# Choosing soil



## Krunal (Jan 12, 2019)

Hello everyone,
I am from india. I am setting up a planted aquarium first time. I have american cichlids from many years but now I want to start a planted tank which is 3ftx1ftx1ft.

I am going to set up tank using walstad method with garden soil. Now the question is the soils that people are using are not sold here. E.g. miracle gro etc.

So, I am listing here some products which are available nation-wide. please someone recommend or review those if possible.

1) https://www.amazon.in/gp/aw/d/B07L6BLSDL/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2)
https://www.amazon.in/gp/aw/d/B00U11Q764/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3)
https://www.amazon.in/gp/aw/d/B0764K7PC3/ref=sspa_mw_detail_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4)
https://www.amazon.in/TrustBasket-G...XETCPFJF6V1&psc=1&refRID=SPT02EW77XETCPFJF6V1

5)
https://www.amazon.in/SAPRETAILER-P...GPFK15GG4J3&psc=1&refRID=RREM1HKM7GPFK15GG4J3

6)
https://www.amazon.in/Plant-Food-Or...pi=AC_SX118_SY170_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=m+soil


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I'd go with #1
The others have cow dung and other additives like neem.


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## Krunal (Jan 12, 2019)

Thanks a lot!!

Is this red soil good for tank?

https://www.amazon.in/TrustBasket-G...arden+soil&dpPl=1&dpID=51+C2JFJZWL&ref=plSrch


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## Krunal (Jan 12, 2019)

Do I need to add normal soil with #1 potting mix?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

That red soil is probably inert, or it may be just clay. It doesn't give enough information to be sure. I wouldn't take the risk of it not being suitable for an aquarium. #1 soil looks like peat, and it appears to have added fertilizers. I wouldn't try it in an aquarium without knowing a lot more about what is in it. If the fertilizer that was added is ammonia, you could have problems with algae. It could have excessive copper in it, which is not good for fish. I suggest just finding a good location to dig up some natural soil, where you are almost sure no industrial chemicals were ever dumped, or no insecticides, etc. Then use it as a bottom layer, with coarse sand on top. You could try using the El Natural method http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/


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## Krunal (Jan 12, 2019)

Thanks a ton for nice explanation @hoppycalif. Here is update about soil. I am reading 'ecology of planted aquarium'. I agree with you and not using this red soil instead I am using soil collected from nursery. But it has many pebbles and stones, there are plenty of such white stones, can it be harmful? I don't know what it is made of. The #1 fertilizer soil in main post: company claims that it has no chemicals but organic matter only. Though no details, so will give a thought about mixing a bit. should I?
In attachment first photo shows soil with small pebbles in it. I will remove leaves before proceeding. another photo shows removed big stones (bigger than 3-5 mm). Any comments or thoughts?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I agree with Hoppy. The labels on the soils in your first post don't give enough information to make a good choice. The nursery soil looks good as long as the nursery has not used pesticides or fertilizers on it. The stones are probably not a problem, just sift out the biggest ones and don't worry about the small ones.

I've experimented with different soil mixes in my tanks. The best soil I've found is topsoil from a friend's organic vegetable garden. Keep it simple and don't mix anything with the nursery soil.


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## Krunal (Jan 12, 2019)

Oh.. thank you Michael for advice, I got almost delivered it. Now, I am not mixing anything with the soil. But the soil looks fine and will be mud, it got clumped together after I soaked it. Can I mix construction sand with it?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Natural soil is always mud when wet. You will be putting a top layer of fine gravel on it, so it doesn't make the water constantly cloudy. Adding sand to the soil doesn't accomplish anything. For one thing, over time the sand would migrate to the top of the soil any way. Just put the soil in the tank and smooth over the surface, then add the fine gravel, about an inch or so. I'm almost sure that Ms Walstad's book gives instructions for the substrate, so following those instructions is the fool-proof way to do it.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Hoppy is right.


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## Krunal (Jan 12, 2019)

Hello everyone,

Hope all are going well. I finally setup the aquarium. Here are details and photo, will be happy to get some suggestions, tips and review from awesome people here.

Tank size: 3ft L X 1ft W X 11inch H
Substrate: Natural soil from nursery after mineralizing it. 1-1.5 inch layer at bottom. 2-3mm sand cap 1.2 -1.5 inch over it.

Plants in order from left: cabomba piauhyensis, bacopa Caroliniana, ludwigia inclinata, rotala macrandra, rotala rotundifolia green, hygrophila corymbosa compacta, sagittaria subulata

Fertilizer: EI method, macro fert. made from kh2po4, know and mg2so4 and micro fert made from fe, zn, mo, cu etc. Dosing 15 ml alternatively. No co2.

Light: syska 4ft (it's longer than tank) Led light, 6500K 18W, 1600 lumens right over tank (3 inch from surface and 10 inch from gravel)

Livestock: No fishes added yet. Thinking about tetras, mainly black buenos tetra and rummy nose, pair of angel, algae eaters.


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