# Aquatic Soil



## StryfeMP (Apr 26, 2007)

It had crossed my mind to use this product in a planted tank as it does state that it is fish safe and does not alter the pH of the water, what's your view on it? It costs but $7 at home depot.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

i'm actually curious about this too. i saw some while i was at home depot picking up some rockwool to get some seeds started up and was wondering how well it works.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Do you mean_ Shultz _Aquatic Plant Soil?

I use it. Great stuff. A bit on the light side, but it grows plants fantastic
for the price.


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

thats what I have in my 28 gal.

One down side is keeping small foreground plants in the substrate. They seem to be easily uprooted.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

would you recommend using it as a base layer then with some gravel on top?


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## LS1FDRx7 (Mar 6, 2007)

I didn't know Homedepot sell this stuff. I just went to my local Home Depot (2miles away) and bought 2 bags of it. So far reading the label on the back said it won't cloud water or clog pump. Said it's safe for all fish with a Nuetral pH. I'm going to be redoing one of my 10gallon shrimp tank and I will be using this as a substrate.


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## StryfeMP (Apr 26, 2007)

Sweet, seems like I'm going to be picking some of this in the near future when I get my lights. I'm going to put a 2 inch later of it under an inch layer of gravel. I've always thought about using regular soil in an aquarium, and this stuff should be great.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

joedizzlempls said:


> would you recommend using it as a base layer then with some gravel on top?


I would recommend using it by itself, but I know folks who use it as filler with Flourite 
to make it cheaper to fill their tank with it
I would mix it with other planted aquarium substrate if anything
Just a suggestion


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> would you recommend using it as a base layer then with some gravel on top?


I would recommend using it by itself, but I know folks who use it as filler with Flourite 
to make it cheaper to fill their tank with it
I would mix it with other planted aquarium substrate if anything
Just a suggestion
[/quote]

So you recommend it as a bottom layer with something like flourite, soilmaster, or turface on top?


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

you really need to rinse the crap out of this stuff cus it WILL cloud the water


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

traumatic said:


> you really need to rinse the crap out of this stuff cus it WILL cloud the water


I don't rinse it, seems like there is good stuff in there









I don't like to mix substrate much, personally. You can mix it if you want, it should work. but plants seem to do better with small grain substrate


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## LS1FDRx7 (Mar 6, 2007)

I've just redid my 10gallon Whisker Shrimp tank and I really like the looks of it. Shrimps are really getting a blast from it. It holds plants roots down very well. Didn't cloud my tank at all, only for the first 20 minutes and it disappear after my filters were running.

Before









After


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

hey dippy, you got any pics of what the stuff looks like when the tank is planted without a layer of gravel on top?


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> I don't rinse it, seems like there is good stuff in there


yeah, dust... It's baked clay, nothing more, no additives.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

joedizzlempls said:


> hey dippy, you got any pics of what the stuff looks like when the tank is planted without a layer of gravel on top?


look just above your post


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

that's what the stuff looks like? i thought there was a layer of gravel on top of the soil


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

here's a little more close up pic:
*note:* the colors look different because I was using different bulbs.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

thanks, it looks good, i might have to try some out


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## StryfeMP (Apr 26, 2007)

I was wondering, if anybody knows, how much of this stuff, or how many bags of this stuff would I need to get a good layer, I'd say 3inches, for a full planted 150gallon tank?


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