# which brand of soil would you use?



## Minipol (Jul 4, 2006)

I went to the local garden shop (LGS ? ) and noted down the composition of a couple of soils. Which one looks like it's worth testing?
(these brands are from Belgium so i don't know if you guys will recognise them but it's the composition that counts)

1. Horta
d (dry compounds) 30%
o (organic compounds) 25%
ph 5,5-6,5
ec 430 (electric conductivity µs/cm)
NPK 15-10-20 with traceelements 1kg/m3

2. asef 1
d 25%
o 20%
ph 5-6.5
ec 600
NPK 14-16-18 0.8 kg/m3
mg 1kg/m3

3. asef 2
d 30%
o 25%
ph 5-6.5
ec 430
NPK 15-10-20 1.5 kg/m3

4. DCM (description: potting soil for home & garden)
d 35%
o 55%
ph 5.5
ec 45
670 ml/t water retention
NPK 12-14-24 0.5 kg/m3
organic NPK: 7-7-10 3.5 kg/m3

5. viano (description: soil for roses)
d 25%
o 35%
ph 6
ec 800

6. asef pond substrate
d 30%
o 15%
ph 5-6.5
ec 330
NPK with traceelements 15-10-20 0.5 kg/m3
bone meal 1 kg/m3
description says it contains: garden peat, clay, peat litter/mulch, sand, fertilizer based on Ca & Mg

I also found a lot of products that may have some value for adding to the soil. I've never seen them before in a garden center.
I found: K, MgO, P, N Ca, N P and so on.
Also some "fossile seaweed lime" which might be interesting to add.

I also started 2 bottle tests today. One with ordinary soil for terrestrial plants and one with pond substrate. No colouration of the water or disturbance with both. Gravel on top is betwee 3mm-6mm i think.

Any advice/comments?


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

The NPK is added fertilizer? I would def. stay away from anything that contains ferts.

-ricardo


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## Minipol (Jul 4, 2006)

I'm not sure but seeing that it's N, P & K, I think it's added fertilizer.
That's the only soil i can get in the shops so they all have added fertilizer 

I really wonder if the pond substrate would be a bad choice or nr 4 seeing that the ec is quite low ?


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

I think most people would recommend either a low nutrient subsoil or an unenriched potting soil.

The former is typically the least expensive soil that a store like Home Depot
carries.

I soak the soil in buckets for a week or so, with water changes, to get rid some of the organics and the miscellaneous junk.

Good luck!

Bill


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I heard violet potting soil or cactus soil is a good choice. 

I wish there was some sort of substitute for soil, since soil tends to be a bit messy if inserting into an established tank.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Minipol said:


> I went to the local garden shop (LGS ? ) and noted down the composition of a couple of soils. Which one looks like it's worth testing?
> (these brands are from Belgium so i don't know if you guys will recognise them but it's the composition that counts)
> 
> 1. Horta
> ...


If I had to choose, I would try the pond substrate. While the others will probably work, the pond substrate already has Ca and Mg added, and it is designed for growing aquatic plants. If you are careful to use just a 1 inch layer, it may work fine. (If it doesn't work, you can complain.)

There's no magic soil and problem soils may improve with time. For example, the well-fertilized Miracle Grow soil that gave me the most algae problems for the first year is now giving me better consistent plant growth than the other soils I used.

The main thing is that by using a soil layer (instead of plain gravel), you're improving your chances for success enormously. About 10 fold in my guesstimation.


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## Minipol (Jul 4, 2006)

Thanks Diane & other for the info.
I will have a look in another garden center to see if they don't have unfertilized substrate otherwise, i'll go with the pond substrate.

i'll probably go with what aquabillpers said too. Soaking it for a week or 2 might not be a bad idea. I can set that up outside and then when it's time to put the soil in, it might have already given off some of the bad stuff in the container outside.


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