# Death just cut the cheese and oh my!



## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

Whew! Just got Ecology of the Planted Aquarium in the mail! I'm so excited! 
I started and NPT tank a month ago with topsoil from my garden, but it wasn't really natural because I started seachem dosing. my plants were dying! 

Update:








Lol, please ignore the ugly microsword, I'm going to change it around!

Now I want to start another tank, (really natural this time, I promise!)  and need some advice on a new topsoil? 
Everyone has different answers on topsoil, but what I got from reading: 
1) A little bit of compost is fine, but don't use manure. 
2) Don't use topsoil with bits of wood in it. 
3) Experiment with topsoil, and take a chance. 

So I got some EarthGro Topsoil from Home Depot in the red bag. Anyway, everything seems good, but one problem: the soil smells like death just murdered death? It doesn't say that it contains manure, but maybe the smell is coming from the compost? maybe I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean. Is the TopSoil supposed to smell that way?
PS. Please free feel to critique my nano! I'm going to re-scape it soon!


----------



## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

I think the tank looks great and healthy. What size is that 10G?

As for the soil. I don't know sounds a little funky to me.
I use Lowe's generic top soil. Comes in a red and white bag. It's a little woody but smells like dirt and ordinary compost (no manure). I believe it says it is composted.

I get some floaters everytime I plant something. But I did some scooping (with a fliter pad - poured water over the pad like a human filter) and a few 1/2 tank water changes (due more to the algea) and it's fine.

Second time I have used the soil. No issues I can see besides too much iron in the beginning. But else is new.

Make sure you soil has no nutrients added. Should be plain boring top soil and the bag should say something like "if you use this in a potted plant add fertilizer/potting soil/something with nutrients in"


----------



## Endler Guy (Aug 19, 2007)

It sounds like the organic matter in your soil wasn't fully composted. Either that or some water got in it and it went anaerobic. If it were me, I'd take it back and exchange it. Soil should smell fresh and...well...earthy. LOL!

Nice tank by the way. If that's a 10 gallon, you have a huge betta!  The micro swords look fine to me.


----------



## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

okay so I didn't notice the betta  


Endler Guy said:


> It sounds like the organic matter in your soil wasn't fully composted. Either that or some water got in it and it went anaerobic. If it were me, I'd take it back and exchange it. Soil should smell fresh and...well...earthy. LOL!
> 
> Nice tank by the way. If that's a 10 gallon, you have a huge betta!  The micro swords look fine to me.


----------



## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

It is actually a 2.5 gallon. I just love that betta, it is always so lively! 

I went to Lowes but had the hardest time finding topsoil. Home depot had the topsoil, but all of them still smell like poo. I smelled the soil again just tonight. I told my mom I was going outside to smell dirt. She gave me the eyebrow! It does smell a little bit better, but still smell like, well, poo. 

""if you use this in a potted plant add fertilizer/potting soil/something with nutrients in""
The bag actually does say that. 

Lol, I'm going to have a hard time explaining to the cashier that I want a soil that smells different if it comes to that case. ahahah I will see when I have some free time. Maybe I'll just try a different brand but it's so hard to find the right one.


----------



## Endler Guy (Aug 19, 2007)

newbie314 said:


> okay so I didn't notice the betta


I almost missed it too. It looked like a flower at first.


----------



## Endler Guy (Aug 19, 2007)

Revernance said:


> ""if you use this in a potted plant add fertilizer/potting soil/something with nutrients in""
> The bag actually does say that.


If the person who worded that is the same person who packed it, no wonder! I've just done some research and the Earth Gro Topsoil is supposed to be mostly sand and clay with little organic matter. So, I guess that's what they're trying to say. It really shouldn't smell like crap though. ainkille

Home Depot has a brand of topsoil called Timberline, which is $1.29 for a 40# bag. Might want to pray before smelling [-o< .


----------



## bencozzy (Jun 2, 2006)

i used peat humus from lowes i believe it was the earth gro brand. ive been liking it so far, did release ammonia at first but nothing a little bit of zeolite couldnt cure.

top soil shouldnt smell like anything but well soil!


----------



## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

Endler Guy said:


> If the person who worded that is the same person who packed it, no wonder! I've just done some research and the Earth Gro Topsoil is supposed to be mostly sand and clay with little organic matter. So, I guess that's what they're trying to say. It really shouldn't smell like crap though. ainkille
> 
> Home Depot has a brand of topsoil called Timberline, which is $1.29 for a 40# bag. Might want to pray before smelling [-o< .


ahahahah nice way to put it! 
I think I'm going to let the EarthGro soil air out until Christmas break. Hopefully it will be smelling earthly.rayer: Until then, maybe I should use the soil I'm currently using now. The plant growth will be slow, but at least my desk won't smell like a elephant's behind. 

and I still can't figure out my the topsoil from my garden is producing such slow growth in aquatic plants. My mom's plants are growing quite nicely with nice bushy green leaves. When I used it in my tank, it seemed like the plants were missing nutrients, as evident by the yellowing, withering leaves?

and LOL! the betta looks nothing like a flower!

EDIT: I think that my mom's topsoil is good for plants, but perhaps the reason plants have trouble getting nutrients is because of the high pH? (around 8.0). I read somewhere that a high pH inhibits plants from obtaining iron? Maybe I was dreaming.


----------

