# Loam as substrate



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

put the loam in a small container of water first to see what happens. It might be too messy and cloud the water.


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## azazan (Aug 17, 2014)

mistergreen said:


> put the loam in a small container of water first to see what happens. It might be too messy and cloud the water.


even when i put a thick layer of sand over it?


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

It will work fine. It's sorta like using mineralized top soil. We have river loam in spots here where I live. I've used it in the past and it works well. It's also why I'm surrounded by farms.


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## thedood (May 30, 2015)

oldpunk78 said:


> It will work fine. It's sorta like using mineralized top soil. We have river loam in spots here where I live. I've used it in the past and it works well. It's also why I'm surrounded by farms.


I imagine that is excellent soil. I live in the heart of ag country in central Illinois. I have a 20T that I am thinking about planting and if I do the soil I will use for that tank will be river silt. 

To the original post, I am using a similar soil, no potting soil, capped with sand and am getting good results thus far.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

azazan said:


> even when i put a thick layer of sand over it?


Ah, I thought you were going to use the loam as the cap.


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## azazan (Aug 17, 2014)

thanks for the reply everyone, i'll give it a try


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## thedood (May 30, 2015)

@azazan How is the tank doing? Did the river soil work well for you?


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## azazan (Aug 17, 2014)

thedood said:


> @azazan How is the tank doing? Did the river soil work well for you?


not too sure actually .. its still in progress and everything seems fine except i'm having a hard time with free floating algae.(doubt thats the loams fault though ) My plants really like it though. and the few tester guppies i put in there are fine too, water Parameters are alright.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

My soil is very dark loam, I am the first property at the bottom of the street next to a river.... all the good stuff has percolated downhill to me... Even 1 foot from my property border on the uphill side, it is just red clay  . If I disturb it a lot, it takes about a day to settle, and then I just clean out the filter.


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## azazan (Aug 17, 2014)

Nordic said:


> My soil is very dark loam, I am the first property at the bottom of the street next to a river.... all the good stuff has percolated downhill to me... Even 1 foot from my property border on the uphill side, it is just red clay  . If I disturb it a lot, it takes about a day to settle, and then I just clean out the filter.


you use it witouth any topping? can u make a picture  i'd like to see that


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