# What do you guys do with your old substrate?



## aquarist (Aug 29, 2012)

I put mine on top of the soil of potted plants. I also mix some in the potting mix for my potted plants, it will help increase drainage.


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## CoryLover8 (Jul 31, 2014)

Thanks! Fyi- your plant is worth ten cents!


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## aquarist (Aug 29, 2012)

Lol yup! I was vacuuming years ago and threw that dime in there, just never needed it yet, it's my rainy day savings I suppose. There used to be an army man and a gorilla in there too but idk where those have gone off to.


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## CoryLover8 (Jul 31, 2014)

They went off in search of adventure. You may find them in aquarium pretending they are mario underwater.


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## DayOlder (Jul 12, 2014)

I actually have a gravel path alongside my house that I dump it on.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Rinse it thoroughly, dry it, bag it and store it for later (never know when you get some MTS and have another tank to setup!). I've actually not stored any of my substrate since I've started.. keep adding new tanks so stuff just moves around.. but I did save and store my niece's substrate when she stopped keeping fish (never know when i might want to do another nano/pico).

If you no longer want your substrate you can probably sell or raok it.


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## CoryLover8 (Jul 31, 2014)

I wish I had room for MTS but alas I live in a tiny apartment. A long tank for gouramis would be lovely. I guess I will dry it out and raok it since I doubt I could get any money for it.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Most I save. 
Soil Master Select and related materials. 
Gravels from landscape jobs (mostly 1/2" and smaller, natural stone)
Sand (PFS, others)
Coral Sand (has been in and out of several tanks as I redo them)

Clown puke is on the gravel driveway.


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## kidgrave (Feb 4, 2014)

I just get some bowls, put a bit of soil, substrate on top, place it near my window, and use it to grow plants.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I find a mix looks better to me than a solid type so I've have some mixed in with all the other varieties. But then I never got into the pretty blue stuff!

Did you hear the one about the army man and a gorilla that went into a bar?


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## CoryLover8 (Jul 31, 2014)

kidgrave said:


> I just get some bowls, put a bit of soil, substrate on top, place it near my window, and use it to grow plants.


Kidgrave, are you talking about growing emersed plants? If I was to use regular soil to grow the plants in then move them to eco-complete, would that be ok?


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## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

I save my old substrates. I buy buckets from home depot to store it in. I have about 8 buckets of different substrates.


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## blinky2088 (Oct 16, 2006)

I go through alot of substrate soil. For change mostly. Most of my tanks have 4-5 inch thick and I change it out about once a year probably too early and still alot of use left.

This year I dug a 3ft x 3ft cube in the backyard area which is mostly clay and filled it in with mostly seachem red.....and grew potatoes...they have grown very aggressively compared to other parts of the yard. Ill let you know in oct how they turned out I also use peat granules that lose their efficiency in about a years time so they just take up space but I do this when I notice problems like algae outbreaks and it seems to reset my tanks with better growth and little to no algae. This is probably also do to me not vaccuuming the bottom throughout the year so lots of buildup as well as a fresh nutrient and humic recharge

K


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I just used about 5 buckets of Flourite as an underlayment for a brick patio. Must be the most expensive underlayment here in the county. :red_mouth


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## kidgrave (Feb 4, 2014)

Cory, I was talking about growing plants either emersed or submersed with soil. I grow java fern and Java moss outside my tank by having a fish bowl near my Window with 1 inch of soil and 1 inch of gravel. You could move your plants from soil to eco complete, just make sure the soil you're using is organic.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

Dirt goes in the garden. 
Sand gets used in prepping cactus/succulent soil mixes. 

Gravel I never toss--always cleaned, screened and set aside for future use as it's a handy,easy care substrate for temporary tank setups.


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## MSG (Jul 16, 2012)

*Using it as filler now.*

Tried using it in pots, but once the colored gravel makes it's way to the surface I find it to be an eyesore. 

From now on I'm going to use the gravel like this..... To fill gaps along the driveway where it meets the retaining wall & as filler before I add concrete/mortar. Not sure if how the epoxy will hold up.


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

I throw it in my neighbors yard one handful at a time.


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## foster (Sep 23, 2012)

Im getting tired of my neighbor throwing gravel in my yard. Strangest thing, I seen a gorilla, and an army man hitch hiking the other day
I save all my substrate. Clean it, and store it in pails in the garage.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I now only buy black substrate if it isn't AS. I have not had to buy substrate for years after using a single color. Best decision IMO. Haven't had to replace my Aqua Soil yet but that will go in the garden.


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

For inert stuff I usually just give it away. Given buckets of fluorite and Eco complete to local PT members. (I see MSG posted here, he got a giant bucket of my old stuff)
I've switched over to shrimpsand and i don't plan on using anything else from now on. Haven't had to swap substrate yet with shrimpsand but I'm sure it will eventually break down. Prob dump it somewhere as I don't think it's usable after it breaks down.


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## steeltkb (Sep 12, 2014)

Wasserpest said:


> I just used about 5 buckets of Flourite as an underlayment for a brick patio. Must be the most expensive underlayment here in the county. :red_mouth


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I keep aquarium gravel in five gallon buckets outdoors in all kinds of weather.
When and if I decide to use it I lightly rinse it and reuse it.
Plenty of organics and bacteria in the water at the bottom of the bucket which can be useful for setting up new tanks.
Don't make sense to me to try and clean it too much when much of what is needed to start a new tank in the way of bacterium is already thriving.


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