There is a danger with using straight potting soil you should be aware of.
It can turn anaerobic and turn you tank into a swamp
And releases lots of NH4 and causes algae. Potting mix isn't a standard mix so it might be fine for somebody but not for others.
You have a lesser chance with MTS.
All true.
Very true, and additional concerns because so much can be living in the 'live' dirt that can't survive once submerged. Several folks have felt better baking it before using it just to kill whatever might be in it.
The risk of anaerobic conditions exist with any substrate to a degree. It's simply a technical word which literally means no O2. Without any oxygen in the substrate problems follow. The release of NH4 in huge amounts could be caused by prior chemical treatments applied to the soil, no doubt a factor to consider. Ammonia can also be released in large amounts by the massive bacteria colony that exists chewing through the submerged organics without it going anaerobic. Redox consideration is a more important concern (imo).
While I suggest Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Soil (that's what I use). You can't buy it and simply 'trust' the contents. From one geographic location to another, one plants bagging cycle to the next, one annual season to the next. Is it made in the same place, with the same stuff, combined in metered amount? No. It's not that detailed a process. It has no man made component added. Just bagged material without the addition of fertilizer salts or chemical binder compounds to hold water or anything else being added.
Putting any soil in a jar, adding water and seeing what it contains and releases is a first step for anyone considering this method. Admitting to owning (and reading (several times)) D. Walstad's book at this point.
But rather than falling back on it, and simply referring to her published work stating page and paragraph quotes I try to post to what I've experienced with my tanks in house as to what I see and feel works.
At this point in my experiences my opinion is;
Nothing is fast, cheap and instantly 100% safe, you can't have all three.
Being careful you can have two.
Set up a tank with all the purpose specific products offered by the aquarium trade and it can be done safely 99.9% of the time but never cheaply.
Grab a bag of dirt and you have cheap but you also have an unknown. No fast setup here unless your willing to accept and ignore that unknown.
And I expect MTS should provide a longer nutrient supply than the Miracle Gro. There are more slow release nutrients created with the mineralization process. Time will tell, though...
What exactly is this component of the MTS process plz? Mineralization is the breakdown of all the organic materials back to mineral form (correct me please if I'm wrong)? Where is the binder creating slowed release of nutrients when using MTS in the aquarium? Once mineralization of the soil is completed the nutrients are readily available to the plants for easy uptake. I've read that statement in every thread on this process I've seen posted.
In MTS the bacteria break it down to non-organics before it goes in the tank - which means a steady supply of nutrients to the plants.
OK, this bacterial break down of organics prior to using the soil in the aquarium makes the nutrients a steady supply of nutrients to the plants -or-
a readily available supply?
In regular potting soil the nutrients are all immediately available in quantities greater than can be used - it is the same thing as over fertilizing.
Aaahhh! this is making my head hurt! If MTS breaks down the binding organics how is it
more available while bound in organic compounds? I'm so confused reading this! Can a plant be grown in a bedding of leaves and sticks alone? No! But once the leaves and sticks rot and become minerals again gitty up! the plants grow. How nutrients are all immediately available I haven't a clue.
you get algae out the wazoo which quickly eat up the excess nutrients and the longevity of the soil is far less.
'Algae out the wazoo'
New tank syndrome? Algae boom? Chemical imbalance's that only happen in tanks with natural soils? -or- are you posting a high percentage of natural soil tanks do this? If the latter, reading the many posted threads here and on APC this is not the normal experience reported by those that follow this method properly.
What mistergreen said is correct
I can't seem to read this posted in that information. I read it as possibly several things may happen.
'Potting mix isn't a standard mix' is the important information I understood to be conveyed by Mr. Green