# [Wet Thumb Forum]-With or without soil



## reilly (Feb 4, 2005)

I have a 5 gallon tank that has been going for 6 weeks. It has six crypts not sure which ones. I have about an inch or so of 1mm -5mm gravel as a substrate nothing else. I have a heater and one beta. I have a 13 watt screw in type bulb in a normal table lamp above it, maybe 9 inches above the surface of the water. There is no cover on the tank.

The plants are not dieing, but they really are not growing either. I do have a algae problem. It is a very dark green, grows on the plant leaves and is very easy to remove. It could be a type of bacteria, I really dont know.

I dont want a high tech tank, but would like to have some plant growth with less algae.

I have noticed that most people on this forum use soil as part of the substrate. Would that be benificial for me or is there something else that I could change?

I dont mind redoing the tank if adding a different substrate would help.


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## reilly (Feb 4, 2005)

I have a 5 gallon tank that has been going for 6 weeks. It has six crypts not sure which ones. I have about an inch or so of 1mm -5mm gravel as a substrate nothing else. I have a heater and one beta. I have a 13 watt screw in type bulb in a normal table lamp above it, maybe 9 inches above the surface of the water. There is no cover on the tank.

The plants are not dieing, but they really are not growing either. I do have a algae problem. It is a very dark green, grows on the plant leaves and is very easy to remove. It could be a type of bacteria, I really dont know.

I dont want a high tech tank, but would like to have some plant growth with less algae.

I have noticed that most people on this forum use soil as part of the substrate. Would that be benificial for me or is there something else that I could change?

I dont mind redoing the tank if adding a different substrate would help.


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## nkuvu (Dec 25, 2004)

I have a five gallon hex tank that I got as a temporary home for my goldfish while I re-structured the main tank. At first I had only gravel in it -- primarily to duplicate the environment of the main tank. In fact I used gravel from the main tank, and water from the main tank, so my goldfish had as little difference as possible.

When I was done with the main tank (and my goldfish was safely back home), I put a few plants in the gravel substrate of the hex tank. So gravel substrate, a few plants, low light. In a few days, I had Tank O' Algae. Mmm mmm, good. Or something. The algae was thick and varied. Some was on the plants, a lot on the walls, and substantial amounts on the gravel.

About two weeks ago, I put soil into the tank, covered with gravel, then put the same plants back in (after wiping off the algae as best as I could).

For a little bit the algae started taking off again. But it seems to be losing the battle with the other plants. There is still algae in the tank, but it's diminishing fairly steadily. When I only had gravel for the substrate, the algae was taking over quickly. So even a slow retreat is much better than the quick advance it was doing before this.

For the record, the plants in the hex tank are hornwort, a mid-sized sword plant, and a tiny java fern that grew in the main tank.

Soil and gravel substrate, a few plants, and low light. So the only thing I changed was the substrate -- and it is definitely making a difference.

I've also read that the hornwort produces an algaecide which may be a contributing factor. It's the exact same hornwort plant, only now it's thriving.

So my vote's on Yes, use soil.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Soil is critical. 
Plants won't grow well without it. When plants don't grow, algae takes over.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Diana, haven't yet read your book but I'm curious as to your statement that "Soil is critical".

Do you mean nutrient rich substrate? high CEC substrate? or actually *soil*?

I can grow plants very well without real soil: good substrate, good lighting, CO2, ferts etc...

Or are you refering only to lower light non-CO2 natural aquariums?


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

> Originally posted by Laith:
> 
> Do you mean nutrient rich substrate? high CEC substrate? or actually *soil*?
> 
> ...


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Ok, thanks for the clarification!

Going senile here: didn't realize I was in the Natural forum...


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## reilly (Feb 4, 2005)

I completed the job of putting a layer of soil in today. Not as bad as I thought it might be. I guess I just have to wait and see what happens. Thanks for all of the good info.


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## reilly (Feb 4, 2005)

I just remembered that in the gravel that I used to cover the soil, I have a population of MTS. Will they cause a problem?


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

> quote:Originally posted by reilly:
> I just remembered that in the gravel that I used to cover the soil, I have a population of MTS. Will they cause a problem?


I don't know. My advice: Find fish that will eat MTS. Cichlids, Rainbowfish, Bettas, Clown Loaches, etc love eating snails. I've not had a snail problem in tanks with fish. In tanks without fish, yes, snails can be a problem.


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## reilly (Feb 4, 2005)

Well I have one betta in there. I guess I'll see how well he does at keeping the population down.


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## kenmeyer (Jul 31, 2004)

i also have a 5g hex its been going about 7 months with soil substrate no problems at all just a couple low light plants that I pulled out of my main tank I use it for my hospital tank


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## imported_BobB (Feb 26, 2005)

Can't comment on anyone else's experience but in my tanks snails seem to be self regulating. They manage to find a way to die off when they become overpopulated. I'll surmise it has a lot to do with the groceries available to them.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

> quote:Originally posted by BobB:
> Can't comment on anyone else's experience but in my tanks snails seem to be self regulating. They manage to find a way to die off when they become overpopulated. I'll surmise it has a lot to do with the groceries available to them.


Dear BobB,

I've noticed the same phenomenon but was unable to express it as well as you have.


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## imported_BobB (Feb 26, 2005)

Diana,
<blushing>1st time I think i've ever been accused of being a Wordsmith....
I've been practicing my own brand of El Natural for about 5 years. I've done away entirely with mechanical filters and just putter along with various unscientific experiments, many out of laziness or time constraints. It's a wonderful learning experience but at the same time it's also quite helpful to read a book every once in a while. So thanks for the book. Over the past couple years it has been a great help in undrstanding what is going on in my tanks.


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