My first dirt substrate planted tank, w/video journal

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Anybody else on here doing dirt tanks?

As a long time monster fish keeper i have No idea what kind of fish to stock in a tank like this. I've never had an aquarium that didn't contain predatory fish.:)

What do you guys think of my setup?

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Nice vid. I use approx 2" of dirt just to give the plants plenty of nutrient for a long time!.. Make an algae scrubber, so you don't get algae!
 
You can see the pic in the middle where my plants were small, and then the later pics, where they're just full grown now.
 
In that one pic, when my setup was relatively new, you can't even see the plant that was planted behind the tire, and now it's way grown over the tire.
 
Didn't make any sense to me what you said about the air bubbles equalizing the co2 in the room is why people don't normally use them in tank with co2. The reason air stones of wands are not normally used is it forces co2 out of the water through agitation. Any strong water agitation on the surface will force co2 out of the water. An example its like shaking a soda can will force the co2 out quicker from the soda. The same principal agitating the water forces co2 from the water. Your plants will produce oxygen anyways when using co2 under bright lighting. I tried dirt once along time ago. I don't ever use dirt under my substrate any more. If you ever need to pull a plant up that's been growing for awhile will pull up a big cloud of mud
 
MyGiants said:
Didn't make any sense to me what you said about the air bubbles equalizing the co2 in the room is why people don't normally use them in tank with co2. The reason air stones of wands are not normally used is it forces co2 out of the water through agitation. Any strong water agitation on the surface will force co2 out of the water. An example its like shaking a soda can will force the co2 out quicker from the soda. The same principal agitating the water forces co2 from the water. Your plants will produce oxygen anyways when using co2 under bright lighting. I tried dirt once along time ago. I don't ever use dirt under my substrate any more. If you ever need to pull a plant up that's been growing for awhile will pull up a big cloud of mud
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this is true to a certain point, but it is a common misconception that surface agitation only removes co2.

surface agitation does not automatically add oxygen and remove co2, it causes gas exchange of both oxygen, and co2. Their is a certain level of saturation of both gases, that is maintained in water with surface agitation.

In an aquarium with plants using co2 and giving off oxygen. The water will be low in co2, and the agitation will, add co2.

In many setups the fish are giving off co2, which is then lost through surface agitation.

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kcfan491 said:
In an aquarium with plants using co2 and giving off oxygen. The water will be low in co2, and the agitation will, add co2.
Click to expand...

Not enough to even be measured

kcfan491 said:
In many setups the fish are giving off co2, which is then lost through surface agitation.
Click to expand...

You cant put enough fish, in any setup, to get a reading on co2 levels. So its best to LOWER surface aggitation to just a ripple in order to keep the co2 in the tank. Filtration puts all the o2 needed into a tank, no need for all that splashing to add more.
 
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