free substrate with gravel

Couesfanatic · 04-01-2010, 10:09 PM

I'm moving in a few months and I don't want to go out and buy ecocomplete until after the move.

Right now I have regular inert black gravel and root tabs. Is there anything free or dirt cheap I can do to make my substrate smaller granules? I don't really want to add sand, although I could.

heydude819 · 04-01-2010, 10:45 PM

You can start mineralizing topsoil and using it to set up a new tank after your move.

Couesfanatic · 04-01-2010, 10:51 PM

I'm pretty new to this, how would I start mineralizing topsoil?

lauraleellbp · 04-01-2010, 11:00 PM

Check out the sticky at the top of this forum.

heydude819 · 04-01-2010, 11:24 PM

long story short, buy the cheapest topsoil (dirt) you can find at walmart or home depot/lowes (It costs about $1 for a large 40 pound bag). Soak it in a large bin for a few days to remove the pesticides, lay the moist dirt on a tarp to air-dry. Rinse and repeat a few cycles and you can sift out the larger particles (rocks and branches) and it would be good to go!

04-01-2010, 10:09 PM	#1
Couesfanatic Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: WA Posts: 1,262	free substrate with gravel I'm moving in a few months and I don't want to go out and buy ecocomplete until after the move. Right now I have regular inert black gravel and root tabs. Is there anything free or dirt cheap I can do to make my substrate smaller granules? I don't really want to add sand, although I could.

04-01-2010, 11:00 PM	#4
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (69/100%) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 22,486	Check out the sticky at the top of this forum. __________________ Geckos galore: Geckos in Tails, and follow Geckos in Tails on Facebook 29 gal Planted Tetra Tank, 46 gal Betta simplex community, 90 gal Low Tech Community, Amazon Fishing; my Journal of 10 days in Bolivia along the Rio San Martin

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04-01-2010, 10:45 PM	#2
heydude819 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: brooklyn, ny Posts: 573	You can start mineralizing topsoil and using it to set up a new tank after your move.

04-01-2010, 10:51 PM	#3
Couesfanatic Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: WA Posts: 1,262	I'm pretty new to this, how would I start mineralizing topsoil?

04-01-2010, 11:24 PM	#5
heydude819 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: brooklyn, ny Posts: 573	long story short, buy the cheapest topsoil (dirt) you can find at walmart or home depot/lowes (It costs about $1 for a large 40 pound bag). Soak it in a large bin for a few days to remove the pesticides, lay the moist dirt on a tarp to air-dry. Rinse and repeat a few cycles and you can sift out the larger particles (rocks and branches) and it would be good to go!