# Mineralized soil seeping up



## 90gal (Jan 7, 2008)

I put about a 2 inch cap on my mineralized soil about a year ago and now the soil is seeping up through the cap. I've siphoned off some of the mineralized soil; but will this continue to be an issue? It hasn't affected water clarity; but I don't have a densely planted aquarium so it's unsightly. I'm debating siphoning out all the mineralized soil and going with flourite - any thoughts?


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Fluorite is always a good choice, but to get back to your question, I think you need to find out the reason the soil is coming up. Do you have fish or MTS that dig in it, or have you been pulling out plants recently? Soil shouldn't just move around on its own so if you identify the problem you can either remove the fish/critter doing the deed or just pile more substrate cap on top of the affected areas.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

If the cap material is heavier then the soil it will keep working its way down. Very slowly, with no digging by fish or humans, or a bit faster if anything disturbs the surface. 

Where plant roots are dense the soil will tend to stay down, and gravel or sand will not infiltrate anywhere near as much (until you remove the plant). 

Think of it this way: 
example: Gravel on top of sand. 
When something moves a little sand, lets say a water current from a fish swimming by, the gravel will fall into the hole created by the lack of sand while the sand is suspended in the water. As the sand resettles, it is just a little bit higher among the gravel, and another fish swims by, and stirs up a little more sand, so more gravel sinks a bit more... 

I can see a couple of options:

Plant the bare areas. This will cover the exposed soil, and reduce the soil migration. 

Ignore it. 

Put a rock or more cap material on the spots with exposed soil. 

Change to a uniform material that will not show if it is migrating.


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