Vinman409

when do i cap the dirt if i add gravel to mud wont it sink into the mud or wait until alittle dry

corsair75

If you lay down the dirt, then the gravel/sand, then add the water it will all work out just fine

Spookyfish

Should the soil be wet before it's capped?

mariannep

I'd say so, as dry soil will often let air out, and bits will try to float when not saturated with water. I'd wet it, let it absorb moisture thouroughly, then wet it some more before proceeding.

Also, it may be useful to do some of the plating before you cap. But I don't have experience with this, so it's really just me thinking aloud and wondering

JeffyFunk

If you're concerned about floating particulate and other such stuff, then ideally you would soak the soil in a separate container, skim off all of the floating particulate, wait for it to firm up (it doesn't have to be bone dry, just not sloppy wet) and then add it to the aquarium.

The dirt sub-layer does not need to be wetted prior to adding it to the tank or capping it. If the soil layer is too wet, then, yes, the capping material will sink. In this case, i would wait for the soil layer to firm up and then add the capping layer (again, it does not need to be bone dry, just not sloppy wet - you can tell how dry it needs be in order to support the capping material).

Personally, I always plant my aquariums after adding an inch or two of water (above the substrate level) to the aquarium. (Amano fills his aquariums up w/ water to the substrate level and then plants.) After planting, i then drain off all of the muddy water and then refill the planted aquarium with another inch or two of water. If the addition of the water is clear, then i'll finish filling the aquarium up. If the water is muddy, then, again, i'll drain off all of the muddy water and repeat this process until the water is clear. If the water does not clear up in ~2 tries, then you need to look for thin spots in your capping material (particularly around plants you just planted) and add more capping material as necessary.

Michael

Great tip, JF, thanks!

DogFish2.0

Use MTS/Sand cap

My best tricks:

Before I start I put a CD cover in one corner creating a triangle void space/

Then I add my MTS compressing it down until I have 2"
Then I add my 1" sand cap
I use a plate on the gravel to fill water 2"above the sand cap.

I take 20min coffee breakWhile the MTS gets saturated.

Next I take syphon hose place one end in that corner void space I created and I'm now able to remove water below the sand cap level.

Now I add hard scape and I plant the tank. Then fill the tank with water.

That void space is filled with only sand prior to removing the CD case cover.

I find this to be a very effective way to make an initial planting.

Skizhx

Sounds interesting...

I put my soil down dry, I give it a light misting to dampen it and pat it down gently (to eliminate the amount of sink once the soil's submerged). Then I cap it and plant. Then I fill the tank with a trickle, using hardscape to break the impact.

I like Scott's Premium Topsoil because even if some of the soil does escape through the cap (like with uprooting plants), I find it stays bound together and doesn't cloud up the water or make any real mess. Very easy to gravel-vac and remove.

Tank should be perfectly clear when filled.

Everyone has their methods :P

Michael

Shizhx, does the Scott's bag list ingredients for the Premium Topsoil? I'm always interested in new soils suitable for aquarium use.

Skizhx

Michael, there is no specific list on the bag.

The bag does recommend adding miracle grow fertilizers to it if you intend to use it in the garden, it's sold for filling in yard holes, etc. So no slow-release fertilizers added to it like with the miracle grow organic.

It does contain Canadian peat moss.

It leeched no noticeable tannins into my water, which surprised me.

I've also found it a much easier and cleaner soil for planting and uprooting (when necessary) than the Miracle Grow Organic.

I've been using it for 3-4 months now and would recommend it over the miracle grow organic...