I am moving in a few weeks and I have started a planted tank, nothing serious but i would like to continue to add more plants and see more growth. I have sand in my tank and was thinking that since I have to break down the tank for moving anyways I would love to add soil under the sand. I just don't know what to add. I had ready about some really expensive types, but have also heard about using plane old potting soil? Does that mean I can go to the Depot and just get a bag of potting soil?
potting soil?
- Thread starter chattgirl
- Start date
I wouldn't add just plain potting soil. Instead I would do it like this:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html
I have yet to try it but I have heard it works well.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html
I have yet to try it but I have heard it works well.
I'm with Razzle, the minerlized top soil would be the way to go. Using potting soil could be bad. You could however use just organic peat moss, or worm casing.
As others have said above, you are definitely going up several levels of complication, calculation and confusion if switching from sand to potting soil. Whether this is something you want to do in the middle of the chaos that moving usually entails (can you tell moving is not one of my favorite activities? 
) is up to you.
If you are tired of the look of sand I would suggest just getting a plain ol' bag of flourite or eco-complete or one of the other packaged substrates and setting back up with that. Other than rinsing the beejeebers out of it first it's just dump, add a little water, add plants, add remaining water, and you're good to go with the fish.
Put the filter media from your old site in the bag with the plants and water during the move. That should keep its bacteria all happy and well fed so you don't have to go through cycling again. Then a few weeks or months down the road when life is calmer you can experiment with potting soil based mixtures--maybe in a smaller tank, even a basic one- or 1.5 g. like WM sells? Much easier to work with and no great loss if something doesn't work. It can be tossed and experiment V.2 take its place. Plus you have a handly little tank for QT if needed.
Just a thought. good luck with the move.
) is up to you. If you are tired of the look of sand I would suggest just getting a plain ol' bag of flourite or eco-complete or one of the other packaged substrates and setting back up with that. Other than rinsing the beejeebers out of it first it's just dump, add a little water, add plants, add remaining water, and you're good to go with the fish.
Put the filter media from your old site in the bag with the plants and water during the move. That should keep its bacteria all happy and well fed so you don't have to go through cycling again. Then a few weeks or months down the road when life is calmer you can experiment with potting soil based mixtures--maybe in a smaller tank, even a basic one- or 1.5 g. like WM sells? Much easier to work with and no great loss if something doesn't work. It can be tossed and experiment V.2 take its place. Plus you have a handly little tank for QT if needed.
Just a thought. good luck with the move.