As promised I got the breakdown of the components of JAB Aquatic today and I don't think it will make ggod reading but as I am not a chemist I don't know for sure, I just buy all the raw materials for the ranges.

Dolomite D300 Lime - 0.14259%
Grit Sand - 7.12928%
Peat - 30.89354%
Phosphate Rock - 0.02139%
Triple Superphosphate - 0.00713%
Potassium Nitrate - 0.00751%
Ammonium Sulphate - 0.00561%
Mono Ammonium Phosphate (NOT MKP) - 0.00437%
Magnesium Sulphate (Calcined) - 0.0093%
Iron Chelate - 0.00033%
Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate - 0.00002%
Boric Acid - 0.00003%
Sodium Molybdate - 0.00004%
Copper Sulphate Pentahydrate - 0.00009%
Manganese Sulphate - 0.00009%
Sterilised Soil - 61.78707%

As you can see they are not just the simple composts that people imagine. They are mainly peat and soil based but do have lots of base and trace elements.

It is very important to note that although garden fertilises are often very similar by nature to the aquarium fertilisers they can be deadly when they areput into small quantities of water rather than the open ground where they are distilled by rains and groundwater.

I am no chemist but I would guess the Lime and peat will affect the Ph quite a lot.

Also note that there is ammonium added into this (and most garden) product which is deadly in the aquarium.

Maybe someone like Tom or anyone else who understands these components can enlarge on what is good/bad or downright pointless etc. but this is for your help.

p.s. Argos, B&Q, JAB, Silvaperl and almost every other brand come from the same quarry. (Argos is cheapest to buy) Playsand is unsterilised whereas Dry/Silver sand is sterilised so I would use Dry Sand as most of us have Nutrient under the sand so do not require the natural nutrient the sand may contain and therefore have no need to risk using an unsterilised product when the sterilised is only a little more expensive.

Hope this info is useful, and hope someone else can elaborate on the chemistry a little more than I am able to.

Andy