Homer_Simpson
11-23-2008, 09:21 AM
I apologize if this has already been posted as it is for informational/educational purposes. Many folks who get into planted tank often seek to avoid two things, the great expense of a specialized commercial substrate and the idea of having to dose ferts on a regular basis, followed by 50 % weekly water changes for high tech setups.
A member by the name of AaronT has posted a way to create a mineralized topsoil substrate which works for both high tech and low tech tanks and which requires no fert dosing.
Here is the thread
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/library/52554-how-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html
For those of you who do not like the hassle of doing this, another member at plantedtank.net by the name of Torpedobarb is in the process of putting together some kits for sale. He is not selling it to make a profit but just to recover his costs.
Here is the thread, where he makes reference to this:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/substrate/76984-mineralized-top-soil-substrate-kits.html
I would have gladly ordered a kit from him but the fact that I live in Canada means that even if Canadian Customs were to let the kit pass, shipping costs alone would make it a deal changer.
I am in the process of mineralizing topsoil to redo a struggling 10 gallon planted tank. I was able to get the dolomite from a health food store, the Potash of Murate was on clearance at Revy, I had some laterite clay so did not have to purchase the clay(you can use polymer free potter's clay from a pottery supplies shop), and the topsoil was a cheap topsoil from Home Depot. The biggest problem was the topsoil, I used this topsoil to set up a natural planted tank which proved to be a disaster with endless fish and shrimp deaths. I hope that by rinsing and drying the top soil for no less than 12 cycles will make the topsoil okay for this. A manure free toposoil is recommended, but it is next to impossible to find such a topsoil. According to all the local greenhouses that I contacted, they told me the same thing, there is no such thing as a manure free topsoil as manure is a key ingredient in virtually every topsoil.
Anyway, I hope this information proves useful for anyone considering setting up a planted tank without huge costs and without fussing with fertilizers a lot.
A member by the name of AaronT has posted a way to create a mineralized topsoil substrate which works for both high tech and low tech tanks and which requires no fert dosing.
Here is the thread
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/library/52554-how-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html
For those of you who do not like the hassle of doing this, another member at plantedtank.net by the name of Torpedobarb is in the process of putting together some kits for sale. He is not selling it to make a profit but just to recover his costs.
Here is the thread, where he makes reference to this:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/substrate/76984-mineralized-top-soil-substrate-kits.html
I would have gladly ordered a kit from him but the fact that I live in Canada means that even if Canadian Customs were to let the kit pass, shipping costs alone would make it a deal changer.
I am in the process of mineralizing topsoil to redo a struggling 10 gallon planted tank. I was able to get the dolomite from a health food store, the Potash of Murate was on clearance at Revy, I had some laterite clay so did not have to purchase the clay(you can use polymer free potter's clay from a pottery supplies shop), and the topsoil was a cheap topsoil from Home Depot. The biggest problem was the topsoil, I used this topsoil to set up a natural planted tank which proved to be a disaster with endless fish and shrimp deaths. I hope that by rinsing and drying the top soil for no less than 12 cycles will make the topsoil okay for this. A manure free toposoil is recommended, but it is next to impossible to find such a topsoil. According to all the local greenhouses that I contacted, they told me the same thing, there is no such thing as a manure free topsoil as manure is a key ingredient in virtually every topsoil.
Anyway, I hope this information proves useful for anyone considering setting up a planted tank without huge costs and without fussing with fertilizers a lot.