What Soil Can I Use?

[LucyB]

Okay, so I have decided to dirt my 100L aquarium as my plants are not doing very well with a just playsand substrate So I have a few questions:

.What soil/compost can I use?
.Is there anything that cannot be in the soil (such as any sort of ferts, chemicals, etc)
.Can I cap the dirt with sand? Has anyone on this forum done this?
.What are the disadvantages of dirt?
.How much dirt shall I use, and how much sand to cap it?
.Do I still need to dose ferts in the tank?


Thanks guys, and anything else you can tell me would be great!
Answers much appreciated!

 

[Livewire88]

Hi, I am wondering why your plants arnt doing well so have a few questions.

What lights are you using? what plants do you have? and are you dosing ferts/co2?
I am using sand in my 100L and when I set the tank up I was also thinking of using dirt but decided to just go with the sand and all my plants are doing fine, possibly with a few changes your plants might improve which would save you having to use dirt.

 

[Primous]

Limewire via his questions has pretty much covered the other factors that could be affecting your plant growth but if you still want to go ahead then I'll answer some of your soil questions.


.What soil/compost can I use?
Any but it must be 100% organic ie no added chemicals preservatives etc

.Is there anything that cannot be in the soil (such as any sort of ferts, chemicals, etc)
You can add tabs and liquids if you chose to but one of the benefits of dirt/soil based aquariums is that if you do it right you will never need to pour some chemical/seachem into your tank again


.Can I cap the dirt with sand? Has anyone on this forum done this?
Yes, me. And I would never set up an aquarium using anything but dirt ever again.


.What are the disadvantages of dirt?
Replenishes itself with your fish mulm. No chemicals need ever be added. No nitrates (one of the byproducts used by 80-90% of algae to form/grow) Stunning plant growth to name a few...


.How much dirt shall I use, and how much sand to cap it?
You need 1.5 inches of dirt and 1.5" of sand to cap it.


.Do I still need to dose ferts in the tank?
The main aim of dirt is balance so nope, you don't need to add ferts but co2 may need to be added depending on the type of plants you plant.

I have a vid of the dirting process and another on the growth it achieved in 3 months. I'll post a link or pm it to youif need be.

 

[LucyB]

Hi Thanks for replying,
I have ludwigia, which has not grown at all since I got it a few months ago, In fact, it seems to be shrinking I also have cambomba, which is nice and bushy when I buy it, but after a few weeks, the leaves seem to thin out and eventually there are no leaves and there is just the stem I have some Amazon swords, which looked exactly as it should when I got it, but the nice big leaves turned brown and died, now there are nice healthy small leaves, but they seem to die before they get big, so I just have a small bush of small amazon sword leaves I am unsure what the other plant is called. I also have a moss ball but that is doing fine I dose Interpet flora boost every week after a water change. I am unsure what the lights are, as they came with my tank when I got it (second hand, cycled and everything) and I could tell It was brand new as there were no water marks on it or anything. But to be honest, I am pretty sure it is not the light that is killing the plants, as I have had "plant" lights before and it hasn't made that much difference. The sand is just playsand, and does get quite compact, so I stir it up when I do a water change.

I have a vid of the dirting process and another on the growth it achieved in 3 months. I'll post a link or pm it to youif need be.[/i]

Please will you send me the link

 

[Livewire88]

I also have had or still have all the plants you mention and they all seemed to do fine. If your lights are good enough I would hazzard a guess and say the plants are lacking in the nutrients that they need.

I am a fan of dosing ferts/liquid Co2 daily, when I only dosed weekly the plants seemed to suffer. Also I have only ever used TPN+ so could not comment on how good/bad Interpet flora boost is.

If you dont want to buy any more ferts and/or liquid Co2 try and start dosing the Interpet flora boost daily (split the stated weekly dose into 7 days worth) and see if that makes a difference, but if you have the money buy some TPN+ & some Liquid Co2, dose the recommended amount daily (again split the stated weekly dose into 7 days worth) and see how you get on, also aim to have your lights on for around 8 hours a day max.

Good luck

 

[Primous]

The light (photo) period and the type of lights could be a contribution factor but from the above, it seems your problem is that you've bought plants which rely on co2. Without co2 the plants listed above generally don't do well.

You best move would be to take them out if you're not going to add co2 (which at this stage I'd suggest you don't) and replace them with plants which do not need the addition of co2. There are many of these and you can achieve a lush planted look without ico2.

Links to vids sent.

 

[LucyB]

Right guys, I found some organic water garden soil, It says: Natural aquatic soil for ponds. My dad used it in the pond for the plants and it worked a treat, the plants look great and are doing really well, so I shall use this tomorrow, Thanks for the help!

 

[Primous]

I would triple check the packaging if I were you. Many soils labeled "organic" actually have a ton of chemicals added to boost growth so you've got to check the label/back of the packaging. I have heard of several organic soils that contain additives etc so yup, just triple check.

 

[mishmash]

I have a vid of the dirting process and another on the growth it achieved in 3 months. I'll post a link or pm it to youif need be.

Can you post the links for all to see ? Cheers.

 

[Primous]

Sure

Some background to the first vid: I was dosing several seachem products plus liquid co2 and while I got some growth the chemicals, even when dosed to the exact specifications, were providing food for several types of algae. As I got rid of one, another would take root until eventually I got bba. So I did a ton of research got into Diane Walstead's books and...



A couple of months later and, with soil, I had achieved more plant growth than I had done in the previous 3 years combined. After two weeks I got tired of diy co2 because my most consistent recipe had a lifespan of 4 days. So I stoped using it and went 6 weeks before I got a pressurized setup which is part of the reason I took so long to do an update.

 

[mishmash]

Sure

Some background to the first vid: I was dosing several seachem products plus liquid co2 and while I got some growth the chemicals, even when dosed to the exact specifications, were providing food for several types of algae. As I got rid of one, another would take root until eventually I got bba. So I did a ton of research got into Diane Walstead's books and...

A couple of months later and, with soil, I had achieved more plant growth than I had done in the previous 3 years combined. After two weeks I got tired of diy co2 because my most consistent recipe had a lifespan of 4 days. So I stoped using it and went 6 weeks before I got a pressurized setup which is part of the reason I took so long to do an update.

Awesome Vids Primous. Many thanks for posting. Im gonna watch your other youtube stuff too

 

[Livewire88]

+1 Great vid's there Primous (I watched them twice)

May I ask what the plant is with the twisted looking long thin leaves? gorgeous looking plant

 

[ian]

just out of interest Primous, what cam are you using?? Nice vids...i do spy a non aquatic in there though. The plant with the red varigated leaves is an Fittonia verschaffeltii.

 

[Primous]

Thanks guys. @limewire it's Crinum calamistratum

just out of interest Primous, what cam are you using?? Nice vids...i do spy a non aquatic in there though. The plant with the red varigated leaves is an Fittonia verschaffeltii.

Yup and it died within a month. The seller had it listed in the wrong section and gave me a refund soon after.

 

[ian]

so which cam are you using?