How to...

[lewis.jc90]

Looking to add dirt to my tank. Where do I start? What plants are best? What dirt is best? Which is the best & easiest way to do the process & is it true I can add clay cat litter to it for source of iron? Xxx

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[Caliban07]

This might help

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/calibans-dirted-46-bowfront-342717.html


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[Caliban07]

Most people use miracle gro organic potting soil. They water will have elevated ammonia for a while after you submerge the soil so it's best to plant right from the start. You can boil the soil to release the ammonia or mineralise it beforehand which is time consuming and both are messy. Mineralising is a process whereby the soil is wetted and dried multiple times to help breakdown the ammonia.

If you submerge straight off the bat you are going to need very good bio filtration, water movement and oxygenation if you have any livestock.

All plants will benefit from soil but your choice depends on other aspects such as additional carbon supplementation and lighting intensity.

I've heard you can use cat litter the stuff I used is better.

Any questions feel free to ask.


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[lewis.jc90]

Most people use miracle gro organic potting soil. They water will have elevated ammonia for a while after you submerge the soil so it's best to plant right from the start. You can boil the soil to release the ammonia or mineralise it beforehand which is time consuming and both are messy. Mineralising is a process whereby the soil is wetted and dried multiple times to help breakdown the ammonia.

If you submerge straight off the bat you are going to need very good bio filtration, water movement and oxygenation if you have any livestock.

All plants will benefit from soil but your choice depends on other aspects such as additional carbon supplementation and lighting intensity.

I've heard you can use cat litter the stuff I used is better.

Any questions feel free to ask.


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I have a 3 ft tank with 2 platys, 3 white cloud minnows (one might be a molly) & 2 red tail minnows. It's only a third of the tank (roughly) I want to soil & plant as a "forest" area. Have a plan drawn out. I am moving in two weeks & was just going to put the Fish in my 2 smaller tanks till i get this one set up.

How do I boil it? The wetting & drying sounds more practical. What did you use for clay?

Going to have an air wall round 2 sides of the forest area. Also have an interpet f2 filter & a small 200lph filter for this tank.

Hoping it won't take more than a month to set up xxx

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[lewis.jc90]

Most people use miracle gro organic potting soil. They water will have elevated ammonia for a while after you submerge the soil so it's best to plant right from the start. You can boil the soil to release the ammonia or mineralise it beforehand which is time consuming and both are messy. Mineralising is a process whereby the soil is wetted and dried multiple times to help breakdown the ammonia.

If you submerge straight off the bat you are going to need very good bio filtration, water movement and oxygenation if you have any livestock.

All plants will benefit from soil but your choice depends on other aspects such as additional carbon supplementation and lighting intensity.

I've heard you can use cat litter the stuff I used is better.

Any questions feel free to ask.


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Current set up xx

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[Caliban07]

I've never boiled it so I can't say but I'd imagine it just goes in a pan of water and left to boil. You can bake it too at 350 for 2 hours to accomplish the same task. Soak and dry mineralises the soil by means of bacteria so you can remove the ammonia but keep the helpful bugs.

Or you can just add it straight to the tank but bad things can happen if you're not on top of water changes, circulation and aeration.


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[lewis.jc90]

I do 30% water change once a week but could up that to 40% twice a week. Have the double filters & getting an air wall. Also gettin 5 bunches of plants & 12 moss balls. I have 10 small floating plants too. It's not the full base I am putting soil. Do you think this is ok just to put it straight in? Xxx

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[Caliban07]

I do 30% water change once a week but could up that to 40% twice a week. Have the double filters & getting an air wall. Also gettin 5 bunches of plants & 12 moss balls. I have 10 small floating plants too. It's not the full base I am putting soil. Do you think this is ok just to put it straight in? Xxx

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Of course. Your plan sounds like it would work. Try to get good surface ripple with those filters. Nothing aggressive, just a nice ripple.


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[lewis.jc90]

Of course. Your plan sounds like it would work. Try to get good surface ripple with those filters. Nothing aggressive, just a nice ripple.


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That's what we have now. I LOVE the reflection of the ripples can't wait till it is all set & I can get more fish. How soon would you say I can put fish in? Xx

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[Caliban07]

That's what we have now. I LOVE the reflection of the ripples can't wait till it is all set & I can get more fish. How soon would you say I can put fish in? Xx

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I'll let you be the judge of that. You need a test kit to measure ammonia and the confidence to say that whatever fish you add will not be exposed to it.


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[lewis.jc90]

Great! Thank you. Will keep you updated with progress xxx

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[Caliban07]

Good stuff. Don't forgot to post pics.


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[Ruutah]

Having just gone through this process on a newly set up tank with the organic choice miracle grow. I can say that it was shocking when I saw the water parameters, and Caliban was awesome about talking me through it when I went off half cocked and just did it without really researching it.

To answer your question I added stock back to the tank 12 days after I set it up. But I had 2 seeded sponge filters In the tank along with a new HOB. 8 -10 hours a day of light with a 2 hour break mid day. Several of my plants have grown like crazy.

In a 15 gallon tank I was changing 4-6 gallons a day. For the first week I was dosing ammo lock daily to try and keep the guppies in the tank healthy. Was quite the stress reliever when I pulled them and threw them in a smaller tank, though they were quite happy to get back to the larger tank tonight. Test your water daily, if not several times a day till things stabilize, then add your fish back in.