Do You All Use Soil Aswell? Or Is Jsut Sand Fine?

[tr0p1cal]

Well the topic name says it all, i currently have both but im going to upgrade, i dont often see alot of people mention it, most jsut seem to have a sand substrate.

 

[baron von bubba]

Well the topic name says it all, i currently have both but im going to upgrade, i dont often see alot of people mention it, most jsut seem to have a sand substrate.

soil is mainly used in diana walstad natural planted style aquariums. its the bottom layer and is then capped with sand/gravel.

[URL="http/theaquariumwiki.com/Walstad_method"]http/theaquariumwiki.com/Walstad_method[/URL]

sand is inert and wont supply the plants with any nutrients at all, so i personally wouldnt use it on its own.

 

[tr0p1cal]

ok cool, does the soil in affect last for ever? obviously the plants would take the nutrients out making it logic that it would not, but im not 100%

 

[baron von bubba]

ok cool, does the soil in affect last for ever? obviously the plants would take the nutrients out making it logic that it would not, but im not 100%

i guess it'd lose the nutrients over time the same as any other nutritious substrate would.
supplementing with water column dosing will help tho.

 

[tr0p1cal]

ok ill get looking at soil, id love lots of healthy plants in my tank, jsut need the practice and start at the bottom then maybe soon enough it will be flourishing like yours.

 

[bae1994]

or you could use 100% clay cat litter as its cheap and works just fine

 

[tr0p1cal]

ummmmm upon reading tha tlink i found this "Fish waste (Mulm) and uneaten fish food will be converted by gravel/soil bacteria into its component chemical parts that plants can then use for their nutritional needs. " i guess the poo is basically restocking the soil and so plants are getting nutrients from that.