# Miracle Gro Organic Choice GARDEN Soil



## mwei (Mar 31, 2013)

Although I've done a bit of research on this already...I just want to be sure...
Will it be ok to use Miracle Gro Organic Choice GARDEN Soil for fish tanks/planted tanks? 

I know that it uses cow manure in it so that would def. increase the amount of ammonia when first starting out...
would it still be usable/ok if I just let the tank sit/cycle longer?


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## Tabberwok (Jan 31, 2013)

yeah ti will be fine, I use it in my tanks with no differences except a little more gas in the beginning


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## mwei (Mar 31, 2013)

Tabberwok said:


> yeah ti will be fine, I use it in my tanks with no differences except a little more gas in the beginning


Ok, great! Thanks for responding so fast!


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## 141130 (Jan 25, 2014)

It's important to have a potting mixture that has low (i.e. zero) Nitrogen and Phosphate - you may (i.e. should) add a high potassium fertaliser (potash) to the mixture.


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## yashmack (May 20, 2013)

MGOCGS already contains potash and phosphorus... there is no need to add any


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## Yankee (Jan 12, 2013)

It's fine - just put it in a bucket of water and let it gas out before putting it in your tank.


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## yashmack (May 20, 2013)

Yankee said:


> It's fine - just put it in a bucket of water and let it gas out before putting it in your tank.


I didnt do that and i think i regret it 
I used the potting mix though
My water is an interesting greenish brown color and there are small bubbles coming from the subtrate every now and then
so far my dwarf hair grass is still looking good so im going to do some water changes and see how it goes

I would definitely sift out any big stuff and the weird "wool" like stuff in there, then let it soak a day or longer and clean it again to get rid of floating stuff
There is a lot of stuff that floats in the miracle gro soil


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## greenteam (Feb 8, 2012)

Yeah I always remove the big chunks out and it's normal for it gas for a bit. Plants wont be harmed but I would wait on adding any fish.


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

I've set up two tanks using the organic choice potting mix.

First was unsifted, and after a couple/few months, I started noticing a couple chunks of wood/twigs/bark, etc. on the surface of the substrate. Didn't really bother me any, but it might bother some people.

Second I sifted, and it's only been up a couple months, so I can't really say much so far.

There was some initial bubbling at first, I think a combination of air trapped during set up (I can still see some pockets near the glass here and there), and some of the rapidly-decomposing components. I did a fishless cycle both times, so if it was leaching any ammonia, I didn't notice it during the cycle, or the cycle accommodated whatever rate of ammonia production might of been happening.


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

ive heard organic potting mix is what to use. the garden soil can rot in water due to some of the stuff thats in it


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## Lynrem (Jan 13, 2014)

Should Miracle Gro Organic Choice be mineralized or can it just be soaked for a day and used?


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Lynrem said:


> Should Miracle Gro Organic Choice be mineralized or can it just be soaked for a day and used?


The potting mix can be used straight from the bag dry. You can sift it to remove any of the large pieces of wood and sticks. The garden soil contains manure so you can soak it or use the ammonia produced to cycle your tank.

http://www.scotts.com/smg/products/Miracle-Gro/pdf/MG Organic Choice Garden Soil.pdf


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

I used it pretty much straight from the bag.

One time sifted, one time not. both times I added water earlier in the day/the day before, just to help get everything in it thoroughly soaked/waterlogged, but that's hardly a necessary step, it just makes it slightly easier to deal with.


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## ooosparkeyooo (Sep 20, 2014)

I had a this question and it seems to be a pretty alien idea. 3 different forms including this one and no one seemed to agree. As well this was the only answer i found on the topic from google. I knew i wasnt crazy and that harnessing manure ammonia for a fishless cycle seemed like a good idea for a planted tank.



Monster Fish said:


> The potting mix can be used straight from the bag dry. You can sift it to remove any of the large pieces of wood and sticks. The garden soil contains manure so you can soak it or use the ammonia produced to cycle your tank.
> 
> http://www.scotts.com/smg/products/Miracle-Gro/pdf/MG Organic Choice Garden Soil.pdf


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