urgent advice needed. Plants on the way...

odie · 10-21-2010, 11:25 AM

Here is the issue. I purchased MTS from someone. I mixed it up and added to my 125 gallon. It looked like it was not enough. Measured depth and it was 1/4 inch. I assumed it was ok and capped it with 120 lbs of flourite and added water. Went online and saw it should be double that to 4 times that. GULP. To complicate things I have an order of plants on its way to arrive Tuesday maybe Monday. $200 on plants to be exactly.I also have family from out of town coming on the weekend to spend the night.

Seller said they can get more to me asap. I have a mess now. Should I ask for a refund? Is it feasible to remove the flourite from a 6 foot aquarium? I know I don't have enough buckets! Lol

snausage · 10-21-2010, 12:26 PM

No, just leave everything as is. Digging it out would be a horrible idea. Just plant the plants (they'll be fine) and figure out something else in the meantime.
If you're really paranoid, run out and get a big box of root ferts.

Satirica · 10-21-2010, 02:44 PM

A 1/4 inch of MTS should keep the tank going for years. Don't sweat it -- it isn't an exact science.

**Hoppy** · 10-21-2010, 07:36 PM

At worst you will want to dose the water per the EI method, which you probably should do anyway.

odie · 10-21-2010, 11:29 PM

Person I bought the MTS from is sending more out tonight. They felt really bad and is trying to help. It should arrive on Saturday. They suggested I pull the MTS and flourite and rinse them thru a colander. Add the MTS they sent and add any of the original MTS to make up any that is needed. Does this make sense? Or should I see how the 1/4 works out.

ridewake210 · 10-21-2010, 11:33 PM

You'll be fine, but its up to you.

Lot of work to separate the MTS and Fluorite and then do it all over again.
your tank is going to be torn down for a few days to complete the MTS process.

odie · 10-22-2010, 11:48 AM

Man you are all making this a tough decision!!! I was planning on pulling it all out but now I am not sure. I would love to not have to do break down the entire tank...

keithy · 10-22-2010, 12:27 PM

another idea for you to consider. Maybe you can freeze the mts on a baking pan and the shove sheets of it into the substrate. you may have to have several/many sheets though. That way, you will have only a short "down time" and not have to tear up the whole tank. The plants can wait another day in a bucket of water. Just my 2 cents.

odie · 10-22-2010, 01:00 PM

Wow that is a creative thought!! But I dont have a freezer large enough. Just the standard fridge with a freezer above and it is full. Plus my wife would kill me!!

keithy · 10-22-2010, 01:33 PM

that idea actually was from tom barr, used for osmocote ferts. Another idea would be to sandwich the mts mud between 2 piece of plywood, shove in under gravel, lift and slide the top plywood to allow gravel displacement on top of the mts and second plywood. Then gently press on the gravel and slide the second plywood out slowly. This will leave the mts at the bottom of gravel. I don't know how well that is going to work out through. Instead of plywood, maybe you can come out with something rigid with less roughness.

odie · 10-23-2010, 04:43 PM

Well usps man came with mail and no MTS. Plants are coming on Monday........soil?

ridewake210 · 10-23-2010, 05:41 PM

Well lets us know what you decided and how you do it.

10-21-2010, 11:25 AM	#1
odie Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: rochester,mn Posts: 373	urgent advice needed. Plants on the way... Here is the issue. I purchased MTS from someone. I mixed it up and added to my 125 gallon. It looked like it was not enough. Measured depth and it was 1/4 inch. I assumed it was ok and capped it with 120 lbs of flourite and added water. Went online and saw it should be double that to 4 times that. GULP. To complicate things I have an order of plants on its way to arrive Tuesday maybe Monday. $200 on plants to be exactly.I also have family from out of town coming on the weekend to spend the night. Seller said they can get more to me asap. I have a mess now. Should I ask for a refund? Is it feasible to remove the flourite from a 6 foot aquarium? I know I don't have enough buckets! Lol __________________ http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...5-gal-mts.html Odie's Planted Playland 75gallon Crypt heavy

10-21-2010, 07:36 PM	#4
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (54/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17,212	At worst you will want to dose the water per the EI method, which you probably should do anyway. __________________ Hoppy

10-21-2010, 11:29 PM	#5
odie Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: rochester,mn Posts: 373	Person I bought the MTS from is sending more out tonight. They felt really bad and is trying to help. It should arrive on Saturday. They suggested I pull the MTS and flourite and rinse them thru a colander. Add the MTS they sent and add any of the original MTS to make up any that is needed. Does this make sense? Or should I see how the 1/4 works out. __________________ http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...5-gal-mts.html Odie's Planted Playland 75gallon Crypt heavy

10-21-2010, 11:33 PM	#6
ridewake210 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (21/100%) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Urbana, Illinois Posts: 1,090	You'll be fine, but its up to you. Lot of work to separate the MTS and Fluorite and then do it all over again. your tank is going to be torn down for a few days to complete the MTS process. __________________ Sean 90g- 4x54w T5HO, Pressurized CO2, XP2 & XP4, Hydor ETH 300w 125g- African Mbuna,Haps, Peacock community tank x2 Rena XP4s, Hydor ETH 300w, 4x39w Coralife T5NO Filstar PIMP #165 In the making...15+ more tanks. Ranging from 5 gallons to 40 gallons.

10-22-2010, 11:48 AM	#7
odie Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: rochester,mn Posts: 373	Man you are all making this a tough decision!!! I was planning on pulling it all out but now I am not sure. I would love to not have to do break down the entire tank... __________________ http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...5-gal-mts.html Odie's Planted Playland 75gallon Crypt heavy

10-21-2010, 12:26 PM	#2
snausage Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (29/100%) Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 1,154	No, just leave everything as is. Digging it out would be a horrible idea. Just plant the plants (they'll be fine) and figure out something else in the meantime. If you're really paranoid, run out and get a big box of root ferts.

10-21-2010, 02:44 PM	#3
Satirica Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Idaho Posts: 64	A 1/4 inch of MTS should keep the tank going for years. Don't sweat it -- it isn't an exact science.

10-22-2010, 12:27 PM	#8
keithy Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10/100%) Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 837	another idea for you to consider. Maybe you can freeze the mts on a baking pan and the shove sheets of it into the substrate. you may have to have several/many sheets though. That way, you will have only a short "down time" and not have to tear up the whole tank. The plants can wait another day in a bucket of water. Just my 2 cents.

10-22-2010, 01:00 PM	#9
odie Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: rochester,mn Posts: 373	Wow that is a creative thought!! But I dont have a freezer large enough. Just the standard fridge with a freezer above and it is full. Plus my wife would kill me!! __________________ http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...5-gal-mts.html Odie's Planted Playland 75gallon Crypt heavy

10-22-2010, 01:33 PM	#10
keithy Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10/100%) Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 837	that idea actually was from tom barr, used for osmocote ferts. Another idea would be to sandwich the mts mud between 2 piece of plywood, shove in under gravel, lift and slide the top plywood to allow gravel displacement on top of the mts and second plywood. Then gently press on the gravel and slide the second plywood out slowly. This will leave the mts at the bottom of gravel. I don't know how well that is going to work out through. Instead of plywood, maybe you can come out with something rigid with less roughness.

10-23-2010, 04:43 PM	#11
odie Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: rochester,mn Posts: 373	Well usps man came with mail and no MTS. Plants are coming on Monday........soil? __________________ http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...5-gal-mts.html Odie's Planted Playland 75gallon Crypt heavy

10-23-2010, 05:41 PM	#12
ridewake210 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (21/100%) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Urbana, Illinois Posts: 1,090	Well lets us know what you decided and how you do it. __________________ Sean 90g- 4x54w T5HO, Pressurized CO2, XP2 & XP4, Hydor ETH 300w 125g- African Mbuna,Haps, Peacock community tank x2 Rena XP4s, Hydor ETH 300w, 4x39w Coralife T5NO Filstar PIMP #165 In the making...15+ more tanks. Ranging from 5 gallons to 40 gallons.

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