# A question on soil, with 4 pictures of DIRT.



## SunnyBetta (Oct 18, 2006)

I've kept an eye on my 2.5 gallon, and it seems to have settled down (finally). So I'm thinking of giving the potting soil another go, as I'm still leery on collecting from the wild. Since I'm utterly clueless to the properties of soil...I'm hoping you guys can help me determine if it is suitable for aquarium use...well, it's the same soil I have in the 5g and 2.5 g. Except then I did not separate the twigs and whatnot from the soil. The 2.5g has a betta, 2 ghost shrimps and 3 MTS in it while the 5g has 2 apple snails and a few ghost shrimps. They seem to be doing ok now, but I don't want things to go bad in the long run.

The potting soil packet says that it contains plant food and wetting agents. I assume the wetting agents are gel like substance which expands after immersion in water? Those I will remove when I soak the soil batch tomorrow.








This is what the potting soil looks like. The white bits are little stones. For calcium?








There are also hard little round granules which I've removed, no clue as to what these are. So far I've taken out large chunks of wood and twigs.









I'm planning to start another 2.5, this time hopefully correctly, with smaller gravel and more plants. There will also be a huge chunk of driftwood with a hidey hole in it. This tank also sits next to the window. The other tank still has diatoms in it, but today I'd noticed a small round patch of clarity! The MTS I plonked in there might be helping, I think.

But anyways, you are dealing with a newbie here, so I apologze if you'd seen this question all too many times...but I'd much appreciate it if you can help me on this learning process!


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

First I would advise finding a potting soil without the wetting agents. Wetting Agent (wikipedia

Wetting agents affect the water by lowering the surface tension to make the potting soil absorb the water better. I don't think you should use anything that messes with the water in this way.

That said, if you really want to use the soil you have do a bottle test by placing 1" of soil in a jar and covering it with 1" of fine gravel, place that in a window with sunlight and see what happens.

the hard little round granules you removed from the soil are the fertlizer that is in the soil, you wont be able to see the wetting agents to remove them.

First choice would be find some cheap potting or topsoil without any of the additives.

Good Luck


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I recommend avoiding all potting soils that have any fertilizers added. These can go rather toxic when covered with water and they go anaerobic. Just the high concentrations of fertilizers in some potting soils can damage the roots of aquatic plants. Nitates will get converted by denitrifying bacteria to nitrogen gas and the soil will bubble unpleasantly for weeks. 

The stones and pieces of partially composted bark are in potting soil to create large air spaces so that water drains out of the pot leaving air for the roots. If the soil were uniform and small-grained, water would fill up all the spaces and the roots would be oxygen starved. With fine-grained soils one has to water with small amounts or let some water soak up from below by capillary attraction. We don't have to worry about waterlogging with aquatic plants, and so we do not need large-grained, lumpy soil. 

For me, just plain old topsoil from my back yard, the woods, or from anywhere where plants grow works fine.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

I agree with what's been said. Getting rid of all the wetting agents will be, if not impossible, a major pain in the rear. Also, it's best to avoid soils w/ fertilizers for the same reasons. Plus, you don't know what other ferts have been used besides the little pellets. And while you're at it, make sure you stay away from soil with manure too (also impossible to get rid of)....

Cheap potting soil (cactus soil is good if you have soft water) w/ no ferts or manure or wetting agents...

-ricardo


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## SunnyBetta (Oct 18, 2006)

Awww, that's too bad  Thanks for all the help and advice! I was hoping to try the potting soil again cos the 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks seem alright...should I redo those tanks as well? I don't feel like touching them as they seem stable, they've been set up for a month now...and I'd just planted a bunch more plants today. The ghost shrimp and mts in there seem to be doing well. How long does it take for bad soil conditions to manifest in a tank? Or can I safely assume that the 2 tanks are stable? Both tanks had the potting soil with its ferts, wetting agents and whatnot in it.

Phew. What a load of questions...thanks for all your patience! 

I'll go down with my trowel and try my luck with outside soil for the new 2.5g...I guess any topsoil with grass growing is fine?


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

I wouldn't worry about the two tanks you already have setup, just watch them and enjoy. if they start to be a problem then you can redo them.

For any new tanks I would recomend a different soil. If your topsoil can grow grass it should be fine. do a bottle test to be sure it wont cloud the water and give it a try.


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## SunnyBetta (Oct 18, 2006)

I tried the topsoil from downstairs...maybe I picked the wrong spot. It is extrememly sandy, or silty would be a better word. Takes forever to settle. But isn't silt good for plants? I'll look out for a finer grade of gravel to cap it with, maybe that will prevent too much particles from becoming suspended in the water. Actually, that's why all the streams around here are brown, from the amount of silt in the water. -_-

Maybe it's time to look for a clearer stream...I sense a junge excursion coming on...

Thanks for all the input!


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

A problem with the silt is it will settle on the leaves so the plants don't get as much light and the silt covering also provides algae with a great place to grow. Something that doesn't get suspended in the water so easily would be better. 

Have fun on your jungle excursion and I wish you luck in your quest for a clearer stream and good soil!


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