# Ground Terracotta



## Malefactor (Jan 29, 2014)

Seen a few people posting about wanting to do this for extra nutrients. I don't think the benefit would be in nutrients, but in my case a much cheaper (Free) source of "dirt" that has high CEC + no break in time like Safe-T-Sorb does. The intention is to have something the roots can move through like sand, but a higher CEC.

So, wanna do this for my tanks i'm setting up right now. Getting a 10G going for the Apisto's and setting up my 60G "Show" tank to breed / grow out my GBR / Bristlenose and Gourami. I figure, 2 pair of GBR will stick to the lower end with the bristlenose. GBR don't like caves, so the Bristlenoses will stick to the caves for breeding while the GBR will stick to rock surfaces. The Gourami will bubble nest at the top and not be bothered that much by the GBR. 

Want to do planted for both of these tanks, since i'm low on money / time. I can get free terracotta clay pots from work. Figure i'll get those, crush them up into dust / sand and use them in about a 1 inch layer at the bottom and then cap it with some pea gravel i have. That should make a good planted substrate right? High in iron and other nutrients from the clay and a good cap. Would it raise my pH the way turface / safe-T-sorb does? IF so, does that mean i need to wait a month or two for it to stabilize? Or do you think aftering being fired ect, that these would be stable? Has anyone tried this?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

In my experience, pea gravel is a terrible substrate for planted tanks. It is too big and too round--it is like trying to plant in a bowl of marbles. It is very difficult to get new plants to stay planted, and even after time there is a tendency for plants to "let go" of the substrate.

This is speculation, but the terra cotta should be a good component of a soil substrate, but I am not sure it would be good by itself. You may get too much iron, and not enough of other nutrients. If cost is a factor, why not mix the terra cotta with mineralized topsoil?


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## Malefactor (Jan 29, 2014)

Mostly because even getting 1 - 2 bags of Miracle Grow Organic to start MTS is $25-30 and then the time it takes to get mineralized (about a month to do properly). I'm trying to set these up and have them cycled in within the week. I've got 2 filters already primed and ready for them (one an eheim i've been using for about a year now for the 60G and the 10G i have a sponge filter i've been using for 6 months in my main tank that's rated for 75G). So, the Terracotta i can get and crush it in a single day and get things rolling if it'll work. 

May not be pea gravel then that i'm looking at using. It looks like regular sized aquarium gravel (not marble sized), that's what a friend of mine at work said about it. The biggest pieces in it are about the size of my pinky nail. Looks like small little pebbles of natural river rocks. If i've got to, i can get Black Diamond Blasting sand as a cap for it. That's only about $12 if i remember right for a 50lb bag which should be just barely enough for both tanks if i remember right from last time.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Pea gravel typically has an average size of about 1/2"--smaller than my little finger nail. It is not just the size, but the round shape of the pea gravel (that's where the "pea" comes from) that make it difficult to plant it.

If you want to this fast and cheap, how about pool filter sand or multi-purpose sand from Home Depot? You could crush the terra cotta and use for a bottom layer or mix with the sand. You will still need to fertilize the tanks, as this will be a nutrient-poor substrate.

Miracle Grow is not a good base for aquarium soil substrate, but that is another topic, discussed in detail in the "suitable soils" sticky in the El Natural forum.


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## Malefactor (Jan 29, 2014)

I thought about pool filter sand but whenever I looked it up it has next to no CEC. that's why I was thinking about the Terracotta as well I still have quite a bit of my CSM + B. so I was thinking for a day or two maybe even for the full week before I put it in free soaking it with a triple concentration and see if some of that can be absorbed by the Terracotta before I put it in the tank by the way its charged


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Malefactor said:


> I thought about pool filter sand but whenever I looked it up it has next to no CEC.


The same is true of pea gravel.


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## Malefactor (Jan 29, 2014)

Gotcha, thought Pea Gravel did have some CEC... Hrm, alrighty, i just know i have a whole tub of the pea gravel already... I'll see what i can come up with. Might just crush it up too so that it's a heavy dust and see where that takes me.


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