# Aquatic Soil Tank Setup HELP !!



## paopao (Nov 15, 2013)

hey guys, I have a 10g tetra aquarium.

I decided to put aquatic soil in it instead of gravel but the water just keeps getting cloudy and wouldn't clear up. (its really ticking me off lol)

The tank includes:
-7 Peppered Cory Catfish
-2 Serpae Tetras
-2 Red Molllies
-3 Orange Swordtails
-A couple of Dwarf Sag
**Also, some of my fishes keep on dying even though they look healthy!!!**

any suggestions on what should I do to keep the water clean/clear and the fish healthy? 

Thanks!


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## TorontoPlantMan (Aug 16, 2013)

Need more information...

How much soil? ex. 1 inch
What did you cap it with? and how much?
How long has it been set up?
Are you using a cycled filter or new set up?

How are we supposed to help if you don't provide any information?

And what's "aquatic soil" ? Are you talking ADA soil or dirt capped with sand or gravel? etc


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## perfectgravity (Nov 27, 2012)

Sorry for the bad news, but your tank is way over stocked. You have over 2 times the maximum amount of fish you should have in a 10g.

The fish will get stressed by not having their own space, and the bio load created by all of them is too much. The Amonia levels are likely very high and are causing your fish to die from ammonia poisoning.

Also tanks need to be cycled before you add fish. See this: http://www.oscarfishlover.com/helpful-articles/cycling-an-aquarium

So what to do at this point? try and return or give some of the fish to a friend. Or you could get a bigger tank, all those fish would okay in a 30 gallon. This is crucial as all those fish will never be okay in a 10g in the longrun.

You need to get an ammonia and nitrite test kit and test for ammonia. Keep doing water changes every time the ammonia or nitrite gets to 0.25 or higher you need to do a water change. Until you can get a test kit change 50% of the water everyday.


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

We really have to wait for the OP to come back and give more information but it sounds like an uncycled overstocked tank that wasn't prepped properly and now the fish are paying the price.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

hey guys, I have a 10g tetra aquarium.

I decided to put aquatic soil in it instead of gravel but the water just keeps getting cloudy and wouldn't clear up. (its really ticking me off lol)

I'm assuming it's ADA or Netlea, I hope you didn't just pour it in instead of draining the tank completely then filling it with the soil first and putting a plastic bag over the substrate then pour in water slowly.

The tank includes:
-7 Peppered Cory Catfish
-2 Serpae Tetras
-2 Red Molllies
-3 Orange Swordtails
-A couple of Dwarf Sag
**Also, some of my fishes keep on dying even though they look healthy!!!**

If it's ADA or Netlea they both release alot of ammonia for a few months, this causes your tank to uncycle if it's already cycled. Anytime you change out substrate it will cause a recycle, changing substrate to plant soil like ADA or Netlae will cause a very long recycle which will kill most if not all your fish

any suggestions on what should I do to keep the water clean/clear and the fish healthy?

Not much you can do except for water changes, if you used ADA or netlae or even fluval plant stranum, your tank is already uncycled. Plus you have a lot of fish for a 10g so that doesn't help


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## Kurare (Oct 8, 2010)

How to clear water up real clear... Run a filter floss.
How to keep fish alive... I'm assuming its cycled... Check your water parameters and get back to us. Deaths of fish should not be frequent.
Cory's mollies and swordtails create a ton of waste. Trust me I know. I breed platys in a 150gal. Keep us updated and hopefully your stock hasn't depleted yet.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I agree with all of the above. Get a test kit, remove some fish or get larger tank. Need more info


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