Dirt: What to do?

Flbrylas

Small Fish
Mar 31, 2012
16
0
0
#21
You took my sentence out of context and in reply to your flourite and eco-complete comment. I was saying ADA was out the window beacuse it was to expenisve and the last sentence was in ref. to having to buy $150 dollars of flourite, and not getting a good soil.

Well, thank you for all your help I will post pics as soon I get everything set up.
 

FishDad

Superstar Fish
Mar 4, 2012
1,218
1
38
Cleveland
#23
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!
How and how often do you replace the nutrients in the soil. And would I be right in thinking it beneficial to top the soil with something rocky like floramax?
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#24
I had the soil-based tanks for 3 or so years. With the proper soil, you should not need to add nutrients for many more years. Had I not moved from Iowa to Texas, I would still have them.

You don't need to add anything as expensive as Floramax. All you need is sand or smaller gravel. The idea is to keep the soil contained UNDER the sand or gravel, so that it does not come into direct contact with the water column.
 

Gomer

Superstar Fish
Apr 25, 2003
1,136
0
0
46
So Calif.
beyond_gomer.tripod.com
#26
if you are doing MTS (instructions linked earlier), you want to get cheap topsoil without added ferts/organics. There will be enough organics already that you are trying to convert to humics (which doesn't have the ammonia decomposition spike you get with un processed soil). Top soil. Not potting soil etc. I got a big bag at homedepot for $1.69.
 

Gomer

Superstar Fish
Apr 25, 2003
1,136
0
0
46
So Calif.
beyond_gomer.tripod.com
#30
Nature's something? It was the cheapest stuff they had :-D I'm sure lowes had a super cheap version too. Fancy organic/fertilizer fortified stuff works against you.

If you are not doing the MTS method , but rather doing the original Walstad method (I think she now also pushes for MTS or a varient of), you should read the thread linked earlier. They talk about using MGOPCPM that OC mentioned. It isn't because it is best, but rather because it is pretty standardized nationally and people have figured out how to best use it.

Speaking of step by step, here is a super easy MTS infographic. (remember that you do NOT want Dolomite-Lime, but rather dolomite mineral. I linked earlier. AaronT at APC might have extra if you go that route).
How to mineralize soil: Walstad Method – Aqua Calc Infographics
 

Flbrylas

Small Fish
Mar 31, 2012
16
0
0
#32
I bought, at Homedepot, cheap topsoil. It was more like sticks and wood chips than dirt lol. Your best bet is to call a place that sells soil. I went to a planting and soil farm and managed to get 100% plain top soil. There was virtually not cleaning to do. Most of the bags, after doing research don't contain much if any top soil, so be careful in buying "cheap" top soil from all these big stores.
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#34
i have a 20 gallon dirted tank and i used swamp mud. it is going gang busters. every plant i put in there goes absolutly nuts. there arte a few things to know. u will get algea within a week or so. it will happen but don't freak out. it's normal for a dirted tank. get duck weed or java moss or christmas moss. that will help take nutrients out of the water column and reduce the algea. also a dirt tank does best when heavily planted. i have 1/4 of the tank filled with ludwigia, 1/4 with a broadleaf i can't think of, and then some bacopa and jungle moss and the bottom is starting to get totally covered in hair grass and i have christmas moss on a large piece of driftwood. lots and lots of plants and they are lush and growing fast. another thing about a dirted tank to me it seems as though u can get away with a planted tank with using less light. obviously the plants don't grow as fast but they still grow great. i do treat my tank with flourish excel but i do have a warning. anachris and jungle val are not fans of the stuff. killed off my anachris completly and my jungle val totally melted and one did not come back but one did and is now thriving but i am using half of the recomended daily dosing. thats the bit of advice i can give atm but if there are further questions feel free to ask
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#35
also i was reading that people are warning of high light and stem plants? i disagree. they do grow fast and can take over the tank but a simple set of sissors takes care of that. i have alot of little suckers that start coming out low on the stem and i cut the stem just above that sucker and if i want to add it to the tank i will just shove it into the gravel and dirt and i got another plant. if there is no room for them then i put them in a baggy and take them to my lfs for credit. then that little sucker starts to grow and within a couple weeks the plant looks great. also if u want to remove the plant if u pull slowly it will not remove much dirt and what does come up with the roots tends to settle pretty quickly in my experience. i for one am very happy with my dirted tank and i think anyone who takes the time to set one up and maintain it would agree that it is the best way to do a planted tank. and the simplest way to do a planted tank. no worries of ferts or special substrates. just put in the plants and watch them grow.

also another tip. i fill my tank with a garden hose. i cut the end off and put a filter intake tube into the end so i can just hang my hose on the edge of the tank and fill them. so in one corner i did not put in any dirt so when the water comes out of the hose it does not stir up any of the mud/dirt. i found that easier then putting in a dish or something like that to prevent the water from stiring anything up.