You are so poor you can afford a good sized planted tank?
:
I always wonder about it, but many of us aquarist, myself on many levels, are of the Church of the Cheap.
Sometimes this gets the better of us.
I've done both, I learned this lesson.
But perhaps others are fine with it, much like using DIY CO2 vs gas tank CO2.
Both work and one group is way cheaper, but one can help folks get a feel, then justify the other later.
I use a good clay soil myself, I pay nothing for it, it's USDA class 1 soil from a freshwater delta, pretty much the same as ADA AS as far as properties that matter.
Most richer clay soils are going to yield longer term results and less mess.
Potting soil is pretty rich in nutrients and organic matter. Boiling can be right away, then mix whatever the heck some folks assume are important to their method, none of that stuff really is IMO/IME.
I do not think many of the extra things added really are helping that much, but they do not hurt either........some think it does matter, but have not shown it really does
Big difference there.
Still, using nutrients in the sediment is a nice back up, or even primary source, but I think using both locations offers the planted aquarist the best management for nutrients. If you forget/nbeglect one, you have a back up for the other........if the sediment is missing something or slowly declines........or you want it to last longer......then adding water column ferts will help.
Folks loose sight of synthesis, and think only in "either" "or".
Oddly, they do not test these things individually as far as different treatments for the soil.
Even the ADA crowd, they claimed you need to add everything, the power sand, the ECA, ,tourmaline, Penac and all the other snake oils. When in fact, it was 95% the ADA aqua soil.
I'd say this is true for most soil concoctions.
Whatever gets you there though, the issues downstream are minor.
Regards,
Tom Barr
:I always wonder about it, but many of us aquarist, myself on many levels, are of the Church of the Cheap.
Sometimes this gets the better of us.
I've done both, I learned this lesson.
But perhaps others are fine with it, much like using DIY CO2 vs gas tank CO2.
Both work and one group is way cheaper, but one can help folks get a feel, then justify the other later.
I use a good clay soil myself, I pay nothing for it, it's USDA class 1 soil from a freshwater delta, pretty much the same as ADA AS as far as properties that matter.
Most richer clay soils are going to yield longer term results and less mess.
Potting soil is pretty rich in nutrients and organic matter. Boiling can be right away, then mix whatever the heck some folks assume are important to their method, none of that stuff really is IMO/IME.
I do not think many of the extra things added really are helping that much, but they do not hurt either........some think it does matter, but have not shown it really does
Big difference there.
Still, using nutrients in the sediment is a nice back up, or even primary source, but I think using both locations offers the planted aquarist the best management for nutrients. If you forget/nbeglect one, you have a back up for the other........if the sediment is missing something or slowly declines........or you want it to last longer......then adding water column ferts will help.
Folks loose sight of synthesis, and think only in "either" "or".
Oddly, they do not test these things individually as far as different treatments for the soil.
Even the ADA crowd, they claimed you need to add everything, the power sand, the ECA, ,tourmaline, Penac and all the other snake oils. When in fact, it was 95% the ADA aqua soil.
I'd say this is true for most soil concoctions.
Whatever gets you there though, the issues downstream are minor.
Regards,
Tom Barr
