# Dirt Convert?



## BrokeNewbie (Mar 21, 2012)

Alrighty, here it goes.. 

I am a noob to planted tanks. I recently decided to switch from the boring plastics to the exciting live plants. Currently I have an Amazon Sword, Tiger Vals, Ludwigia Repens and a myriophyllum mattogrossense (if there is a shorter name plz let me know) planted in basic gravel with root tabs in my 15gal. 

I've been reading up on "Dirt Tanks" and I want to convert my basic 15gal. I know that I need organic soil and a substrate to go on top of it. Can anyone suggest exactly what kind of soil to use? How much clay should I mix into the soil for a 15gal and how do I prepare the soil before adding to the tank?
For the substrate I'm thinking about using Caribsea Eco-Complete Black Planted Aquarium Substrate, as its the only affordable and available black substrate in my area.

Once the soil and substrate is in the tank can I use the water that was previously in the tank? And how long until I can return my fish to the tank?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Miracle grow Organic potting soil. (brown bag), I'd suggest no more than 1" You can mix in clay if you want, but really not necessary. Were you thinking a cat litter or safeTsorb type product for the clay?

Then use your basic fish store sand as a cap, should have all sorts of colors to choose from. The Eco-Complete I believe you're talking about isn't actually sand. It's more like crushed up balled lava rock.

Can put fish back in immediatly. You can certainly reuse the water, but isn't necessary either. 

15gallon. a bag of eco-complete, bag of dirt, bag of clay. You're going to have 30lbs left over substrate material. (Time to get a 30 gallong tank!!)


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## Hawk1018 (Apr 12, 2012)

welcome to the wonderful world of planted tanks... there are plenty of forum members that are very knowledgeable when it comes to plants and should be able to answer most of your questions. I myself am new to it so don't have much info yet....but I will say I never thought I would have so much fun watching plants grow...LOL I check them like 3 times a day to see if there is any new growth ....


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## BrokeNewbie (Mar 21, 2012)

I've been watching a lot of Dustin Fishtank episodes on YouTube and have actually talked to him a couple times, he suggests for any size tank to use organic soil, red clay and Eco complete style substrate. There are components in the Eco-Complete that helps to deliver better nutrients to the plants roots, meaning less additives to put in the water. Using water based nutrients dont work as well because it doesn't get to the roots as well as an already nutrient rich substrate. I haven't heard anything about kitty litter before. How do you incorporate the kitty litter in the process?

As for the sand, I'm looking for a more textured look to the substrate also I couldn't find sand with the right color that I'm looking for.

Is there anything special I need to do to the soil before tanking it other than adding the clay/iron substance?

@Hawk1018 I'm obsessed with my plants. I bought them from a member if this site, the plants were amazing. My Tiger Vals are sending a new runner just about every day and they've only been planted a couple weeks. My Sword grows a new leaf every day and my Ludwigia (only about 3 inches when I got it 2 weeks ago) has rooted very well and has grown about 3 inches in 2 weeks with beautiful pinkish red and green leaves.


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## Hawk1018 (Apr 12, 2012)

cool...I use kitty litter...the plain kind is basically clay I think.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I know Eco list a lot of stuff in it, but it is basically inert. It doesn't do away with the potential need to add stuff to the substrate. You can fertilize your tank strictly through the water column...the nutrients get down in the substrate. Also, many stem plants don't have very many roots and almost solely use the water column.

I would make my own mineralized top soil (MTS) and use that as the soil. There are a number of recipes on the net. IMO, the best way to go. That way you add what is in it instead of being stuck with what you get.


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