# mineralize soil (wet/dry)



## wicked1 (Aug 8, 2006)

Im seting up a new tank, low tech style, and am planning on using some soil out of my back yard as part of the substrate. About an inch of soil and a few inches of flourite/gravel.
I dont understand what the wet dry cycle does to the soil. Wouldn't ALL soil be mineralized if that is all it takes? It rains here about every week. Then the soil dries out. 
Why is me getting the soil wet in a bucket and drying it on a tarp a few times better than nature raining on it and drying it out every week.

Question/Answers also posted here: 

Thanks


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## Matt S. (Nov 3, 2005)

Reposting this from the El natural forum

I think the wet/dry process refered to above is advocated by Tom Barr. The theory is that freshly submerged soils release NH4 and this stimulates Algae. By dampening the soil for a while and exposing to air all this NH4 is converted to Nitrate by bacteria - alternatively you boil the soil for a quick fix.

I gather most in the El Natural forum don't do this and apparently no ill effects. With soil from my yard I noticed some nitrite for a couple of weeks, but NH4 never registered. Algae was never a major issue. I gather natural unsterilized soils cycle pretty quickly anyway.

Reference to Tom's article below. 
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/arc...php/t-395.html
"Add too much organic matter and O2 and you get O2 levels that are too low and cause issues for your tank. Soil also has NH4, this we know to cause algae in higher amounts and it does not take much! Ways around this: don;t use soil, it's messy and has NH4/urea. Boiling the soil for a few minutes will oxidize the NH4 to NO3. Allowing damp soil to be spread thinly outside for few weeks(3) will allow the NH4 to be converted into NO3 by bacteria.
Peat moss, ground peat, works well also."


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