potting soil help

[youngdiscus]

My 130gallon only had about 1inch too mabey 2inchs of water in it when i added the potting soil, the potting soil just floats,, will it eventually settle on the bottom, should i begin adding water..i added 4 22lb bags,, mabey too much?? Please any quick help would like too fill tank tonight and add plants tommorow

[phidelt85]

Some of it will float and you'll have to skim that off.

[youngdiscus]

Thats what i was thinking..Lots did sink but there's lots floating.. thank you

[hexed]

Isn't the fertilizers in potting soil toxic to fish? I would think so being in a closed environment. I found this on it:

http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/showthread.php?p=269302

HTH
Frank :angel:

[youngdiscus]

Yes I belive fertilzers in potting soil are toxic, I tried too get the closet too unfertilized potting soil i could get, not sure if this is still good or not. 0.07-0.08-0.07. will this still harm the discus at these low levels?
should i let sit and do large water changes daily for a week? before attempting too add fish?

Right now im currently floating my plants in my storage tank, will they be ok for awhile?

Heres a picture of the tank , and the plants,, Its a mess right now,, I think its going too be awhile before that tank clears up:)

[youngdiscus]

Plants recived from aqauriumplants.com

[phidelt85]

Looks like you filled it to fast. I don't know if that will settle or not.

Frank, you got to get the potting soil with not fertilizers added. The main thing is to not have fish that will burrow or dig in the soil. You also add a top 2" layer of sand to keep the soil down.

Hey young, if that doesn't settle out, you may have to drain all the way down and kinda restart. You want to add the soil before you add any water. Then, using a dish for the water to fall on, slowly fill the tank with water. When I did my NPT it didn't cloud up like that at all. More of a tea colored haze.

[youngdiscus]

ooooops... yeah that for sure isnt a tea colored haze more of a black coffee:):)... DIdnt know about the plate trick, im draining the tank right now, and will refill and see how it go's.

[youngdiscus]

Edit....



I really dont like the idea of using potting soil in a planted discus tank already, The water is just too murky for my liking, Ill try this for a little while then switch too something else.


Is this about as clear as it's going too get?

Dont mind the dirrty glass. Or bad planting job:):)

[tacks]

I was wondering why did you decide on potting soil? It seems like a lot of hard work. ED

[youngdiscus]

Well i decided on potting soil for a couple of reasons.

1. Didnt have the money too spend on gravel, laterlite etc
2. the plants got delivered before i expected them, so was in a rush

It does already seem like its going too be alot of work, wish i had diffrent options at the time.. Going too try this for awhle and see how it go's

[phidelt85]

hEY, yOUNG, you've got to put a top layer of sand on top of the potting soil or it will never clear up. It will eventually clear up. It took mine several days before it was crystal clear. Add about 2" of pool filter sand on top and you'll be good to go. I haven't tried an NPT with discus but I honestly don't see why it wouldn't work with full grown discus. Make sure you test your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. It may take some time to get those down. I was fortunate enough that mine tested ok right off the bat; however, I have a friend that it took several weeks for it to turn around.

[kaceyo]

Definitly put some sand or very fine gravel over the top soil. And I'd suggest trying some less expensive but still sensitive fish in there before adding discus. maybe a few Cardinal Tetra's?

Kacey

[Blackwater Aquaria]

My 130gallon only had about 1inch too mabey 2inchs of water in it when i added the potting soil, the potting soil just floats,, will it eventually settle on the bottom, should i begin adding water..i added 4 22lb bags,, mabey too much?? Please any quick help would like too fill tank tonight and add plants tommorow

I think because you said its a money issue I would make it a lot less trouble to just keep it BB pick up some clay pots pick up a bag of flourite some plant plugs and plant the pots. I have always wanted to plant a tank after a while I changed over to BB tanks with potted plants less work cleaner try it out it works great good luck Mike

[Wahter]

I think because you said its a money issue I would make it a lot less trouble to just keep it BB pick up some clay pots pick up a bag of flourite some plant plugs and plant the pots. I have always wanted to plant a tank after a while I changed over to BB tanks with potted plants less work cleaner try it out it works great good luck Mike

Mike's right - potting plants in Flourite works well. Forget the potting soil - it's a lot of work (and messy). Imagine what you have to go through if you want to remove a plant (such as a large sword plant) from that substrate (better have a diatom filter handy!).

This is an older photo, but the plants are potted in Flourite and the tank is bare bottom.


Walter

[phidelt85]

NPTs are pretty nice looking tanks, but that is true what Mike and Walter have stated. you can get a nice simple look with potted plants. The think with NPTs is you gotta set it and forget it. If you want to go that route make sure you plan your plant placement, but even these doesn't really guarantee anything once your plants begin to propagate.

I too, for now, have strayed from the "planted tank" and have a BB tank with potted plants in peat moss with sand on top.

Here's my thread, which could use some updating:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=56481