# miracle grow organic potatoe/veg



## dean (20 Apr 2012)

cant find any miracle grow organic compost locally but B&Q have miracle grow pot/veg organic, is this the same thing?
I can also get J Arthur Bowers aquatic compost 
is that going to be any good?


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## BigTom (20 Apr 2012)

These all contain added lime, sulphates and phosphates. The Miracel Gro organic range seem to replace a lot of the peat with other organic matter.

Either way, these will happily grow plants, but be prepared for a long period of ammonia leaching (especially the MGO), and for your water to be hardened significantly, which may or not be a problem depending on your stock list.


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## dean (20 Apr 2012)

Cheers Tom
So any ideas about the aquatic soil?
or which soil should i be looking for?


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## foxfish (20 Apr 2012)

Look out for this


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## BigTom (20 Apr 2012)

You got a breakdown of added ingredients for that foxfish?


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## dean (20 Apr 2012)

J Arthur Bowers Aquatic compost info from their web site

2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Chemical characterisation of active components: Loam, peat, limestone and nutrients
Including potassium nitrate, sulphate of ammonia, mono ammonium phosphate and trace elements

9. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Appearance: Loam/Peat blend
Odour: None
PH: 6.5 approx.
Solubility in water: Insoluble

Whats your thoughts on this????


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## foxfish (20 Apr 2012)

BigTom said:
			
		

> You got a breakdown of added ingredients for that foxfish?


Not off the top of my head mate but, I will probably have some in my shed - however I seem to remember the info on the packing was pretty basic!
Anyway I have used it numerous times with success.


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## BigTom (20 Apr 2012)

foxfish said:
			
		

> BigTom said:
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Any idea what it did to your water chemistry? 



			
				dean said:
			
		

> J Arthur Bowers Aquatic compost info from their web site
> 
> 2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
> Chemical characterisation of active components: Loam, peat, limestone and nutrients
> ...



Like I said, contains lime, phosphate and sulphate. Will grow plants fine, but pump up your hardness a lot, whether or not that's an issue depends on your proposed fish.


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## foxfish (20 Apr 2012)

Hi Tom no idea if the soil changes the water parameters as I dont really test anything, all is says on the bag is..... Levington Bonsai Compost is a free draining blend of loam, sand, bark and peat with essential nutrients


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## BigTom (20 Apr 2012)

Yeah, that's all I could find online as well. I suspect it's high in peat, so will be balanced with lime as almost all these commercial mixes are. What I'm not entirely sure of is how much of the effect they have on hardness is due to the lime vs the phosphates and sulphates.


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## dean (20 Apr 2012)

my water is off the hardness scales, thats why i went from breeding dicus to tanganyikans
ph 7.5
gh 260mgl
kh 160mgl
this is how comes out of my tap


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## brodnig (24 Apr 2012)

dean said:
			
		

> J Arthur Bowers Aquatic compost info from their web site
> 
> 2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
> Chemical characterisation of active components: Loam, peat, limestone and nutrients
> ...



Hi there,

I've just started a low-tech nano with the above soil capped with gravel.

I haven't noticed it having any effect on pH so far, but the tank is only 3.5 weeks old! I don't have the means to test hardness etc. but maybe I should keep an eye on that...

It's nice heavy stuff, pretty easy to work with and didn't cloud the water too much when flooded.


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## dean (27 Apr 2012)

brodnig sure like to see some pics


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## brodnig (3 May 2012)

dean said:
			
		

> brodnig sure like to see some pics



I was thinking about maybe starting a journal of this tank at some point and I think I have a few pics from not long after start up so may post them. 

No promises though - I'll probably not post anything if the tank turns out to be a total disaster!


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## dean (3 May 2012)

That's cheating 
We can't learn what not to do that way


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## brodnig (3 May 2012)

dean said:
			
		

> That's cheating
> We can't learn what not to do that way



 
Fair enough. I'll see about getting one up tomorrow or at the weekend maybe...


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## spyder (3 May 2012)

dean said:
			
		

> J Arthur Bowers Aquatic compost info from their web site
> 
> 2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
> Chemical characterisation of active components: Loam, peat, limestone and nutrients
> ...



Looks like it will possibly leach ammonia for a while too.


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## brodnig (20 May 2012)

brodnig said:
			
		

> dean said:
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> 
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Journal up now...


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