Dirted Tank Newbie Questions

In the next few weeks I will be scrapping my current setup in my 46 gallon tank and starting afresh. All new substrate, mostly new plants, and a new CO2 diffusor. I am thinking about attempting a dirted tank but the idea is daunting because it seems so much can go wrong. So I have a list of questions:

1. Will any organic potting soil work? Are there some that are preferred?

2. Should I bake the soil?

3. Would it be possible to cap dirt with Flourite sand, or would I be better off just using something like CaribSea Moon Sand?

4. How deep should the dirt layer be? I have heard everything from 1 inch to 3 inches.

5. Would EI dosing be excessive with a dirt substrate?

 

1- Organic potting soil usually contains animal poop as a source for nitrogen. I use potting soil but I also plant heavily from the beginning. Since you are going high tech and you already have plants I wouldnt worry much. The general concensus on other forums seems to be that the best is to get plain soil from your yard and just remineralize it. Which is messy. I have done 2 dirt tanks now and I have not had a single problem with ammonia killing my fish. I haven't had problems with the dirt throwing in a bunch of nutrients and producing a giant algae bloom.

2- Potting soil? Nah. Soil from your yard? Maybe. I wouldnt personally but that is just me.

3- Anything that works like sand should be a good cap.

4- I would go on the bigger size on the scale just to the dirt lasts more. 2-3 inches sounds good to me, don't be worried about anaerobic pockets. Make sure the dirt is soaked in water before capping and you should have no problems.

5- No. I still dose liquid ferts in the tank with dirt and I have no algae problems. With a good cap I don't think the soil can leach that many nutrients to the water. If anything an EI dosing would make your soil last a bit longer.

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What are the advantages of dirt over an aquarium soil?

 

Price... A lot of commercial substrates mostly have micros. Potting soil will usually have macros and micros. Even if they were to be the same, you can't beat the price of dirt. And even if you are a millionare you can't deny the fact that it is nice to save money lol.

 

Price... A lot of commercial substrates mostly have micros. Potting soil will usually have macros and micros. Even if they were to be the same, you can't beat the price of dirt. And even if you are a millionare you can't deny the fact that it is nice to save money lol.

Mr Aqua Aquarium Soil is $55 per 8 liter bag now... so I understand where you're coming from completely.

The only thing that keeps worrying me is the permanency of dirt. You can't really rescape once you plant, can you?

 

Fahn I'm going to be following this closely. We are having that 10 gallon competition using the which is soil with a cap based. You are already asking a lot of the questions I will need to answer so I'm along for the ride.

My man ashenwelt really knows his stuff on this subject. I asked him about the straws and the plastic canvas and he replied... just to add to the info:

Canvas. I like putting plastic canvas down at the bottom of an aquarium so that it protects the bottom in case I screw something up... or if plants grow long roots and can grab onto something.

Straws. Normally when you do a Walstad, you need to pierce the substrate to the bottom a few times per day to the first week, and then every few days for the next month. This is to add aeration to the substrate so that it does not turn anerobic. Fact is at a certain point it will, but your job is to give it time for the bacteria above it to grow into the filter that it needs to be to transform the elements produced. So, I add extra aeration. Same basic reason for the bio-pro so that there is a bacteria base at the bottom of the substrate so it grows nitrate and nitrite bacteria in the substrate. I would still do the piercing.

 

Mr Aqua Aquarium Soil is $55 per 8 liter bag now... so I understand where you're coming from completely.

The only thing that keeps worrying me is the permanency of dirt. You can't really rescape once you plant, can you?

Yes you can. It's just like any other substrate. It actually will start to bind and that is when you can rescape if need be. Do not fear it.

Also soil will degrade like any other substrate so in many years... you will redo your substrate. On any active substrate.

Main benefits of organic soil vs high end or baked substrates:

Soil naturally contains the entire nitrogen cycles bacteria to detoxify ammonia and nitrite. It also will cycle decomposing matter that it contains which leads to the release carbonates (CO2) into the water that will greatly stimulate plant growth and stabilize the waters hardness.

The substrate will releases trace elements that fish and plants require for health therefore reduces needs for water changes and being that it releases many of the macro nutrients, it reduces the needs for fertilizers.

Umm... I am half asleep after a day of traveling. Hope that helps.

The whole anaerobic scare is usually over emphasized IMHO. Part of that is that people tend to not aerate the soil... and soil should be for a few weeks.