# soil capped?



## DeepMetropolis (29 Mar 2019)

Hi all,

My son neglect his small tank, so I got permission to do a takeover 
I want to try something of a Walstad kind of approach but the things i see people do is cap the dirt with sand or gravel.. Does is needs to be capped? My guess is that the dirt would make a lot of mess if it isn't? And is gravel better then sand due to the pores.. So things that compost sinks faster to the dirt or doesn't it matter?


----------



## Kezzab (29 Mar 2019)

Uncapped is messy. Especially if you have bottom feeders. You might get away with it if you have very very low flow and surface dwelling fish. 
Sand or gravel, take your pick.

K


----------



## PARAGUAY (30 Mar 2019)

Tropica Soil on its own ? or Tropica Substrate covered with good quality sand or gravel ?. Tutorial " The Soil Substate and Dirt Planted Tank by Tim Harrison" should cover this


----------



## DeepMetropolis (30 Mar 2019)

I have uncapped aquasoil in my other tanks, just want to try it with dirt this time with a low tech low maintenance. Only do water changes and trim some plants now and then, its a small tank around 30liters.


----------



## Kezzab (30 Mar 2019)

Aquasoil vs real soil is chalk and cheese!


----------



## castle (30 Mar 2019)

I've got a test jar (1L) which has uncapped soil, it was a mix of sand, clay and garden soil (that is the soil in Norfolk). It settled after a week, super low light and the plants (crypt wendtii and sagittaria sub) are slowly growing and putting out new leaves, it's a nice lil thing. I'll upload a photo soon, moving house today


----------



## DeepMetropolis (30 Mar 2019)

Ok i'm going to try 3 or 4cm potting soil have to check out wich guesss some organic cap it off with 1 or 2 cmsome small gravel sand like .


----------



## castle (3 Apr 2019)

Heres some pics from my jar... 

Indoors it lives in a shaded spot


----------



## castle (3 Apr 2019)

Also I moved house and the soil in the tank was pretty stable, makes me annoyed I didn't make a bigger batch.


----------

