# Making mineralized soil - an indoor sport?



## Lmandrake (May 5, 2006)

I am about to set up a new 55g and planned to use soilmaster select. However, I really like the idea of using the soilmaster to cap mineralized soil. Unfortunately, it is now cold outside. Given the fact that the last bag of topsoil I put on my outdoor flower beds was very rich with heavy chunky organic matter, I anticipate that it would take a fairly large number of soak/dry cycles for the bacteria to break it down. This means waiting until spring unless I "cure" the topsoil in the basement. The latter will not make me popular, particularly if it stinks.

Has anybody done this indoors? If you have done it outdoors, is it odiferous?

Thanks


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## ingg (Apr 8, 2007)

I've done it in my basement, no, not stinky. Dry times take longer, which isn't a bad thing necessarily, lets the bacteria to their job.

If you have a window or doorway that gets light in, set the tarp for drying there.


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## CaptainNemo (Jul 11, 2008)

I've done it outdoors and I agree that it does not smell. At the worst it would just smell like wet dirt.

The stuff works great and is worth the hassle of doing it inside. I'll be making more inside this winter!


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## fishyface (Feb 7, 2005)

i did mine half outdoors and half in the garage. the garage portion was almost as fast as outdoors as i put it out on a tarp and put a fan to it. every day i would pile it up and redistribute it, dried much faster than expected and no smell at all.


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