# Question about soil?



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Gf wants to convert her tanks to soil-based NPTs, but she does not know what type of soil to use. She found this and was wondering if it would be aquarium safe. It is organic, but we aren't sure about the ingredients in it. Can anyone help us out? Thanks.


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## Mashiro (Dec 2, 2012)

Looks like it has manure in it.

Don't use it.

You want to use the Miracle Gro Organic Potting MIX not SOIL.


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

We used the Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Soil and it's done fine in all of our tanks. It's been in there about 3 months now and all fish are healthy and happy. It is covered with a fine layer of pool sand then the gravel. Periodically stick holes in it to make sure it is healthy and not impacted to let the oxygen in. Oldfishlady has a thread somewhere that we got the tips from to use it.


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

I was trying to see the difference between soil and mix, this is some of the ingredients of the mix.


> Benefits
> Contains a blend of all-natural, organic ingredients: sphagnum peat moss and composted bark fines Natural fertilizers provide both quick- and slow-release feeding to get plants off to a fast start and keep them growing Delivers twice the growth of ordinary potting soil naturally


We do have a high PH in our tap water and the potting mix has peat moss in it. So if you have a high PH this would probably be great. Peat moss is recommended as a natural solution to bringing down high PH.


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## Deanna01 (Apr 22, 2013)

Gah! I just yesterday set my first NPT up using the MG Organic Garden Soil. I couldn't find MG Organic Potting Mix and thought it must be the same. :-/

Do I really need to take it all apart and start over? I so much hope not....


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

Deanna01 said:


> Gah! I just yesterday set my first NPT up using the MG Organic Garden Soil. I couldn't find MG Organic Potting Mix and thought it must be the same. :-/
> 
> Do I really need to take it all apart and start over? I so much hope not....


Our tanks are really doing fine with the soil, that's why i was looking to see what the difference was. We have had absolutely no issues at all with the soil and it's been 3 or 4 months since we did most of our tanks with it.


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## Deanna01 (Apr 22, 2013)

Peachii, mine says "Garden Soil" and says it has manure in it. Did yours say it had manure? If it said "Potting," I'm wondering if it didn't.


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## Mashiro (Dec 2, 2012)

Manure is bad news. I was told to stay away from anything that contained it.


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

http://www.scotts.com/smg/goprod/miracle-gro-organic-choice-garden-soil/prod70308/7800019

That is the picture of exactly what we used and it has done absolutely fine. Plants and fish are healthy as can be. They are 100% organic, so are safe for the tanks. (Funny enough I asked my boyfriend the same question when we were starting our tanks, and he would never, ever put anything in our tanks that would hurt our fish.)

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=114575 this is the link to Oldfishlady's thread on how to do a planted soil tank and she uses all kinds of natural, home, local, and other soils mixed together.

I wouldn't think you need to change your tank at all. Our fish have been absolutely fine and plants growing like crazy. I won't be changing our tanks, i was just interested in the difference.

Send Oldfishlady a PM if you are truly concerned but like I said, i don't think it is an issue at all.


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## Deanna01 (Apr 22, 2013)

Hm. I'm really glad to hear you're not having an issue, even after months. I may try to go with it, and just be extremely careful checking the water parameters to make sure there isn't a problem.


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## Deanna01 (Apr 22, 2013)

I have read multiple places that recommend "pond soil," and that contains manure....


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## Nicci Lu (Jan 7, 2013)

The potting mix has poultry litter, but does not have manure. It looks like you have the soil, which does have manure. The soil recommended by Oldfishlady, and by Diana Walstad (who came up with the idea of NPTs) is the potting mix. Personally, I would not use any soil that has manure in it- this is going to be a very hot soil. If it were my only choice, I would mineralize this soil first to break down some of the organics. Google 'mineralize top soil' and you'll see how to do it. Basically, you wet the soil and let it dry out repeatedly. Or, you could also do a 50/50 mix of MGOC soil and something with a high cation content, such as flourite. The flourite helps to keep the ammonia released from the soil _within_ the soil.

I have two dirted tanks, one with the MGOCPM and one with a mixture of a mineralized cheap top soil (no ferts added, no poultry litter at all), dirt from my yard (which is a clay loam soil) and plain, non clumping kitty litter (this also provides cations). The one with MGOCPM, I have had ammonia issues with for a month. The other one has been doing great from the get-go. Personally, I would never use the MG again- even with only the poultry litter, it is still too hot.

That's just my opinion. I know it works for many, including Ms. Walstad (but she could make anything grow in any substrate and still have it be fish-safe). Heck, I once saw a thread on another forum where a guy mixed dog poop in with his soil and it worked.


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## Kuronue (Oct 12, 2012)

I used a home mix for my npt that I mineralized before use. 

Organic is good, I'd avoid manure from cows or poultry. If its been sterilized, not a huge worry, I'd still mineralize the stuff just to be safe. Fussy step, but it never hurts to be extra careful.


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## Deanna01 (Apr 22, 2013)

My tank has been set up for a week now with the Miracle-Gro Organic Garden Soil. The parameters as of this morning are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 10 nitrates. So far, so good, at least.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

The manure is surely composted, so i wouldn't worry about sterility.

I prefer dirt out of my yard, but you should be fine. Just test before adding fish.


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## Deanna01 (Apr 22, 2013)

Hi, Red. Thanks! I ended up starting over anyway, for a variety of reasons. I tried to make the process amusing, anyway. ;-) http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/aquarium-photography/starting-over-fluval-chi-nano-npt-178394/


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## Gallium (May 14, 2013)

Personally I find the soil is too rich for the tanks without mineralization or mixing with something more inert. Often times without burrowing snails people will get pockets of anerobic gas buildup which can poison and kill the fish within a matter of hours or less if they come to the surface. 

I suggest using a small amount of worm castings mixed 50/50 with blasting grit (or other even-sized grit sands) and use that as a base. You can mix in some of the garden soils but I'd use very little. If you're not using co2 and don't have high light you'll build up a concentration of water soulible minerals that, while not deadly, can be uncomfortable for the fish and don't show up on regular A/N/N test kits. 

If you do want to use slightly richer soils, I would stick with those that only contain rabbit, goat, or worm compost.


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