Cfl for planted tank?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Some say yes it needs to be mineralized, however I did set up one tank where I just added the muriate of potash, barrs gh booster to the bottom of the tank and added the topsoil on top of it then added some dilomite calcium carbonate with magnesium, and added some azomite powder and mixed it into the dirt. Then I capped the dirt with play sand, and then added some diy root tabs made of aquariumfertilizer.com macro/micro mix to some size -00- empty capsules into the substrate then slowly filled the tank with water.

Aquariumfertilizer.com macro/micro mix can be found here...

http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=


Let the tank run for 2 weeks so the filters could do their magic with clearing the water, and then started adding plants and they all grew well without any problems. I used a diy co2 system for the tank, but I ended up selling the tank.
 
xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx said:
Some say yes it needs to be mineralized, however I did set up one tank where I just added the muriate of potash, barrs gh booster to the bottom of the tank and added the topsoil on top of it then added some dilomite calcium carbonate with magnesium, and added some azomite powder and mixed it into the dirt. Then I capped the dirt with play sand, and then added some diy root tabs made of aquariumfertilizer.com macro/micro mix to some size -00- empty capsules into the substrate then slowly filled the tank with water.

Aquariumfertilizer.com macro/micro mix can be found here...

http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=


Let the tank run for 2 weeks so the filters could do their magic with clearing the water, and then started adding plants and they all grew well without any problems. I used a diy co2 system for the tank, but I ended up selling the tank.
Click to expand...

ok glad its not a must not that im lazy but i live in an apartment and have no outside space to do it
 
I would definitely sift it, because any sort of wood chips that may be present can actually decay giving off a nasty stench to the water, and can actually cause plants to start decaying which will lead to contaminants that pollute your tank and kill your livestock. To be honest with you, I've sort of developed my own process of "mineralizing" for any dirted tanks I setup.

First off I use a 1/8" screen to sift the organic topsoil, which catches everything and only allows 100% topsoil through it. Then once I'm done sifting all the dirt needed for the tank I mix 2 tablespoons of Azomite powder into the dry dirt, then I add muriate of potash to the bare bottom of the tank, add a bit of dolomite calcium carbonate w/ magnesium to the bottom of the tank. Then I add the dry dirt to the tank so I get a 2" thickness across the entire tank, add a bit of Barrs GH Booster on top of the dry dirt, and finally cap the dirt layer with 1/2" of play sand across the entire tank. Slowly fill the tank up with dechlorinated water, plug in my filters,and let the tank run for a week. After the first week of letting the tank run I use a metal coat hanger to poke around the tank, and let out any bubble pockets that may of formed in the dirt. Let the tank fun for another week, add in my DIY root tabs (root tabs contain osmocote plus granules, and aquariumfertizer.com macro/micro mix) I add them around the entire tank 6" apart, and then I add the live plants to the tank.

Let the tank run for 3 days, then I make up a batch of DIY co2 if it's in a new tank and I don't have a co2 injection system for it. If I do have a co2 injection system available I connect everything, and plug it in to start supllying co2 to the plants. Then every 4 months I add in new DIY root tabs that contain osmocote plus to the substrate, but I also follow a EI daily dosing regime.
 
xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx said:
I would definitely sift it, because any sort of wood chips that may be present can actually decay giving off a nasty stench to the water, and can actually cause plants to start decaying which will lead to contaminants that pollute your tank and kill your livestock. To be honest with you, I've sort of developed my own process of "mineralizing" for any dirted tanks I setup.

First off I use a 1/8" screen to sift the organic topsoil, which catches everything and only allows 100% topsoil through it. Then once I'm done sifting all the dirt needed for the tank I mix 2 tablespoons of Azomite powder into the dry dirt, then I add muriate of potash to the bare bottom of the tank, add a bit of dolomite calcium carbonate w/ magnesium to the bottom of the tank. Then I add the dry dirt to the tank so I get a 2" thickness across the entire tank, add a bit of Barrs GH Booster on top of the dry dirt, and finally cap the dirt layer with 1/2" of play sand across the entire tank. Slowly fill the tank up with dechlorinated water, plug in my filters,and let the tank run for a week. After the first week of letting the tank run I use a metal coat hanger to poke around the tank, and let out any bubble pockets that may of formed in the dirt. Let the tank fun for another week, add in my DIY root tabs (root tabs contain osmocote plus granules, and aquariumfertizer.com macro/micro mix) I add them around the entire tank 6" apart, and then I add the live plants to the tank.

Let the tank run for 3 days, then I make up a batch of DIY co2 if it's in a new tank and I don't have a co2 injection system for it. If I do have a co2 injection system available I connect everything, and plug it in to start supllying co2 to the plants. Then every 4 months I add in new DIY root tabs that contain osmocote plus to the substrate, but I also follow a EI daily dosing regime.
Click to expand...

Alright all those thing you add to the dirt and the bottom of the tank were can I find them?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Dolomite calcium carbonate w/ magnesium - http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=


Barrs GH Booster - http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=


Macro/Micro fertilizer mix - http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=


Muriate of Potash - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hi-Yield-Mu...ertilizer_Soil_Amendments&hash=item1c360b6749


Osmocote plus root tabs - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Osmocote-Pl...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item35caa285be


Azomite powder - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Azomite-Mic...611?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cce2b7663

I pull the root tabs apart, and empty all of the Osmocote plus out, then add 6 osmocote plus pellets into the capsule, and fill the rest of the capsule with the macro/micro fertilizer mix.
 
I use 2x 33watt 6500k cfl's and 1x 24" 20watt eco lux florescent tube on my 40B. Works like a charm.
CAM00970_zps30f4a1d1.jpg


the bulbs cost a total of 16$ and I had a spare reptile fixture to house them. Easy peezy japeneezy



×Go S Vettel #1 Infiniti Redbull! 3x WDC!!!×
__________________________________________________________________

Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763
 
F1 VET said:
I use 2x 33watt 6500k cfl's and 1x 24" 20watt eco lux florescent tube on my 40B. Works like a charm.
CAM00970_zps30f4a1d1.jpg


the bulbs cost a total of 16$ and I had a spare reptile fixture to house them. Easy peezy japeneezy



×Go S Vettel #1 Infiniti Redbull! 3x WDC!!!×
__________________________________________________________________

Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: [url]http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763 [/URL]
Click to expand...
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Looks good!
 
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