Soil/mud/clay As A Substrate?

[slakey]

RipSlider here's something for you to check out:
http/www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/s...tegory/941.html

don't know if it's what your looking for or not...

 

[poopsydrew]

Give it a go, I use soil in all of my planted tanks, its not really as messy as people make it out to be. Just make it damp when you put it in the tank then cover it with fine layer of gravel or sand.

How you fill the tank IMO, depends on how "cloudy" it will be for how long. If you fill it slowly using a dishplate or something to defelect the water, then your tank should be clear in a couple hours.

Drew

 

[scouse_andy]

Give it a go, I use soil in all of my planted tanks, its not really as messy as people make it out to be. Just make it damp when you put it in the tank then cover it with fine layer of gravel or sand.

How you fill the tank IMO, depends on how "cloudy" it will be for how long. If you fill it slowly using a dishplate or something to defelect the water, then your tank should be clear in a couple hours.

Drew

Agreed. I have done this in my main tank, I have a few threads on it in my planted journal if you want to check.

It needs to be covered by a reasonable layer of gravel/sand. When uprooting plants it doesn't actually make much mess if you're careful.

I have Walstad's book, a very good read.

As far as altering the chemistry - I used a soil sample with water in a pint glass and checked pH changes and ammonia / nitrite / nitrate spikes for a week or two and it was completely unaffected so I bit the bullet and did it, plants are going really well.

I would agree with The Wolf though, when I do eventually strip the tank bare it will be a complete mess and need a thorough hose down.

Andy.