# Is Miracle Grow organic choice potting mix fish safe?



## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

hello, iv got a 29 gallon planted tank with sand and im thinking that maybe i should add some dirt to help out since i want to put more plants in it. i was reading on here and saw where someone recommended miracle grow organic choice potting mix. i think its this stuff:

http://www.homedepot.com/Miracle-Gr...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

is that what i need? and is it safe for my fishes? how do yall recommend i add it to the tank? i was thinking i could just soak it in a bucket of water and pour off the floating things like bits of wood and what not. what are yalls recommendations?


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## Michael

This soil is often used in aquaria, and is fish safe AFTER a period of several weeks during which it releases a lot of ammonia. This period can be shortened by soaking and draining the soil several times (good) or mineralizing it (better).

Soil like this must be used as a first layer, then capped with gravel or some other inert substrate that is heavy enough to hold it in place. It is very difficult to add it to an established tank without tearing the tank down and starting over.


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## fishyspots

I set up two NPTs this week, one with common soil from the ranch and one with MGO. The common soil has absolutely normal water parameters so far (after 5 days) but the MGO one had ammonia and nitrite readings after one day. Definitely need to wait before adding fish!!


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## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

oh the tank is already established, it has fish already. if i had known about the Walstad method when i was setting the tank up i might have done just what Michael said, put down the dirt as a lower level to begin with. so what are my options? could i perhaps add a cup of MGO mixed in (since tearing the tank up and putting it as a lower level is not practical for me at the moment) once a week. after two months id have enough MGO mixed in. what do yall think?


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## fishyspots

In her book, Walstad says you can put soil in wax paper packets that will dissolve over time under the existing substrate. I'd still be afraid of dangerous spikes from the MGO, though.


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## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

where is that in the book?


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## fishyspots

Page 138-in the question/answer box.


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## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

i think we have different editions (iv got a second edition). page 138 in mine doesnt have a question and answer section. i read through the other Q and A's in that chapter and still no luck, perhaps it's in the text somewhere? or maybe i just missed it if it's been moved to another page. i haven't read this far yet, im still around chapter three. so thanks, i might not have known that otherwise.


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## aquatic tuna

If you are worried about ammonia spikes just use a product called aqua -gold by nat'l fish pharm...
Its living bacteria in a dry form...will establish a complete cycle in as little as 24 hrs..prevents algae as well in the beginning...great stuff I use it on every setup and add fish 24-36 hrs later...no losses...used on aquaculture facilities to get systems up & running fast...Try it -it works !


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## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

wow! thanks aquatic tuna! i looked that stuff up, im not going to get any of it right now but it looks like good stuff and i checked that company out while on their web site and they look like they could be a really good choice to do business with, i noticed that they are accredited with the better business bureau. thanks for telling me


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## aquatic tuna

no problem...try it you won't be disappointed...HTH


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## B76

I used wormcastings and had amazing results. Next will be this miracle grow. I'm sure u won't be disappointed.


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## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

worm castings. i assume thats the little ant hill looking mounds they make? that sounds like it would be really good for plants. i like the idea. do they digest ferts? i mean, do you have to take castings from worms in organic dirt that is safe to begin with or do they filter out anything that might be harmful?


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## Travis.808

This sounds pretty cool. What would be the drawbacks/ advantages(besides price) vs ada amazonia2? Sorry to threadjack sea turtles. Also, which would be better for a long term setup?


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## aquatic tuna

B76...care to ealborate how you used the worm castings? and what kind you used?
thanks


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## ItsDubC

MGO leaches crazy amounts of tannins for me, even after picking out wood chips by hand. I have yet to try sifting out the wood chips instead tho. Other than that, MGO is safe after the initial ammonia spiking.


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## B76

I had a thread up I thought I took tons of pics to doc growth and what not. 

Anyways my conclusions were that I t was awesome lol other than the tannins. But my plants grew roots that were beyond anything I have experienced with other aqua substrates. I don't have a solo answer on how long the nutrients last but from my experience and others. It's year or 2. 

For me all I did was gently rinse and pull out debri. Dumped it in the tanks and capped it. I tried using 2 dif size substrate to help with capping? Don't know how effective it ended up being. But just covered up the soil with gravel 2-3 inches. It was alot of fun and plants really did love it. And u can't beat the price. Comp to aqua substrate these days. Just bought fluval flora stratum and can't see my plants loving this stuff maybe it's just me. Just won't hold any roots for me


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## wicca27

i have never had a prob with ammonia in my tanks and have used mgo for a few yrs. last tank i did was a 5 gal hex and tops the soil with about inch or so of pool filter sand used start right and put my orange eye blue tiger shrimp in a couple hours later and no losses. but that is just me

the reason it leaches so bad is it has alot of peat in it


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## fishyspots

I don't like the Fluval Stratum either for the same reason. It's like fluffy little balls of dirt! Can't see the plants are liking it so much either after having it in for a couple of months. Looking forward to seeing how the MGO and dirt tanks do.....


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## ChadRamsey

those that experienced tannis release and ammonia spikes, did you mineralize it first using Aarons method?


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## Michael

I've used it straight from the bag, soaked/rinsed, and mineralized. Straight from the bag produces lots of tanins and ammonia, mineralized almost none.


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## ChadRamsey

Michael said:


> I've used it straight from the bag, soaked/rinsed, and mineralized. Straight from the bag produces lots of tanins and ammonia, mineralized almost none.


thanks micheal, thats what i was getting at


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## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

what is Aaron's method?


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## ChadRamsey

its a "sticky" in the Journals section

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html


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## ItsDubC

Chad and Michael are right, I didn't let the the MGO out-gas prior to putting it in the tanks that I used it for. Sifting and mineralizing should make for a great bottom-layer substrate. I gave up on it too soon because there seemed to be so many small woodchips in it that I didn't want to bother picking all of them out. Even after rinsing, it seemed like there were still some wood chips that didn't float to the top to skim. Regardless, a lot of ppl use MGO so it has proven itself to be good stuff.

Based purely on cost tho, I have had great success w/ the huge $2 bag of generic top soil from Home Depot used as a bottom layer. I pick out the twigs by hand and spread it somewhere outside to out-gas for a few days. I add some crushed egg shell before capping and things always seem to work out. Might be something to experiment w/ after u set up your MGO-based tank and post pics for us


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## FieldsOfGreenSeaTurtles

thanks for all the info and help. i really appreciate it. if i add some MGO to my tank ill be sure to see about posting about it.


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## hornedtoad1

hi fields, if you wanted to check out diana walstad's method there's a website--
http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf. she sets up a couple of gallon bowls, uses mgo. you might try setting up a bowl, would be a good way for you to check out the method without rearranging your set-up tank.
mgo is good stuff, plants go crazy.


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