# Looking for advice on a dirted tank with sand cap.



## TrainRek77 (May 7, 2017)

Hi everyone,
I've had a few aquarium in the past and I've gone from fake plants to a low tech planted tank. I'm going to step it up with this setup and use Co2. I have a 4 bulb t5 fluorescent light, a 29 gallon tank and a simple pressurized Co2 system for a 29 gallon tank. I want to use black sand over dirt. I've done some research and seen some beautiful tanks that used this substrate and I want to give it a shot. I understand that algae can be a large problem in a dirted so most of what I read suggests that as soon as you fill it up you should plant it heavily so that the plants compete for the nutrients and beat out the algae. My question is about cycling. I understand how it works and have cycled many aquarium using ammonia. I've read that the organic matter in the dirt release a lot of ammonia when it is first set up and that it is not necessary to dose the tank with ammonia. I'm wondering if I should cycle my filter with no substrate to avoid an algae bloom. I know much of the nitrifying bacteria live in the substrate so I don't know if this will work. I'm looking for advice on the order of doing things. Does anyone have any experience and tips for me?
What has worked for you? Thanks for the tips.


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## mbkemp (Dec 15, 2016)

I set up a dirted tank a little over a year ago. It will release ammonia. Enough that I would not plant it too soon. I did, mistake, burnt the leaves right off my sword plants. I don't have much algae in mine. It's very stable. The only thing I don't like is the mess if you move plants. 


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## FishEggs (Mar 19, 2017)

You will want to do lots of water changes with lots of plants when you first set up a dirted tank unless you are doing Iwagumi style. That would be different. Start with a short light cycle like 5-6 hours on and slowly increase from there. I changed 75% of the water every day for the first week or 2 and then every other day for a few weeks after that. I didn't actually worry about the cycle of the filter since I knew I wouldn't be putting fish in it for at least 2 months. Then I started testing to see if the parameters stabilized and cycled then added fish.


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

TrainRek77 said:


> I want to use black sand over dirt. I've done some research and seen some beautiful tanks that used this substrate and I want to give it a shot.
> 
> I understand that algae can be a large problem in a dirted so most of what I read suggests that as soon as you fill it up you should plant it heavily so that the plants compete for the nutrients and beat out the algae.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the Forum!

Recently set up 1" Miracle-Gro potting soil and Scott's Premium topsoil (50/50).
Sifted all wood chips out of both components.
1-1/4" BDBS as a cap on the dirt and tank perimeter.
With the Miracle-Gro in a bucket of water NH3, NO2, NO3, and PO4 off the charts.
The Scotts product yielded NH3 & PO4 off the charts.
Test run of this tank in my shop yielded nothing in the water column after 4 days.
.25ppm of NH3, attribute this to Prime and chloramines in my city water.
IMO the BDBS is such a tight cap not much leaching occurs.
If a larger substrate was used it may be different.

Algae can be a problem in any tank not just dirt.

Cycling with the BDBS as a cap for me would still involve using ammonia.
Even spoke with some local fellow hobbyists and they reported no leaching.

Hope this helps with something to think about.
I was sure this would turn into a cesspool of ammonia while testing in my shop.

The ADA soils are another story, lots of ammonia but they are not capped either.


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## FishEggs (Mar 19, 2017)

I used about 1" plain old pool filter sand as a cap and it leaches plenty. Even get bubbling coming up from under it every once in a while. I was in a hurry and didn't sift/screen it either. Wish I did.


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## mbkemp (Dec 15, 2016)

I used bdbs, maybe not enough. Like I indicated above it leached like crazy. It also produced many pockets and bubbles for a few months. Once I was past the one month mark the leaching was complete 


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## TrainRek77 (May 7, 2017)

I guess I'll just take it slow. I'll go ahead and put the substrate in and see what my water parameters look like after a few days. I've heard that with a dirted tank it is not good to use Co2 right away. The theory is that the bubbles that come up from the soil are broken down organic matter and the bubbles are high in carbon dioxide. I'm not in any hurry I just have never had a major algae problem and don't really know how to deal with it. I'm trying to avoid it at all costs.


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

I reckon you all raised a paranoia within me.
Checked my water again, only showing what I have dosed in the way of ferts.

I guess the plants sucked up the NH4 from "Prime" dosage, tested @ 0ppm.


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## milesm (Apr 4, 2006)

check this: Preparation and Maintenance of a Planted Aquarium



TrainRek77 said:


> I guess I'll just take it slow. I'll go ahead and put the substrate in and see what my water parameters look like after a few days. I've heard that with a dirted tank it is not good to use Co2 right away. The theory is that the bubbles that come up from the soil are broken down organic matter and the bubbles are high in carbon dioxide. I'm not in any hurry I just have never had a major algae problem and don't really know how to deal with it. I'm trying to avoid it at all costs.


 dusko recommends waiting 2 months before flooding tank. soil is mineralized at that point


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## TrainRek77 (May 7, 2017)

I set it up and started cycling. I waited a while to see what the ammonia would get to and it was about .5ppm so I dosed it. It's around 4ppm right now. Wheel see how it goes.


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