Help with my switch to soil..NPT

[Oohitsae]

Finally making the switch from clown-puke gravel over to a Walstad Method naturally planted tank.

I've been wanting to do this for a longgg time now, but I finally just got enough of everything collected to be able to get it started.


Here's my question.
Should I rinse the soil like I will with the sand? -OR- Should I just pick out the large clumps in it, maybe dampen it a little, and do it that way?


I ended up going with both organic potting mix and organic top soil, I figured that I could just mix the two together and that way I could stretch the use of it out.
I also went with black diamond sand blasting sand, 30/60 grit, which says "fine" on it, so I'm hoping it'll be fine for the cories and plecos.

Also, how deep should i make the substrate? I've been told 2" of soil, 1" of sand, sound accurate?

If anyone has any advice on how to make this switch as fast as possible, please let me know!

 

[aqua_chem]

You can sift it if you like, but I would not wash it like you would your sand.

The ratios of sand isn't all that important. When I dirted my tank, I used a 1:1 ratio.

 

[Oohitsae]

Thanks!! I have heard so many different things from so many places about how to do it and now I'm terrified to screw it up lol
I'm sure it can't be as complicated as I'm making it, but better safe and to think of all possible scenarios, than sorry!

I'm thinking a 2:1 ratio seems pretty good, but I don't know how deep it should go, right now I only have about 1" of gravel

 

[Sharpchick]

It helps when you get the soil down to wet it - not soupy and slushy, but damp - and then press down on it to work out air pockets before you cap it with your sand or gravel.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Finally making the switch from clown-puke gravel over to a Walstad Method naturally planted tank.

I've been wanting to do this for a longgg time now, but I finally just got enough of everything collected to be able to get it started.

Here's my question.
Should I rinse the soil like I will with the sand? -OR- Should I just pick out the large clumps in it, maybe dampen it a little, and do it that way?

I ended up going with both organic potting mix and organic top soil, I figured that I could just mix the two together and that way I could stretch the use of it out.
I also went with black diamond sand blasting sand, 30/60 grit, which says "fine" on it, so I'm hoping it'll be fine for the cories and plecos.

Also, how deep should i make the substrate? I've been told 2" of soil, 1" of sand, sound accurate?

If anyone has any advice on how to make this switch as fast as possible, please let me know!

And I think the sand you have is fine, people use San blasting sand, pool filter sand or silica play sand. You should be fine!

 

[Rivercats]

I used 1-1/2" of dirt and 1-1/2" of cap in my big tank. I didn't sift any of the large pieces out either. Also be sure to save some extra sand so after your done planting you can touch up the substrate if need be. Also be sure to have something like a BBQ fork with long thin prongs that you can use to poke around your substrate 2 or 3 times a day for about 4 to 6 weeks to release any gas pockets formed from the organic soil breaking down. Something else I found after a few tanks is to only run lights 6 hours for the first couple of months to help keep algae down. Use water sprite, wisteria, and alot of fast growing stem plants in the beginning to help remove excess nutrients the soil will release. You can always replace these plants later on but they are really good to start with. Plus the more plants you use the better. I started out with over 80% of my 220g planted.

 

[aqua_chem]

I did a fishless cycle in the tank with unsifted dirt. There was some pretty gnarly mold growing on my substrate where the organics were leeching up, but without fish or light I could just wait it out any physically remove it when the cycle was done. I dont want to think about what it would have looked like with light.

 

[Rivercats]

I didn't sift, I planted right away, used a utensil to release gas buildup, and ran my high lighting without any issues and without any type of mold issue. By day 10 the tank was cycled and I put in my first couple fish on day 14.

 

[Oohitsae]

I used 1-1/2" of dirt and 1-1/2" of cap in my big tank. I didn't sift any of the large pieces out either. Also be sure to save some extra sand so after your done planting you can touch up the substrate if need be. Also be sure to have something like a BBQ fork with long thin prongs that you can use to poke around your substrate 2 or 3 times a day for about 4 to 6 weeks to release any gas pockets formed from the organic soil breaking down. Something else I found after a few tanks is to only run lights 6 hours for the first couple of months to help keep algae down. Use water sprite, wisteria, and alot of fast growing stem plants in the beginning to help remove excess nutrients the soil will release. You can always replace these plants later on but they are really good to start with. Plus the more plants you use the better. I started out with over 80% of my 220g planted.

Thanks for the advice!
I think I'll still sift through for atleast larger chunks, I have a lot of plants going in there so I have to make sure there's not going to be anything too big blocking me from planting in a particular spot.
Also, I have about 30mts right now, but am working on purchasing atleast 100 more to help with the gas pocket issue, but until I get the rest, I have a few of those hot dog/marshmallow holders that people use while camping that no one used last season, so I think I'll probably use those to poke.
I have tons of stems in the tank currently and will be keeping those in, also have a bunch of crypts, a sword, and some Val's that will be going in, hopefully that is good enough. 80%+ of the substrate is covered with plants right now

 

[aqua_chem]

Most of those gases are going to be CO2 from the heterotrophic anaerobes in the substrate, so it's not the same problem as the anaerobic pockets that you get with deep sand beds in FW. I wouldn't spend much time worrying about it.

 

[Rivercats]

I never had any issues with the chunks because remember most all of the planting is in the cap layer, which I like because it leaves the dirt undistrubed. The plant roots will just work their way down and also those chunks will eventually breakdown.

Also I wouldn't buy anymore MTS's as they will breed enough and you'll find they will mostly stay in the cap layer and not go way deep in the soil. Your handy poker is the best thing for the air pockets.

 

[aqua_chem]

I just broke up the chunks with a fork and capped the whole thing. But I did have to sit through mold for a week or so.