. whereas dechlorinator intended for aquariums is diluted to such a degree that accidental overdoses by inexperienced fishkeepers wont cause any problems

 

[jAfFa CaKe]

It says on the back of the product Overdose not possible is bold. I'm sure too much would harm something....?

 

[xxianxx]

I use pond dechlorinator, best not to overdose it despite what it says on the label. I was told by a reliable source that dechlorinator has been linked to liver damage in amphibians. A few of my reptile keeping friends use IKEA coir without any problems.

 

[FrogEyes]

It's worth noting that dechlorinators are known to be toxic to salamanders. Of course, many or most of us still USE them, apparently without obvious issues. We should be aware of it though.

 

[jAfFa CaKe]

Hmm, that's interesting. I've never heard or seen anything like that before. But I'll take your word. I've got a water butt which I use most of the time anyway. I get worried that the pH of rainwater is too low, does anyone know a safe way to bring it up?