# [Wet Thumb Forum]-substrate depth ....can't go deeper than 3 inches?



## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

Mrs. Walstad, I understand that your method requires that we used 1-1.5 inches of soil on the bottom and topped with 1-1.5 inches of gravel.... my question has to do with aquascaping...you see, i'm making a corner tank...and the back corner i would love to have a lot higher than 3 inches.... there's gotta be a way! perhaps i could use a 1 inch layer of soil and use 2 or 3 or 4 inches of gravel one top in the back.... would that work or would my substrate still go anaerobic?


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

Mrs. Walstad, I understand that your method requires that we used 1-1.5 inches of soil on the bottom and topped with 1-1.5 inches of gravel.... my question has to do with aquascaping...you see, i'm making a corner tank...and the back corner i would love to have a lot higher than 3 inches.... there's gotta be a way! perhaps i could use a 1 inch layer of soil and use 2 or 3 or 4 inches of gravel one top in the back.... would that work or would my substrate still go anaerobic?


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

You could build up a bottom layer with stones and sand-- or something similarly impervious and inert. I would stick to the 1 inch soil plus 1 inch gravel rule. I would NOT recommend burying soil under 3 inches of gravel. Whew! The smell!


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## OwenG (Jul 1, 2004)

Please forgive me Diana for contradicting the expert...

I have had several tanks with soil underlayers exceeding 1", with varying success. 

My first tank, setup with an even 4" underlayer of soil and 1" of gravel, smelled disgusting and didn't grow plants well after the first couple of months (rotala, ambulia, ludwigia, valisnaria).

My second attempt at deep soil, was again with an even 4" underlayer of soil and 1" of gravel in a small 5 gallon tank. This time I planted only deep-rooted plants (crypt. walkerii and bacopa). Both plants grow like gangbusters and I have to prune two or three times a month. This tank is now nearing two years old and has had the water changed only four times. Its home to 3 dwarf frogs and a lone flag fish, plus writhing masses of snails (I don't know whats feeding the snail population of this tank, as I feed it very sparingly; it has more ramshorn snails than my 20 and 30 gallon tanks combined).

My second-newest tank (about 8 months old) has a corner section with 6" of soil and 1" of gravel. Again, planting deep-rooted plants here seems to keep the soil from going bad. I've pulled a couple crypts from here in pruning and their roots are thick, healthy and long.

My newest tank (about 2 weeks old) has an even soil underlayer about 1.5" thick. Gravel is about 1" at the front, sloping upward to a depth of 4" at the back. I've planted Aponogeton crispus deeply into the substrate at the back. So far the plant looks okay, but I'll have to let you know how how it goes.

-OwenG


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## Maurici (May 31, 2004)

Hello, I'm little unbeliever about the inconvenience of deeper substrates. Sure, they are quite difficult to manage because the possible anaerobic bacterial communities working and, not ever correlated, the higher amounts of organic matter accumulated, and these can be transformed in a complex algae invasion. But when well managed (a correct compromise with adequated types and amounts of plants and control of organic accumulation) can give a wide possibilities of planted tank (regarding diversity and large species which need deeper soils for its roots). Regards. Maurici.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

For those of you who know what they are doing, I agree that soil layers deeper than 1 inch may produce splendid results. I'm reasonably sure that I could set up my 50 gal with a 3 inch soil layer, and that it would work fine for my Amazon Swordplants, Cryptocoryne, Red Tiger Lotus, etc.

However, I would caution those starting out not to go this route for their first tank. Beginners need to find out which deep-rooted plants grow well under their lighting, water, and soil conditions. Once hobbyists have had a tank or two, then their chances for success with a deeper substrate are much better. They will know which plants to use plus have a lot of healthy plants from their first tanks to try out in the new one.

For aquascaping, there are many inert substrates (pepples, rocks, sand, etc) that could be used to underlay a shallow soil layer. There's no reason to do things that are risky: deep soil layer or shallow soil layer covered by 3 inchs of gravel.

However, I have no objection to people experimenting with their tanks. That's how I found out that a soil layer-- despite all the naysayers-- was the answer to growing plants in my aquarium.


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

instead of saying that beginners cannot handle a deep substrate, let's offer up suggestions on how to handle the deep substrate. how's that sound?









I'll share what I know... Malaysian trumpet snails help aerate the substrate and prevent anaerobic spots. They are also good indicators that a substrate is going bad. If it goes bad, then they will all resurface and only hang out on the top...

Another thing I know is to make sure you use plants that root deeply and will aerate the substrate with their roots. Echinodorus and crypts come to mind.

Love ya guys and best of luck


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

As an aside, I found my tanks, all with soil substrates, tend to become level plains over their 9 years of uprootings and replanting. What I later found to prevent the 'leveling of the hills' was to mix chick grit (pulverized granite for baby chickens) into the soil before using it in the aquarium. The 'bulk' of the grit holds the sloped substrate up through the gardening activities. I would expect you can do the same thing with aquarium gravel or flourite. I don't think you would get the same effect with sand. The nice thing about the chick grit is 50 pounds is $5.00.

Otherwise, when it comes to deep soil substrates just be smart and use deep rooting plants in the thick sections. One medium sized sword plant will easily send roots through and aerate a deep substrate.

I don't recommend beginners use soil at all, deep or shallow. They are better off using Eco-Complete or something similar and learning about the plants and how to battle algae before getting into the particulars that soil substrates have.


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