# Mineralized Soil Substrate



## _Green_ (Dec 30, 2008)

Having read this article over at aquatic plant central, I'm considering trying this when I redo my 55g after we move. Have any of you tried this method for a substrate, if so how did it work? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Ross


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I plan on trying it over the summer, at least in a small amount.


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

I've not gone through the whole enrichment process described in that article, but using plain organic garden soil soaked and drained/dried a few times, I've set up several soil based tanks and I've had very good luck with them each time.

This method works best for people who don't want to tweak and tune their plantings. The biggest drawback is mess made when you do major changes by uprooting plants. With stems, I just lift and cut them off about 1/2 below th gravel and leave the root structure there rather than uprooting them.

That said, if you can set up a "scape" you're happy with using slower growing plants, you can have a really healthy, really low maintenance tank for very cheap using 1-1.5" of plain old gravel over about 1" of soil.


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

I'm trying this right now. I am still drying and wetting the soil.


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## Plaid (Nov 10, 2008)

Well, it's time to exhume an recently deceased thread.

I am currently in the process of mineralizing some soil, so we shall see how it turns out.

Question: When I soak my soil, roughly half of it floats, and half sinks. I understand that the floating bit is just loam and organic chunklettes, but will they become soil as the process goes on?

I mean, the part that sinks is enough to fill my tank (I made a lot), but I don't want to keep washing and drying the floaty bits if they're just a waste of time.


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## Ishar (May 7, 2009)

When I tried to mineralize my soil, I just dumped the water off, so all floaty bits just went with the water. Just keep the good sinking stuff.


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