10 Gallon Tank Organic soil +Seachem Fluorite Clay?

Hey everyone!
I have a bit of leftover Fluorite Clay from another tank and I was wondering if I could put some composted cattle manure as another soil for it? I would also put some gravel on top of all that. If that would work I am also wondering if I should put the clay on the bottom first or the manure first.

Thanks for your advice in advance

 

Hello there! I'm a guy who tends to be absolutely obsessed with dirted tanks and the Walstad method, but I have no idea whether manure would work. As a biological starter, maybe, but as a substrate, I'm not sure. As for gravel, I personally use 0.75-1.25" of organic potting soil capped with 0.25" of Seachem Flourite Dark, a really nice looking clay substrate. Hopefully this helps you out a bit. I'm hoping somebody here knows something about using, well, cow poop

 

Hello there! I'm a guy who tends to be absolutely obsessed with dirted tanks and the Walstad method, but I have no idea whether manure would work. As a biological starter, maybe, but as a substrate, I'm not sure. As for gravel, I personally use 0.75-1.25" of organic potting soil capped with 0.25" of Seachem Flourite Dark, a really nice looking clay substrate. Hopefully this helps you out a bit. I'm hoping somebody here knows something about using, well, cow poop

hello! awesome I wanna try doing the Walstad method but not sure how to really do it. so you would recommend organic potting soil ( I do need to use the cow poop haha ) and then top it off with the flourite and that's it? its just the flourite premium natural substrate. If I do not need gravel I am okay not using it! just want some advice
thanks!

 

hello! awesome I wanna try doing the Walstad method but not sure how to really do it. so you would recommend organic potting soil ( I do need to use the cow poop haha ) and then top it off with the flourite and that's it? its just the flourite premium natural substrate. If I do not need gravel I am okay not using it! just want some advice
thanks!

Sorry I don't have any experience with manure as substrate, but I'll help you out as much as I can! If it's basically the same thing as organic potting soil, it'll probably be fine. Out of 5 tanks, 2 of them use the Walstad method, and 1 is dirted. The other 2 are blackwater so I'm not sure if it's still considered dirted. Walstad means using soil to grow plants like CRAZY and create one of the most stable ecosystems you could ever have, with very little maintenance and no filters! Dirted doesn't quite use the same method since it uses filters, but other than that I'm pretty sure it's the same method. I'll give you an example, it's one of my tanks if that helps!

20 gallon Tall heavily-planted Walstad with a flame moss wall and some Anubias planted within, a lush monte carlo carpet, various cryptocoryne plants (the smaller ones planted throughout the monte carlo carpet, the larger ones near the background plants), and a few other background plants to the left of the tank. It's stocked with Banana the Betta (you might've seen his story on this forum), 3 Otocinclus, 2 Amano Shrimp, and a group of my wild planorbis planorbis Snails! Super nice tank with lush growth needing to be trimmed every two to three weeks or so. It actually has a philodendron and a mini strawberry plant growing outside of the top as well! The substrate is 1" of organic potting soil topped with 0.25" of Seachem Flourite Dark, sloped a bit taller where the background plants are. Best of all there are no filters and very little wires, the only ones being for the full-spec LED and heater. Overall one of my favorite tanks that I've ever made! It's super successful too, the planorbis breed like rabbits (as they usually do but they won't overstock), and I only need to do a 15% water change once every 4 months! Not only are the fauna and flora thriving, but the tank looks great, and it's easy to maintain! Awesome!

 

Sorry I don't have any experience with manure as substrate, but I'll help you out as much as I can! If it's basically the same thing as organic potting soil, it'll probably be fine. Out of 5 tanks, 2 of them use the Walstad method, and 1 is dirted. The other 2 are blackwater so I'm not sure if it's still considered dirted. Walstad means using soil to grow plants like CRAZY and create one of the most stable ecosystems you could ever have, with very little maintenance and no filters! Dirted doesn't quite use the same method since it uses filters, but other than that I'm pretty sure it's the same method. I'll give you an example, it's one of my tanks if that helps!

20 gallon Tall heavily-planted Walstad with a flame moss wall and some Anubias planted within, a lush monte carlo carpet, various cryptocoryne plants (the smaller ones planted throughout the monte carlo carpet, the larger ones near the background plants), and a few other background plants to the left of the tank. It's stocked with Banana the Betta (you might've seen his story on this forum), 3 Otocinclus, 2 Amano Shrimp, and a group of my wild planorbis planorbis Snails! Super nice tank with lush growth needing to be trimmed every two to three weeks or so. It actually has a philodendron and a mini strawberry plant growing outside of the top as well! The substrate is 1" of organic potting soil topped with 0.25" of Seachem Flourite Dark, sloped a bit taller where the background plants are. Best of all there are no filters and very little wires, the only ones being for the full-spec LED and heater. Overall one of my favorite tanks that I've ever made! It's super successful too, the planorbis breed like rabbits (as they usually do but they won't overstock), and I only need to do a 15% water change once every 4 months! Not only are the fauna and flora thriving, but the tank looks great, and it's easy to maintain! Awesome!

wow okay that is awsome! I will try getting some organic soil and put a small layer of flourite on top. Do I need to so anything to the organic soil or is it good to put the soil in the tank right out of the bag? I got a pair of clownkilli fish ready to be put in the tank

 

wow okay that is awsome! I will try getting some organic soil and put a small layer of flourite on top. Do I need to so anything to the organic soil or is it good to put the soil in the tank right out of the bag? I got a pair of clownkilli fish ready to be put in the tank

Ooh, I love Clown Killis!

What I do is soak the soil beforehand in 5 gallon buckets, drain out the "dirty water" (lol), then keep doing so until you don't see any more floating particles. The good thing is that dirt isn't like botanicals or driftwood in that they need boiling or soaking for days or weeks at a time! Just pour the dirt into the bucket, put some water in there, stir it around to get the "dust" out, and you're good! And, tbh here, I use organic soil for everything! As a dirt box for Rats, a bedding for the Mouse & Hermit Crabs, and, of course, as a substrate for aquariums! It's very effective!

 

Ooh, I love Clown Killis!

What I do is soak the soil beforehand in 5 gallon buckets, drain out the "dirty water" (lol), then keep doing so until you don't see any more floating particles. The good thing is that dirt isn't like botanicals or driftwood in that they need boiling or soaking for days or weeks at a time! Just pour the dirt into the bucket, put some water in there, stir it around to get the "dust" out, and you're good! And, tbh here, I use organic soil for everything! As a dirt box for Rats, a bedding for the Mouse & Hermit Crabs, and, of course, as a substrate for aquariums! It's very effective!

okay great! thank you for your help! it is gonna be great!

 

I don't know much about the cow poop, but my betta's dirted, blackwater tank has organic soil capped with Seachem Flourite Black and the plants (now that they have rooted, are growing pretty fast. Build thread is in my signature if you want to check it out.

 

Ooh, I love Clown Killis!

What I do is soak the soil beforehand in 5 gallon buckets, drain out the "dirty water" (lol), then keep doing so until you don't see any more floating particles. The good thing is that dirt isn't like botanicals or driftwood in that they need boiling or soaking for days or weeks at a time! Just pour the dirt into the bucket, put some water in there, stir it around to get the "dust" out, and you're good! And, tbh here, I use organic soil for everything! As a dirt box for Rats, a bedding for the Mouse & Hermit Crabs, and, of course, as a substrate for aquariums! It's very effective!

Would this stuff also work ??

 

Would this stuff also work ??

Oh, is that just soil? If so, it'll be great! Problem is I looked up that some soils have manure which is a packed full of ammonia. Most ammonia free soils are called "Mixes" rather than just soil. Is there any way you can find out what the ingredients are of that bag? That'll be great!

 

the manure will work as long as its truly composted. I use a 3 part mixture of humus, peat, and compost in my tank

 

Oh, is that just soil? If so, it'll be great! Problem is I looked up that some soils have manure which is a packed full of ammonia. Most ammonia free soils are called "Mixes" rather than just soil. Is there any way you can find out what the ingredients are of that bag? That'll be great!

This is what I found , it has limestone so idk if that will be a problem . I couldn’t really find any other organic soil around me I might have to buy some expensive stuff

 

This is what I found , it has limestone so idk if that will be a problem . I couldn’t really find any other organic soil around me I might have to buy some expensive stuff

Peat moss with limestone seems counterintuitive. but aside from that it has perlite and gypsum. you'd be better off just getting some fully organic potting mix. im not sure if cost is an issue but I bought a bag large enough to dirt all my tanks for 4 Canadian dollars

 

Peat moss with limestone seems counterintuitive. but aside from that it has perlite and gypsum. you'd be better off just getting some fully organic potting mix. im not sure if cost is an issue but I bought a bag large enough to dirt all my tanks for 4 Canadian dollars

Yea the problem is I cannot find just organic potting mix WHERE ARE THEY HIDING IT

 

Yea the problem is I cannot find just organic potting mix WHERE ARE THEY HIDING IT

Lol fair point. I had to shop around a bit

 

Hey friend, hope everything is going well! Organic potting mix (not soil) can be relatively difficult to find, but with dedication, you will eventually get what you need. I would suggest checking around at a Lowe's, Home Depot, or a general goods store. I would not, however, go looking on Amazon. I've tried this before but they were like $14 a bag or something crazy! I found my source of soil at a Big Lots, the Miracle-Gro brand! But yes, as Pfrozen mentioned, this soil has both limestone and peat. It'll definitely lower your pH for sure, and unless you have wild Bettas or a Chocolate Gourami, you'll want to steer clear of that. This is why you'll be wanting a potting MIX, not a soil, as the mixes don't usually include additives, but rather have a mix of substrates like twigs and soil which will help stabilize your parameters without changing them too drastically. It'll also help keep the biological bacterial colonies nice and healthy, and the nutrients flowing! Awesome stuff, it is

 

Hey friend, hope everything is going well! Organic potting mix (not soil) can be relatively difficult to find, but with dedication, you will eventually get what you need. I would suggest checking around at a Lowe's, Home Depot, or a general goods store. I would not, however, go looking on Amazon. I've tried this before but they were like $14 a bag or something crazy! I found my source of soil at a Big Lots, the Miracle-Gro brand! But yes, as Pfrozen mentioned, this soil has both limestone and peat. It'll definitely lower your pH for sure, and unless you have wild Bettas or a Chocolate Gourami, you'll want to steer clear of that. This is why you'll be wanting a potting MIX, not a soil, as the mixes don't usually include additives, but rather have a mix of substrates like twigs and soil which will help stabilize your parameters without changing them too drastically. It'll also help keep the biological bacterial colonies nice and healthy, and the nutrients flowing! Awesome stuff, it is

wow okay great information !! Makes total sense!! Yea I’ll just get keep looking !None of those store have them in my area which is unfortunate