First Planted Tank-Walstad Style: Pic heavy
- Thread starter RisiganL.
- Start date
I'm using just the straight soil with PFS on top. I see bubbles every once and a while when moving plants around and such. I've yet to see any issues come about from them though.
Sometimes I get some soil mixed up on top, some even float. Never had any discoloration issues after the initial setup either.
I noticed too that the MTS only like to sift through the sand, not the soil.
Sometimes I get some soil mixed up on top, some even float. Never had any discoloration issues after the initial setup either.
I noticed too that the MTS only like to sift through the sand, not the soil.
WOW that's pretty THICK....I suggest some MTS, you're going to need it.
EDIT: I really should read everything before I respond SORRY..I see you have snails.
EDIT: I really should read everything before I respond SORRY..I see you have snails.
You are going to have to (at least) once or twice a day press or compact the substate. With a closed fist press down on the substrate. If you do not do on a regular basis the air could build up and blow a BIG HOLE in your substrate.
I've got 2 tanks with soil. Started when I bought my Metaframe and I was testing for leaks. Decided to leave the tank outside and just poured in some top soil. Well the plants got too big for the tank so I moved them to a pond I got from HD. Drained the water in the Metaframe and just left it with soil. It managed to get wet and dry about 5 or 6 times. Decided to move it inside to replace my 29. Left the soil in it but put black gravel on top. Doing pretty well so far but have to work out lighting I think. Amazon Sword and Crispus have about taken over. Drained the "pond" and put that soil into my 29 on the back porch. Plants are doing well there since it is a bit shaded from the blazing Florida sun. Put some platys in there just to help with mosquito larvae and they are starting to fill the tank with babies. Nothing on top of the soil in that tank. Get bubbles from the soil but no smell. Only odor I would describe is an "earthy" one. Have no idea what the numbers are in there either. If they can't adapt they're in trouble. Seems to work so far.
I've never compacted the soil nor done much of anything to it. Both tanks are about 4 months old. Entire time fiddle farting with the soil is about 8 months or so.
I've never compacted the soil nor done much of anything to it. Both tanks are about 4 months old. Entire time fiddle farting with the soil is about 8 months or so.
steffish, most of the plants stay in well, but I do have problems keeping the chain swords in place. Man, they are the easiest foreground plant ever! They send out new shoots every day!
Yeah once the plants take root they stay pretty well. I never saw such healthy roots out of stem plants compared to straight sand or gravel.
I have a 5g that has a decent layer of soil under some sand and I have never seen such amazing plant growth. It is a jungle of vals (some over a metre long!), java moss, crypts (they sen out runners on a weekly basis), duckweed and a couple of anubias. There is a tiny little internal power filter that does minimal filtering (can barely see the plants directly in front of it move) and only stops the tank becoming stangnant. It has quite high light (just a bright desk lamp) yet it has no algae... It is my perfect tank. Never done a W/C on it (only top it up) and it is fine. It has a male betta and a platy (just a fry I chucked in there a while ago) and they love it. I hope you can gain some knowledge from my tank 
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Oh, and good luck with your tank
. Oh, and good luck with your tank
Yeah definately contact online companies right away if you are unhappy. Most companies will give you a discount next time or give you a 100% refund. I have had issues before, but if you are nice about it, the company will most likely do the right thing. You just had air bubbles trapped in your soil. It happens to everyone when you start a tank. The mud is great for holding gases such as oxygen.
Ok, time for a new update! Sorry, but no pics yet. I'll can probably get them up later today. I added some Cabomba and I have never seen a faster growing plant! For the first few days, there was no growth, but then suddenly they are growing at almost an inch a day! Yesterday, I got my shipment of Red Cherry Shrimp for epicfish.com and I was really satisfied. All the shrimp arrived healthy. I added them to my tank, and instantly all of them dissapeared. I have recently noticed my tank has a lot of fauna that I never introduced. I have planaria, nematodes, seed shrimp, pond snails, unknown rotifers, and hydra. For a tank with no fish yet, there is a lot of movment!
