Getting the water to settle

[stenchx]

Hello all, first time using a forum, I got a quick question I started a planted tank with potting soil at the bottom and gravel on top my problem is the water is all brown now and I need to know how to make it settle and clear. If you guys can help me i would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. Hope I'm doing this right

[DLock3d]

The answer is not one people like to hear. Up your water changes or get rid of the substrate. HTH

[LKSDiscus]

Lots of water changes

[stenchx]

yeah after reading several post i decided to strip this aquarium down 'SIGH' seems like its almost impossible keeping discus in planted tanks, is it still ok to cycle the take bare bottom or better to cycle with gravel, my first time i cycled with gravel so im just worried that the bacteria wont have anywhere to be, execpt the filter

[pcsb23]

yeah after reading several post i decided to strip this aquarium down 'SIGH' seems like its almost impossible keeping discus in planted tanks, is it still ok to cycle the take bare bottom or better to cycle with gravel, my first time i cycled with gravel so im just worried that the bacteria wont have anywhere to be, execpt the filterbest place for the nitrifying bacteria is the filter :)

[boxhead1990]

with dirt tanks you need to compress the dirt layer quiet alot at first before putting a thickish layer of sand over the top (pool filter sand works really well) and try not to disturb anything

but all that being said all my planted tank experiance was with archerfish barramundi bass and mono's my discus tank just has a layer of white sand for the substrate

[rbarn]

uh, did you "mineralize" the potting soil before putting it in the tank ?
You cant just put dirt in an aquarium. It has to be mineralized and mixed with clay to work properly.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/library/52554-how-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html

[stenchx]

no I did not thanks for the link but like I said I won't be going this route anymore, is there a way to take down a thread?