mineralizing soil question
- ddavila06
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- Real Name: Damian Davila
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mineralizing soil question
hi guys, quick question, did i buy the wrong topsoil??? it was the cheapest they had but has some peat moss in it, which is no problem, i wanted to make my set up with peat at the very bottom to make the water more acidic.... in case i got the wrong one, would shoveling a little dirt from the garden help?
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Damian Davila
"Fishes-up, chill, Plants too"
"so many plants, so little space!"
"Fishes-up, chill, Plants too"
"so many plants, so little space!"
I found Earthgro Topsoil at Wal-Mart for $1.38 a bag. I like the texture of it; I'm soaking some of it right now. I tried some other stuff I bought at the Home Depot and Lowes called Garden Pro Topsoil, it was real twiggy and had a mulch like consistancy. I dumped that stuff out in the yard. Brands like Scotts or Miracle Gro are more expensive and usually contain added nutrients.
As far as using ground dirt, I think as long as you go deep enough you may be okay. But I really don't know. Jim posted earlier about using subsoil. He seems to know more about about.
As far as using ground dirt, I think as long as you go deep enough you may be okay. But I really don't know. Jim posted earlier about using subsoil. He seems to know more about about.
Joe
- SCMurphy
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Damian,
You can use that soil, it is just going to take a little longer to mineralize. You do not add peat to a mineralized soil, you just went through all that trouble to get rid of the organics, you might as well put the soil into the tank without mineralizing it. You do not have to worry about the tank being acidic around here, especially with a soil substrate, even more so if you do CO2 injection.
You can use that soil, it is just going to take a little longer to mineralize. You do not add peat to a mineralized soil, you just went through all that trouble to get rid of the organics, you might as well put the soil into the tank without mineralizing it. You do not have to worry about the tank being acidic around here, especially with a soil substrate, even more so if you do CO2 injection.
"したくさ" Sean
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- ddavila06
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- Real Name: Damian Davila
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uhmmm, my water is very hard...about 7.6-8...also, there will be no co2 and little light, this will pretty much be a natural tank, i didn't add the peat, is listed in the ingredients of the soil thats why i was wondering if it waswrong. i guess i could put it into the tank without mineralizing, rightSCMurphy wrote:Damian,
You can use that soil, it is just going to take a little longer to mineralize. You do not add peat to a mineralized soil, you just went through all that trouble to get rid of the organics, you might as well put the soil into the tank without mineralizing it. You do not have to worry about the tank being acidic around here, especially with a soil substrate, even more so if you do CO2 injection.
Damian Davila
"Fishes-up, chill, Plants too"
"so many plants, so little space!"
"Fishes-up, chill, Plants too"
"so many plants, so little space!"
- ddavila06
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- Real Name: Damian Davila
- Location: Burke, Va
don't know, don't know and yes! i know im using wood, i don't measure anything but ph and ammonia ocacionally... sorrySCMurphy wrote:How much of that hardness is Ca and Mg? How much is carbonate? Are you going to have wood in the tank?
i don't want to make it too complicated, but read online (apc) that a guy used a topsoild that had no soil whatsoever and was all manure, and other things...just keep it simple guys
Damian Davila
"Fishes-up, chill, Plants too"
"so many plants, so little space!"
"Fishes-up, chill, Plants too"
"so many plants, so little space!"
- Ltrepeter2000
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Re: mineralizing soil question
Damian
He made the comment about not wanting to add peat because this is what you said in your initial statement....
[quote="ddavila06"]which is no problem, i wanted to make my set up with peat at the very bottom to make the water more acidic.... quote]
Peat is one of the organics that this process is supposed to neautralize to help prevent algae growth. He was trying to point out that you do not want to add peat to the bottom of your setup with this substrate.
Thanks
Rob
He made the comment about not wanting to add peat because this is what you said in your initial statement....
[quote="ddavila06"]which is no problem, i wanted to make my set up with peat at the very bottom to make the water more acidic.... quote]
Peat is one of the organics that this process is supposed to neautralize to help prevent algae growth. He was trying to point out that you do not want to add peat to the bottom of your setup with this substrate.
Thanks
Rob
Robert Peterson
"Mr. Sarcastic"
The work will wait while you show a child a rainbow,
but the rainbow wont wait while you do the work
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"Mr. Sarcastic"
The work will wait while you show a child a rainbow,
but the rainbow wont wait while you do the work
-Unknown-