# potting soil for a dirt tank?



## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

I have no idea where to start- what are good substrates recommended to a beginner like myself? And any advice on how to use them would be great as well. Thanks!


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## fusedpro (Dec 29, 2011)

There is a substrate sub-forum that you might want to check out. There are plenty of options to choose from and substrate is all pretty much beginner-proof. A nice, cheap solution would be pool filter sand. While not optimal for plant growth, root tabs will take care of that. Potting soil can be used and will provide the necessary nutrients for root-feeding plants, just make sure it is organic. You'll also need to put another layer of substrate over it to hold the soil down, but otherwise it is a very viable option.


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

fusedpro said:


> There is a substrate sub-forum that you might want to check out. There are plenty of options to choose from and substrate is all pretty much beginner-proof. A nice, cheap solution would be pool filter sand. While not optimal for plant growth, root tabs will take care of that. Potting soil can be used and will provide the necessary nutrients for root-feeding plants, just make sure it is organic. You'll also need to put another layer of substrate over it to hold the soil down, but otherwise it is a very viable option.


What is this other layer of substrate? What should I use and how much of it? Thanks!


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## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

The other layer would be something like pool filter sand, black diamond, fine gravel, etc. to cap the soil and keep it from being directly exposed to the water column. I use a 3/4"-1" cap to 2"-3" of soil for my soil tanks.


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

I have been using miracle gro organics choice potting mix and it's been great so far with a cap of tahitian moon sand. If I had to do it again I would just get black diamond sand to top because it's super cheap and looks the same. Also if you go with MGOCPM I would recommend taking out the wood chunks before you put it in the tank. My tank was a tannins nightmare for a week. During that time I had to do huge water changes daily but everything is good now.


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

Is there a way to do it without using a cap? Thanks!


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

I second using Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix. 

I prefer using fine pea gravel over sand as a cap. 

You could potentially do it without a cap if you had all dirt with little to no woody or leafy matter. Problems with going without a cap include anything that can float will float as nothing is in place to hold it down, there is huge risk of stirring it up when moving plants, planting new plants, filling with water and doing water changes. Also if you run a filter the water movement might stir it up. The cap is used to prevent and reduce these issues.


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## depech (Dec 6, 2011)

With potting soil, I would always go with a cap. There are too much risk if you ever want move any plants or have fish that digs.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Without a cap the fish will stir up the dirt.

Here is a SUBSTRATE CALC.

What size of tank are you setting up? 
What lights are you going to get


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Hey nice meeting you today! :biggrin:


If you sift Miracle Gro to get the bigger floaty pieces out, and soak it for a few days first before carefully filling a tank, you MIGHT be able to keep it in place without a cap?

But IDK, it's pretty lightweight and I suspect you'll end up with a mess on your hands. 

I'd personally cap with at least pea gravel or something with a small grain size. My MG tanks are capped with a Flourite mix.


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

Thanks for the advice. It was nice meeting you as well. I think I may set up a 10g dirted tank as an experiment to see if the extra growth and other benefits outweighs the possible trouble. I will PM you soon regarding an area 'plant/fish club' and where we could meet to have it. (I will also ask Rich in the meantime.)




lauraleellbp said:


> Hey nice meeting you today! :biggrin:
> 
> 
> If you sift Miracle Gro to get the bigger floaty pieces out, and soak it for a few days first before carefully filling a tank, you MIGHT be able to keep it in place without a cap?
> ...


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## Brian10962001 (Dec 6, 2011)

Next time I do a dirt tank I'm going all out, every step will be done. I'm going to put quite a bit of Laterite in it, and I'm buying Muriate of Potash and mineralizing sifted soil. I'm still leaking tannins in my MGO with gravel cap. Also if you use MGO you MUST cap it, it's full of peat moss and that stuff will float up. You would be waiting weeks for the soil to even settle. I really like the looks of the larger grain black sand substrate, but I've always used Gravel in my tanks.


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## lahune (Feb 10, 2012)

fusedpro said:


> There is a substrate sub-forum that you might want to check out. There are plenty of options to choose from and substrate is all pretty much beginner-proof. A nice, cheap solution would be pool filter sand. While not optimal for plant growth, root tabs will take care of that. Potting soil can be used and will provide the necessary nutrients for root-feeding plants, just make sure it is organic. You'll also need to put another layer of substrate over it to hold the soil down, but otherwise it is a very viable option.


Is there any special label you use and recommend? I just ordered some new plants from a plants online shop and I did not find anything on substrate or which soil to use. And since I am quite a newbie there it would be great if you would have something like a list of substrates and soils you would recommend.

Making sure that the soil is organic is actually a very good tip! I will definitely be very careful about that since I do not want to ruin my plants.


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## BIG_Z (Dec 7, 2011)

lahune said:


> Making sure that the soil is organic is actually a very good tip! I will definitely be very careful about that since I do not want to ruin my plants.


I think that the organic thing is more for the safety of you fauna than your flora. If you have no shrimp/fish/snails then the list of chemicals you can play with gets much larger.


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## reddhawkk (Dec 28, 2011)

Good info and just what I was looking for. I am in the process of resealing a 15 gallon Metaframe tank that I am planning on setting up as my first dirt tank.


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## Sophie and Mom (Jan 16, 2012)

gus6464 said:


> I have been using miracle gro organics choice potting mix and it's been great so far.


I'm using the same stuff. How long did your initial ammonia cycle last? This one is killing me--and the ammonia levels are sky high, even after 50 to 75 percent water changes.

To our OP--please do your cycle fishless. I know it says everywhere that you can do it with fish, but this has been horrible for them. Just wait it out and get the fish later. :icon_frow


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Sophie and Mom said:


> How long did your initial ammonia cycle last?
> This one is killing me--the ammonia levels are sky high,
> Please do your cycle fishless.


SILENT CYCLING by Rex Griggs
With lots of fast growing stem plants you can add a medium to large fish load all at once and never see the traditional ammonia or nitrite spikes. Use two groups (4-6 stems each) of plants for each five gallons of water. Plants to use - Foxtail, Hygro, Creeping Charlie, Red Ludwigia, Moneywort, Wisteria, Egeria, Shinnersia rivularis, (Mexican Oakleaf) or Water Sprite.


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## Sophie and Mom (Jan 16, 2012)

Hilde said:


> SILENT CYCLING by Rex Griggs
> With lots of fast growing stem plants you can add a medium to large fish load all at once and never see the traditional ammonia or nitrite spikes. Use two groups (4-6 stems each) of plants for each five gallons of water. Plants to use - Foxtail, Hygro, Creeping Charlie, Red Ludwigia, Moneywort, Wisteria, Egeria, Shinnersia rivularis, (Mexican Oakleaf) or Water Sprite.



thanks for the info--I think it's too late for a silent cycle, now! I'm adding plants every other day, doing crazy water changes constantly, and it still won't stop.

I'm starting a separate thread for this to end the hijack--thanks again.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You sure you got the organic miracle gro?

I didn't have ammonia spikes in any of my MG tanks... ? (Though I did use plenty of mulm and established filters when I set them up...)


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