I want to dirt my tank but don't know what soil or what minerals to put in the soil. I have read many forums online and I have gotten two main things. Plain Top Soil and Red Clay. The rest of the materials depends on personal preference. This is where I need help. I heard you can make soil better than what is sold in the market unless you get ADA but that is way to expensive for a 75 gallon. What should I put inside the soil beside the clay and any other suggestions before I get started?
Dirt: What to do?
- Thread starter Flbrylas
- Start date
If you are looking for doing a planted tank with a soil substrate, there are two popular methods. Diana Walstad's and Sean Murphy's MTS
Take a look and see what is right for you
I'm going the MTS route.
Suitable soils for the Walstad method - El Natural - Aquatic Plant Central
What is "el Natural?" A Step by Step? - El Natural - Aquatic Plant Central
How-To: Mineralized Soil Substrate, by Aaron Talbot - Library - Aquatic Plant Central
INFOGRAPHIC: How to Mineralized Soil Substrate - Library - Aquatic Plant Central
Take a look and see what is right for you
I'm going the MTS route.Suitable soils for the Walstad method - El Natural - Aquatic Plant Central
What is "el Natural?" A Step by Step? - El Natural - Aquatic Plant Central
How-To: Mineralized Soil Substrate, by Aaron Talbot - Library - Aquatic Plant Central
INFOGRAPHIC: How to Mineralized Soil Substrate - Library - Aquatic Plant Central
I went ahead and purchased the clay, potage, and dolomite online. It was acually very easy to find I just was being lazy at first. Now that that is done. What will hold up better with soil, sand or gravel. I love sand but I know it can get dirty/mixed with the dirt and I heard it evenually sinks to the bottoms of dirt. Also well the plants attach better to gravels? I know I am asking a lot of questions but I can't seem to fins specific answer to my quesitons online.
dolomite: This is what you want
https://www.google.com/shopping/product/11933111899695659443
If you plan on uprooting a lot, you do not want a dirt substrate.
here is a comparison of different substrate options
Substrate Choices Pros/Cons
Plants don't really attach to gravel. They root through it. The exception is into volcanic substrate (micro pores).
Ada isn't that expensive on a per-volume basis. About as much as say Eco-Complete.
The before diving deeper, what do you hope to grow? High light/CO2, low light/non-CO2, in between?
https://www.google.com/shopping/product/11933111899695659443
If you plan on uprooting a lot, you do not want a dirt substrate.
here is a comparison of different substrate options
Substrate Choices Pros/Cons
Plants don't really attach to gravel. They root through it. The exception is into volcanic substrate (micro pores).
Ada isn't that expensive on a per-volume basis. About as much as say Eco-Complete.
The before diving deeper, what do you hope to grow? High light/CO2, low light/non-CO2, in between?
I keep a planted tank (just one now, used to have 8!), and I agree 100% with this comment, Gomer. Of my 8 tanks, 2 were soil capped with gravel.
If you want a tank that you plant and leave it alone, a soil substrate capped with either sand or gravel is ok. But, if you like to decorate and move plants or plant tops when things get too tall, soil is a pain in the hiney.
If you want a tank that you plant and leave it alone, a soil substrate capped with either sand or gravel is ok. But, if you like to decorate and move plants or plant tops when things get too tall, soil is a pain in the hiney.
I don't plan on decorating much because I am going I try and get it right from the beginning. I am going for a hight tech tank I got my lights and I am going to get my co2 system some time next month. This well be my first try at really trying to aqua scape a tank at a professional level. All my other tanks are also planted but they are just not up to par.
"high tech" tanks typically means high/med-high light, CO2 and ferts. This also means lots of growth and most likely a good amount of stem plants. I would strongly discourage you to do a dirt tank id this is the case and strongly encourage you to get the ADA substrate. By volume (what matters), it isn't that expensive and one of the better substrates for the conditions you are aiming for. If you like sand, your best bet is to do ADA Amazonia in the back, and partition and use decorative sand in the front where you won't plant much. I'd save money and not get anyother ADA substrate stuff, just the amazonia. Powersand is nice, but gets ugly when you have to uproot.
This might be useful for you
Amano aquascapes in 2 Minutes - YouTube
AGA 2008: Takashi Amano: Aquascaping Demo-- Guitarfish
This might be useful for you
Amano aquascapes in 2 Minutes - YouTube
AGA 2008: Takashi Amano: Aquascaping Demo-- Guitarfish
I agree with you 100% but to fill a 75 gallon with Ada will cost me way too much. I don't have a budget but I also don't like to just throw money on things that I think are not worth it. I would get Ada for my 30 or 20 gallon because it does not require as much but like I said for a 75 it would be too much money ezpecially for my first setup.
high light= fast growth = replanting of stems= messy with dirt.
for 3" depth average, you'll need 42 liters.
For eco complete, that is 144 lbs
for flourite, that is 90 lbs.
You can sometimes get stuff like eco complete for a pretty good price on sale with free shipping (get good root tabs if you do since eco has no nutrients)
for 3" depth average, you'll need 42 liters.
For eco complete, that is 144 lbs
for flourite, that is 90 lbs.
You can sometimes get stuff like eco complete for a pretty good price on sale with free shipping (get good root tabs if you do since eco has no nutrients)
if $150 is too much for you that is fine. ADA is not a waste and it is actually one of the (if not the) best plant substrates. You keep saying it isn't good so not sure where you are getting your info.
MTS will work well, just messy when you have to uproot.
Good luck. It seems my usefulness in this thread has expired
MTS will work well, just messy when you have to uproot.
Good luck. It seems my usefulness in this thread has expired
"I agree with you 100% but to fill a 75 gallon with Ada will cost me way too much. I don't have a budget but I also don't like to just throw money on things that I think are not worth it. "
"Ada is forsure out the window then. I don't really want to waste $150+ on dirt and not get great dirt."
vs.
"At no point did I say ADA was bad at all. I know it is the best..."
Not very consistant in praise
Floramax is near the bottom of my recommendation list along with fluorite. Better than plane sand. MTS is different in function than root tabs which is what you alude to. you could use flora max to cap MTS but I don't see a major advantage over sand (larger grain might cause issue)
"Ada is forsure out the window then. I don't really want to waste $150+ on dirt and not get great dirt."
vs.
"At no point did I say ADA was bad at all. I know it is the best..."
Not very consistant in praise
Floramax is near the bottom of my recommendation list along with fluorite. Better than plane sand. MTS is different in function than root tabs which is what you alude to. you could use flora max to cap MTS but I don't see a major advantage over sand (larger grain might cause issue)
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High-tech tank with soil based substrate will be a lot of work, from my own experience.
Don't get me wrong about soil (I used organic choice soil from home improvement store), they can be beautiful tanks. Both of mine grew well and were very low maintainance once established. But as far as stem plants, I pulled those out after about 2 months and lowered my light by 50%. My 29gallon was a beautiful crypt-jungle in no time!
Don't get me wrong about soil (I used organic choice soil from home improvement store), they can be beautiful tanks. Both of mine grew well and were very low maintainance once established. But as far as stem plants, I pulled those out after about 2 months and lowered my light by 50%. My 29gallon was a beautiful crypt-jungle in no time!
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