DIY potting soil substrate for a planted tank

Ok then I will just have to learn the hard way.

 

Just make sure not to use plants in the setup you cannot afford to loose to algae attacks.

 

Not sure what you meen here???

 

Well my most ambitious was a garden mud/clay tank - turned to be the perfect villas tank, no filtration etc but very good growth. Algae in some cases are food so it is not always a bad thing, we just do not like it if we did not intend its propagation. Keep posting pics - I like to see progress over time esp as the tank matures.

Later Ferdie

 

Update so

So I added the cap today. Not going to fill just yet. Have not got the plants and t5 unit in yet.

 

Great post,Thanks. following your progress. Will use this for my next tank setup. Red pottery clay, any pottery suppliers place in durban should be able to supply you with a bag of clay. Sorry a bit late though i see you already used the pond aquatic soil instead. What does inert with root tabs mean exactly? Any idea where to get osmocote in SA? i tried finding it at many places here before starting my tank but have had no luck so far.

 

@Moni: Inert substrate is basically substrate with no feeding value for your plants whatsoever. It is a very cheap alternative in conjunction with DIY root tabs when compared to aqua soils and less risky than using potting soil.

 

@Moni inert means that the substrate does not alter the ph of the water and does not have any neutriants for plants in it. It is simply dead substrate. Pool filter sand and normal gravel are inert.

Not sure about osmocote.

 

@dash: Osmocote is not a substrate it is a fertilizer.

 

Never said it was a substrate I said I don't know. Well now you have clarified.

 

Looking good so far buddy, background ideas?

 

Thinking about black. What you think?

 

After painting my 4ft black must admit I really like a black background, really makes the fish and im sure plants pop. I still have loads of paint if you need?

 

Sounds like a plan mate. Thanks for all your positive feedback on this thread. It makes a good change from some of the know it all comments I have been getting!!!

 

Constructive criticism is great because it allows you to learn from your mistakes and appreciate the person trying to help, know it all criticism on the other hand belongs in North Korea

 

Lol you hit the nail on the head.

 

It is not know it all comments. Know it all would imply that we are commenting on something without any previous experience. I myself played with DIY potting substrate for my display tank for well over a year before giving up and doing everything from scratch. For a plant only grow out tank it is excellent but for a display tank not so much too many parameters that need to be balanced out and if you get it wrong you will grow more algae than anything else. But like they say you need to learn from your mistakes and the only way you can do that is by making them

 

In life there are a few certainties....death.....taxes......and replies from.......

 

You gotta be mature and immature while switching from giving advice to not taking it, it happens on a daily basis on a forum some people just haven't learned how to do it