# SoilMaster Select (charcoal)



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

What do you think, should I wash the SoilMaster Select?

Also I'm not sure that this question is in the right topic but I'm going to ask anyway. I have a 75gal with a moderate amount of plants with my 5" Elong. I want to change the substrate but am not sure on the way I should do it. I dont really have any where else to put the P except for some 5gal buckets. Any ideas would be help full. Thanks again.


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

nswhite said:


> What do you think, should I wash the SoilMaster Select?
> 
> Also I'm not sure that this question is in the right topic but I'm going to ask anyway. I have a 75gal with a moderate amount of plants with my 5" Elong. I want to change the substrate but am not sure on the way I should do it. I dont really have any where else to put the P except for some 5gal buckets. Any ideas would be help full. Thanks again.


You are going to need to wash it... the stuff is dustier than dusty.

Take the fish out and let him chill in some 5gal buckets and he will be fine... put the substrate in, let your filters pull some of the dust out and then put your fish back in.

Wash it VERY well, it is very dusty stuff.


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok perfect thanks therizman1 Its going to be a hard job but it needs to be done. Thanks again.


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

nswhite said:


> Ok perfect thanks therizman1 Its going to be a hard job but it needs to be done. Thanks again.


Yea, I wont lie... washing that stuff is a pain in the a**... I washed it what I thought was extremely well, put it in my tank and I couldnt see anything, couple hours later my filter had it all clean but I just couldnt believe it... lesson to be learned from this, wash it till you think it is clean, and then wash it again and it might be clean but will most likely still cloud your tank a little.

Also, if you use a python, be careful cleaning as it is a very light substrate in terms of density and can easily be sucked up by your python.


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

therizman1 said:


> Ok perfect thanks therizman1 Its going to be a hard job but it needs to be done. Thanks again.


Yea, I wont lie... washing that stuff is a pain in the a**... I washed it what I thought was extremely well, put it in my tank and I couldnt see anything, couple hours later my filter had it all clean but I just couldnt believe it... lesson to be learned from this, wash it till you think it is clean, and then wash it again and it might be clean but will most likely still cloud your tank a little.

Also, if you use a python, be careful cleaning as it is a very light substrate in terms of density and can easily be sucked up by your python.
[/quote]

HA HA HA thats always how it is, I will make sure I rinse extra. And thanks for the tip about the python cause I do use one I dont know what I would do without it.


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

nswhite said:


> Ok perfect thanks therizman1 Its going to be a hard job but it needs to be done. Thanks again.


Yea, I wont lie... washing that stuff is a pain in the a**... I washed it what I thought was extremely well, put it in my tank and I couldnt see anything, couple hours later my filter had it all clean but I just couldnt believe it... lesson to be learned from this, wash it till you think it is clean, and then wash it again and it might be clean but will most likely still cloud your tank a little.

Also, if you use a python, be careful cleaning as it is a very light substrate in terms of density and can easily be sucked up by your python.
[/quote]

HA HA HA thats always how it is, I will make sure I rinse extra. And thanks for the tip about the python cause I do use one I dont know what I would do without it.
[/quote]

Best trick I have found with the python is to let it suck a bunch up and then using your hand just kink the tube a little so it looses suction for a second, all the gravel falls, but the dirt stays in and then when you let it suck again it will pull the dirt out still... kind of a pain but in a well planted tank you dont have to do a ton of gravel vacs.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

I don't wash it. It is dusty no matter what. Does great for me that way..

IF you want to wash it go ahead. But it isn't necissary IMO, my tank is doing great on unrinsed soilmaster


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Cool thanks for the tip therizman1 I will give it a try.

Thanks for the reply dippy.


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> I don't wash it. It is dusty no matter what. Does great for me that way..
> 
> IF you want to wash it go ahead. But it isn't necissary IMO, my tank is doing great on unrinsed soilmaster


You really dont wash it?

My LFS did a half decent job of washing and to this day they still have dust in it and I can see it sometimes... Ill continue to waste hours washing I think... I am even going to use some in my dart frog tank Im setting up in the little pond they will have


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Well maybe I will just wash it a little.


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok one more question if I do get cloudy water from the dust will it still be ok to put my elong back in?


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

nswhite said:


> Ok one more question if I do get cloudy water from the dust will it still be ok to put my elong back in?


no problem in the least


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Well I got the SM in the tank. But it changed my water a little. It lowered the pH to 6.4 and droped my kh down to 4. Do you think I should add a little baking soda to bring my kh up or am I totally wrong. I ask because I cant really get a good co2 reading. I didn't change the co2 injection at all and it was at 27ppm before the substrate change and the KH was 9 and pH was 7.0 after the co2 had been running but the pH was at 8 plus before I added the co2 injection. but now the pH is 6.4 and KH is 4 thats means 48ppm of co2 but I know thats not right otherwise my elong would be having problems and its fine. What do I need to do to put my co2 level where it needs to be?
Also how long should I wait before adding my ferts. Just a couple weeks right?


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

4 KH is great. It is when it goes 'under' 3 it might be a tad low.
If you have a problem reading CO2, you are fine by watching the plants for pearling, and the fish for respiration problems. 
I would set it where you get pearling, and good fish behavior









I never wait before adding ferts. I look at it like this.. You don't starve your fish when you put him in a tank, why starve your plants?


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Oh alright when you say pearling I know what it looks like but when will it start pearling while the lights are on or off? and how much pearling should be going on do all the plants pearl?

Ok I never thought of it that way thanks.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

nswhite said:


> Oh alright when you say pearling I know what it looks like but when will it start pearling while the lights are on or off? and how much pearling should be going on do all the plants pearl?
> 
> Ok I never thought of it that way thanks.


IT should happen when the lights have been on for quite some time. the bubbles will be on the underside of the leaves mostly.
A stream of bubbles is most likely not pearling. Pearling varies between plants and CO2 levels. Riccia fluitans, and Potomogeton gayi pearl like mad


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Well the KH is down to 2 now what should I do to bring it back up. and my GH is 7 or 125ppm thats about right for the GH right? Thanks for answering my questions.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

2 is a tad unstable, but don't get alarmed. I know several ppl that used to keep 2KH just for the plants (they love it)
But, you might want to add a bit of Flourish equalibrium, or a small amount of baking soda, but I have no idea how much.. Sorry, that ain't my department.
But I would only raise it to 3 and that is it. Personally


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok I got some baking soda and I'm going to try and raise the KH to 3KH. I got some info from the aquariumplantcentral forum. and should add 1.25tsp to raise KH by 1. So I'm trying it as I write this so I will let you know later what happens. Thanks for the help.


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Well over the past couple days I've been playing with the KH and I got it back up to the 3 to 4 mark which is what I was shootng for. It also raised the pH just a little to 6.5. I'm going to keep a close watch on it and see if I can get it to stay level with no flucuation. But I think I got it under control. I will let you know.


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