Using Organic Potting Soil w/ Clay Pots

[fishy7]

I've been having problems with a Red Tiger Lotus rooting in my tank, at this point there are two stems coming off of a bulb with no roots, the substrate in the aquarium is a little on the large side so I decided to plant the lotus in a clay pot with "Organic Mechanics Premium Blend Potting Soil" then covering the top layer of the soil with some rocks. Has anyone done something similar to this regarding plants in a discus tank? Pros/Cons? :confused: Will this be safe for the fish? The tank is a 56 gallon column with a discus trio, some tetras, shrimp, and an albino bristlenose pleco.

[rbarn]

you need to "mineralize" the soil before hand. This will break down all the organics in the soil so you dont have an ammonia spike from its initial breakdown.

lay the dirt out on a large trash bag and spread it out in a 1/2-1" thick layer and pick out all the large organic debris
get it damp to the touch and let it set out in the sun. wetting it once or twice a day. then flip it daily and spread it back out.
repeat this for about 1-2 weeks. The dirt will lose all of it's organic dirt smell and turn into a crumbly sand texture. It is now safe for what you want to do.

What you are doing is letting bacteria break down the soil organics before putting it in the tank. The moisture and flipping keeps the bacteria alive. You will be able to tell a dramatic difference in the texture of dirt when you're done.

[fishy7]

Okay great! What should I do with the tiger lotus? It just wont stay buried down. Should I let it float at the top for the next couple of weeks?