[vanessa25]

i have just started a 29 gallon planted aquarium! i was told for a substrate to use flourite or laterite and gravel, well neither is avaiable to me so they told me to use a layer of potting soil about 2 inches thick and a layer of plain aquarium gravel on top of it about an inch think! is this good to grow plants in???

 

[locus]

I would stay away from potting soil if you're just starting out...

Eco-Complete or Flourite are good & easy substrates, if you can't find any local then you can buy it online!

 

[Raul-7]

Locus is right, potting soil should be left to more expierenced aquarist and even they run into problems. Eco-Complete is great, it's black, porous, and loaded with micros. Get it for cheap at AquariumPlant, they have a huge sale...$10 for a bag of EC!

 

[vanessa25]

Locus is right, potting soil should be left to more expierenced aquarist and even they run into problems. Eco-Complete is great, it's black, porous, and loaded with micros. Get it for cheap at AquariumPlant, they have a huge sale...$10 for a bag of EC!

So you can use potting soil and the plans will grow good? what sorts of problems?

 

[Simpte 27]

Cleaning is a PITA. Cant really use a gravel vac as you can disturb the substrate and cloud your water. It also compacts very easily so most people I know use MTS (trumpet snails) to keep it airated.

 

[Sir_BlackhOle]

If you want to learn about soil in aquariums you should really pick up Diana Walstad's "Ecology of the Planted Aquaruim." Its a really good book with tons of info. And even if you dont want to do soil, its still a very good book to have.