Is my dirted planted tank set up correctly?

[matti]

I've been preparing for my 90L planted aquarium over the past few weeks, gathering materials and whatnot. I've got the hardscape and most of the substrate ready to go. The plants I've chosen are currently in the fry tank, being driven mad by those pesky bladder snails. As for the soil, I opted for a 20L bag of Homebase Top Soil, which was pretty cheap.

The product description claims it's made from natural loam, blended with nutrient-rich organic matter, and is suitable for topping up existing borders, creating raised beds, and making new lawns. It's also peat-free, which is a bonus. However, I'm a bit concerned about using it in a dirted tank, as I've only ever used aqua soil before.

I've seen some people add water to the soil a day or two in advance to remove any unwanted components, so I decided to try both methods. I had one bucket with water added over 36 hours ago, and another without. The smell from the one with water was pretty terrible compared to the dry one. I also think the soil might be a bit too thick and could do with being sieved to a finer consistency.

Have I done something wrong? Is the soil I've bought okay to use in a dirted tank? I would've preferred to use soil from my garden, but I'm worried it might have plant fertilizers in it.

Thanks for any advice!

[BadgersSong]

The soil you've chosen should work just fine, provided it doesn't contain any synthetic fertilizers. I wouldn't stress too much about breaking down the larger chunks - personally, I think they release nutrients more slowly, which can be beneficial in the long run.

A decent rule of thumb is to use about an inch of soil, then cap it with a couple of inches of sand. Adding plenty of rooted plants, especially crypts and swords, can really help get your tank off to a great start. The soil will release ammonia and CO2 for a few weeks, which your plants will love. Just make sure your ammonia levels are zero before introducing fish. After about a year, the nutrients in the soil may start to deplete, so you might need to add some root tabs.

As for the smell, submerged soil can get pretty pungent if it's disturbed - it's similar to sinking into the muck at the bottom of a pond. To avoid issues, it's best to steer clear of burrowing fish and minimize substrate disturbance once it's in place. With plenty of plant roots, the soil shouldn't become too anaerobic, but it can still cloud your water and cause problems for your fish.

[matti]

The soil you've chosen should work just fine, provided it doesn't contain any synthetic fertilizers. I wouldn't stress too much about breaking down the larger chunks - personally, I think they release nutrients more slowly, which can be beneficial in the long run.

A decent rule of thumb is to use about an inch of soil, then cap it with a couple of inches of sand. Adding plenty of rooted plants, especially crypts and swords, can really help get your tank off to a great start. The soil will release ammonia and CO2 for a few weeks, which your plants will love. Just make sure your ammonia levels are zero before introducing fish. After about a year, the nutrients in the soil may start to deplete, so you might need to add some root tabs.

As for the smell, submerged soil can get pretty pungent if it's disturbed - it's similar to sinking into the muck at the bottom of a pond. To avoid issues, it's best to steer clear of burrowing fish and minimize substrate disturbance once it's in place. With plenty of plant roots, the soil shouldn't become too anaerobic, but it can still cloud your water and cause problems for your fish.

Thanks for the reassurance, I'm glad to hear the soil should be fine as long as it doesn't have synthetic fertilizers. I was planning on a large crypt carpet at the front and a lot of fast-growing stems at the back, so fingers crossed that'll work out. The only things that'll be disturbing the substrate are the amano shrimp, but with a 2+ inch cap I'm hoping that'll be enough to keep the soil in place. I'm planning on stocking the tank with my sawbwa resplendens fry, amanos and the bladder snails that are currently tormenting my plants in the fry tank.

[BadgersSong]

I've been preparing for my 90L planted aquarium over the past few weeks, gathering materials and whatnot. I've got the hardscape and most of the substrate ready to go. The plants I've chosen are currently in the fry tank, being driven mad by those pesky bladder snails. As for the soil, I opted for a 20L bag of Homebase Top Soil, which was pretty cheap.

The product description claims it's made from natural loam, blended with nutrient-rich organic matter, and is suitable for topping up existing borders, creating raised beds, and making new lawns. It's also peat-free, which is a bonus. However, I'm a bit concerned about using it in a dirted tank, as I've only ever used aqua soil before.

I've seen some people add water to the soil a day or two in advance to remove any unwanted components, so I decided to try both methods. I had one bucket with water added over 36 hours ago, and another without. The smell from the one with water was pretty terrible compared to the dry one. I also think the soil might be a bit too thick and could do with being sieved to a finer consistency.

Have I done something wrong? Is the soil I've bought okay to use in a dirted tank? I would've preferred to use soil from my garden, but I'm worried it might have plant fertilizers in it.

Thanks for any advice!

Amano shrimp are quite gentle, so I think you're safe with them. They won't cause much disturbance to the substrate. Crayfish, on the other hand, are notorious for their digging habits - they seem to take great pleasure in relocating dirt from one spot to another.

[kokomo]

The crayfish in our area were notorious for digging up the bottom, creating little trenches everywhere. It was like they had a personal vendetta against the substrate. I recall they'd anchor themselves to a rock or plant, then use their powerful tail to excavate even more efficiently, sending debris flying in all directions.