using homemade soil for substrate

8/9/13
0809132153b.jpg
9/8/2013
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Flora
Started with:
Lobelia cardinalis "dwarf"
Ludwigia Peruensis (Ludwigia glandulosa)
Ludwigia repens
Lilae novae-zelandiae

Anubias barteri
Christmas moss (Vesicularia montangnei)
Glossotigma elatinoides
Then added:
Rotala Magenta (Rotala macranda)
Dwarf Baby tears (Hemianthis callitrichoides)
Valliseneria nana
Hygrophila corymbosa

Fauna
As of today:
8 otocinclus
5 Pangio kuhli
1 Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)

0809132153b.jpg image (7).jpeg
 
Very awesome progress
 
Very awesome progress
Thank you Glabe I am very happy with it so far and my newly added loaches seem to love all the stem plants

Looks like the plants are enjoying it!
Yes. They seem to be responding nicely I was really surprised to see how well the soil stays in place while in a tank filled with water. I always use my own soil/compost mix for my balcony garden didn't know how nicely it would transfer to aquascaping. But when I think about it logically, water weighs about 8.3lbs per gallon with around 18gallons of water in the tank that is almost 150 lbs of pressure keeping the capping substrate and dirt in place. I thought I read somewhere that you were entering a PhD program for soil and/or water sciences?
 
Thank you Glabe I am very happy with it so far and my newly added loaches seem to love all the stem plants


Yes. They seem to be responding nicely I was really surprised to see how well the soil stays in place while in a tank filled with water. I always use my own soil/compost mix for my balcony garden didn't know how nicely it would transfer to aquascaping. But when I think about it logically, water weighs about 8.3lbs per gallon with around 18gallons of water in the tank that is almost 150 lbs of pressure keeping the capping substrate and dirt in place. I thought I read somewhere that you were entering a PhD program for soil and/or water sciences?

Yep, I'm at the University of Florida in the SWS PhD program.

I've noticed that soil substrates can stabilize once the roots start holding things in place as well. I moved a new dirted tank that quickly became a mess. A year later and there was virtually no disturbance.
 
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