RachelG
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have plans to set up a 45 gallon tank sometime this year. I have a stand and will order the tank eventually when I have money, but not quite yet. My wallet doesn't agree with me on this one just yet. But to prepare for the biggest and hopefully best aquarium I have owned, I have a few concerns that I'd like to ask about.
1. The bottom/foot dimensions of the tank I'm looking at are 36 inches by 12 inches. How much soil would I need to get about 1 1/2 inch deep in that?(Looking for a ball park estimate) The soil bags available around here are all measured in quarts, by the way.
2. I was going to buy the Miracle Gro organic choice soil that I've seen recommended by many guides, but that particular brand does not seem to be available in this area. Instead, all of the local stores with Garden Centers carry Miracle Gro Nature's Care Organic Potting mix. Is this more or less the same thing? They have 8 quart and 32 quart bags available.
3. If I understand correctly, the sphagnum peat moss used in these potting mixes would lower the PH slightly. My water is moderately hard and 7.8 PH. Would the hardness prevent a drastic drop in PH? Is this even something I need to worry about?
4. Would Malaysian trumpet snails burrow deep enough into the sand/gravel cap to mess with the soil? I have them and I would love to keep them.(I love my little unicorn horns!)
5. I read a little tip on a forum post a while back (Of course, I can't find it now...) that releasing live California blackworms into the substrate would be beneficial for the soil. Anyone know anything about this? A local shop sells these worms, and I buy them sometimes to feed to the fish.
6. I will put some terracotta clay in the soil, though I am not quite sure how to go about that. Some guides say to roll it into tiny balls and either sprinkle them in before adding soil or sprinkle it onto the soil, then poke it into the soil. This seems easy, but does it disperse into the soil well enough that way? I will cap the soil with sand, or a mix of sand with gravel.
Thanks for taking the time to read, and thanks in advance for any help/tips.
1. The bottom/foot dimensions of the tank I'm looking at are 36 inches by 12 inches. How much soil would I need to get about 1 1/2 inch deep in that?(Looking for a ball park estimate) The soil bags available around here are all measured in quarts, by the way.
2. I was going to buy the Miracle Gro organic choice soil that I've seen recommended by many guides, but that particular brand does not seem to be available in this area. Instead, all of the local stores with Garden Centers carry Miracle Gro Nature's Care Organic Potting mix. Is this more or less the same thing? They have 8 quart and 32 quart bags available.
3. If I understand correctly, the sphagnum peat moss used in these potting mixes would lower the PH slightly. My water is moderately hard and 7.8 PH. Would the hardness prevent a drastic drop in PH? Is this even something I need to worry about?
4. Would Malaysian trumpet snails burrow deep enough into the sand/gravel cap to mess with the soil? I have them and I would love to keep them.(I love my little unicorn horns!)
5. I read a little tip on a forum post a while back (Of course, I can't find it now...) that releasing live California blackworms into the substrate would be beneficial for the soil. Anyone know anything about this? A local shop sells these worms, and I buy them sometimes to feed to the fish.
6. I will put some terracotta clay in the soil, though I am not quite sure how to go about that. Some guides say to roll it into tiny balls and either sprinkle them in before adding soil or sprinkle it onto the soil, then poke it into the soil. This seems easy, but does it disperse into the soil well enough that way? I will cap the soil with sand, or a mix of sand with gravel.
Thanks for taking the time to read, and thanks in advance for any help/tips.
