# beginner question



## wlyons9856 (Apr 14, 2010)

I was originally just planning on using gravel substrate. After reading and research I see a layer of soil or something is much more beneficial, I plan on going to walmart down the street and buying a plain base soil, would that be a problem? I would like some feedback on what people use


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## wlyons9856 (Apr 14, 2010)

I want something cheap and easy, I am not planting like crazy since its only a 10g tank, Im plating a amazon sword, dwarf hairgrass, dwarf tears and micro swords


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

you can use plain jane kitty litter


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## wlyons9856 (Apr 14, 2010)

I read the kitty litter makes the water cloudy. Is this true? Or is it just for the first couple days?


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## gheitman (Aug 18, 2007)

If you use just soil without any kind of gravel to hold it down the tank could become cloudy any time you vacuum the substrate or move any plants. You also need to make sure that you don't get soil with any fillers or additives. I would personally recommend just getting a good aquarium substrate like Seachem's Flourite or better yet Carib Sea's Eco-Complete. The former is very dusty when you first use it but it settles out eventually and the latter is very easy to use.


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## Big_Fish (Mar 10, 2010)

gheitman said:


> Carib Sea's Eco-Complete.


+1 on the eco-complete.

ANY sort of soil/kitty litter/etc MUST be capped with gravel to be usable in an aquarium, which also means NO stirring of the substrate once you've added water.... no fish that like to dig either.

take a bucket of water, dump in a handful of whatever you're planning to use.
the water in the bucket is what your tank water will look like, if the gravel cap gets disturbed.

I've had good success with flourite, but it IS a pain to rinse before use.

I have Eco complete in one small (10 gal) low tech tank and I like it VERY much.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Any kind of inert gravel eventually will provide everything needed for the plants. It's a matter of time until waste accumulates in the substrate. All special substrates, additives and so on just help you in the first several weeks of the tank's establishment. After about 4-6 months it's all the same - special substrate or inert gravel.

For about $4 you can get a big bag of peat. Just make sure it does not contain any fertilizer in it. Peat should be burried under the unert substrate. Abot 1/4 thick layer. It makes the substrate acidic for about 2 to 3 weeks. That's exactly what the plant roots need, especially in the very beginning when there is nothing to make the substrate acidic. After 2-3 weeks the peat is completely used up and does not pollute the water in any way if you happen to pull it above the inert gravel.

An Amazon Sword is way too big for a 10 gal. tank.

--Nikolay


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## wlyons9856 (Apr 14, 2010)

Thank you guys, I just purchased a bag of kitty litter, sifted it out and dumped it in the tank with water, pretty cloudy, waiting a day or so for it to settle and filter out, keep you guys posted.

Niko, my sword plant hasnt grown hecticly its still only about 4" high, hopefully it will stay nice and small, if not ill have to remove


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## wearsbunnyslippers (Feb 18, 2008)

for the kitty litter, you supposed to use it as a base layer and cap it with something, not dump it in a full tank other wise your water will always be cloudy...

see big fish's post ^


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## Big_Fish (Mar 10, 2010)

hmmm I'm sorry to say you'll likely be waiting much longer than a day... without anything sitting on top of that kitty litter, I think you may have water clarity issues... 
it also NEEDS to be 'plain jane' kitty litter.... (thanks doubleott05). most 'brand name' kitty litter has all sorts of perfume, anti caking agents, etc...


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Drain the tank down to below the level of the kitty litter. 
Plant the tank, misting the plants as needed. 
Add gravel over the top. 
Put a plate or a plastic bag over the substrate, and fill it VERY SLOWLY with water. 
There will be a small amount of clouding, but not much. 

Start adding fertilizer. Kitty litter will help by holding the fertilizer available to the plants once the ferts are in there, but it has nothing to begin with.


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## wlyons9856 (Apr 14, 2010)

Planted the plants I already had and put minimal water so the plants could survive, my dwarf tears, micro swards, dwarf hairgrass and java fern cme in tomorrow!, how do I post iPhone pics on her ill show you guys my first planted tank step by step!


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## wlyons9856 (Apr 14, 2010)

First Update, Planted a few, waiting for my order coming in tomorrow!


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