# Wet or dry?



## beeky (19 Nov 2007)

I've noticed a few photos of people setting up tanks where a substrate or substrates are added 'dry' to the tank and then the tank filled and planted. Others have an inch or two of water as they add the substrate. Does anyone know pros and cons for the different approaches? I imagine filling a tank on top of a dry substrate would lead to lots of trapped air bubbles.


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## CJ Castle (23 Nov 2007)

Most people install substrates in an empty tank because it's easier to slope/shape it, people also try out different hardscape ideas (rock/wood placements) while the tank is empty. Air bubbles don't do anything...


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## Themuleous (23 Nov 2007)

Its also easier to plant the plants if the substrate is wet but the tank is not full 

Sam


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## Tom (23 Nov 2007)

And if you rearrange substrates underwater you can end up with liquid mud!


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## George Farmer (25 Nov 2007)

I wet the substrate prior to adding to the tank, then plant into the wet substrate.  No more water until finished - except a spray mister to stop the plants from drying out.

Filling ultra-slowly will prevent any clouding, even if the substrate isn't too clean.  

ADA Aqua Soil will punish you if you add water too quickly.


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## beeky (25 Nov 2007)

I wasn't sure if people put the substrate in dry (i.e. straight out of the bag into an empty tank) and then planted and then filled, or add an inch of water, add substrate, plant and fill.

It seems like it's the latter. Cheers.


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## daniel19831123 (25 Nov 2007)

I did the dry method. Used top soil and topped it up with dupla substrate. Didn't soak the soil for 2 weeks, didn't wash the dupla substra. Plonk it straight into the tank and fill it with water and start the filter running lol. The tank wasn't as cloudy as I thought in would be and it cleared up after 24 hours. Didn't have a test kit for ammonia but I'm pretty sure the ammonia level would have spike through the roof. I let the tank have 3wpg light T5HO 12 hour per day and it's been running for 1 week now and finger crossed that I still haven't seen sign of any algae. ONly plant in the tank so far is ludwigia repens on the corner and some mini pelia on the front. Still awaiting the rest of my plants from germany.

Gosh I've broken so many traditional fish keeping rule in this attempt to set this tank up. I've even forgotten to put a styrofoam sheet under the tank!
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## Garuf (25 Nov 2007)

daniel, yo'u'll be needing a mop and a bucket shortly then, polystyrene is essential on everything over 5gallon.


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## daniel19831123 (25 Nov 2007)

Yeah I was quite wary about it. Got a piece of styrofoam in my room at the moment but will have to wait till the end of next week to get help to put it under the tank. Hopefully the tank will be fine till then.


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## Themuleous (25 Nov 2007)

Empty half the tank?  That would take some of the weight off the tank.  The fish would be fine for a few weeks in less water I would think.

Sam


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## daniel19831123 (25 Nov 2007)

Yeah I would empty of the tank water tomorrow. I was so tempted to fill the tank up when I got the filter and substrate that I totally got carried away with it. There is no fish in the tank at the moment besides some snails. ACtually I will just drag a friend from work and get him to lift the tank for me tomorrow.... I'm getting a little worried now.


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## Garuf (26 Nov 2007)

ahhhh I see your a stokie too, I live near to alton towers, where are you?

If I where you I'd follow the rules, there's a reason for them and its called algae.


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## daniel19831123 (26 Nov 2007)

haha I've never had people calling me a stokie before lol. I'm actually not from stoke. Originally from Malaysia have been living in cardiff for the last 5 years and now moved to stoke for my job in the hospital. I lived on the City General Hospital site. Hence the reason why I can only afford a small tank


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## Garuf (26 Nov 2007)

Ahhhhhhh makes sense. 
north staffs I'm guessing? have you found glovers and the aquatics warehouse? (the warehouse one is especially good for planted stuff does co2 and the entire seachem range and you can get good family favourites like java ferns and what not quiet good for fish too.
whats your set up? 


(sorry for hijacking)


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## daniel19831123 (26 Nov 2007)

don't know about glovers but I've found aquatic warehouse. They've got a good range of plant selection there and the quite a complete set of seachem substrate as far as I can see. But they haven't got a clue about the plants they take in (quite pricey too 2.50 for a bunch and they are not the best quality ones) The seachem substrate seemed to be reasonably price. Although they are 22-25 quid a bag you don't have to pay postage for them. It works out really good if you are local here. I decided to be cheap and get a 25kg bag of top soil for 3 quid though! lol.


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## Garuf (26 Nov 2007)

top soil you have to bake before its usable im lead to believe, glovers is in fenton near to the kfc.
plants isn't either of their specialities but you have to make do. 
And anyway your close enough for me to give you some cuttings when ever "I'm up 'anly duck" skateboarding.


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## daniel19831123 (26 Nov 2007)

I don't baked the top soil cause the only reason why I'm using them is to preserve the bacteria. With regards to the ammonia that leeches from the soil, I would like it to leach as much as possible because I wanted a fishless cycling. I will post some picture up when the tank start running and the plants start growing. I've got everything on photo well except the bit where I was messing with the soil cause my hand was dirty and there is no one else there to take the photos. Advance apology for the quality of the picture though cause they are all taken with my camera phone and it's only 2 mega pixel.


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## beeky (26 Nov 2007)

My Juwel tank didn't need polystyrene. In fact it explicitly states not to use it in the setup guide. My 3' tank has it though (it's a Rena I think).


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## Themuleous (26 Nov 2007)

Some tanks have a built in 'base' system.  My small rena 60lt doesn't require anything as the tank rests on a base which raises it above up slightly.  I have noticed however that the larger rena tanks have round disks of polyesterene underneath but also have a base as well, I guess this is to support the central areas of the glass bottom and stop it from bowing to much.

Clearseal, ADA and other non-framed tanks require a base as far as I can tell.

Sam


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## beeky (26 Nov 2007)

Your small rena sounds like the same design as my juwel.


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## Themuleous (26 Nov 2007)

Yeh probably is


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## daniel19831123 (26 Nov 2007)

Hmm do I need or do I not need the plustyrene sheet then? I was told that I dun need a very thick one for my tank as it's small. So I've only got a sheet which is about 0.5 cm thick. Will the tank break if I lift it up with about 20 litre of water in them? I could take a bit more out but which means I will need to replant a lot of the plants again as they will be flopping all over the tank without water to support them.


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## Themuleous (26 Nov 2007)

Would think what you have should be fine.  The foam pads are about that think.

Sam


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## daniel19831123 (26 Nov 2007)

stupid of me not to measure the pad before placing it. NOw I realise the pad is 4 inches shorter than the tank! and 4 inches of the tank is sitting on top of nothing! Had to placed a cardboard underneath it to cushion it. Hopefully that would do.... Any objection to using cardboard under a tank?


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## Themuleous (27 Nov 2007)

Dont think so, it'll do the same job


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## milla (27 Nov 2007)

Spilt water + cardboard = PULP


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## daniel19831123 (27 Nov 2007)

yeah I'm trying not to spill water on that side of the tank. Thank god this tank is meant to be maintenance free anyway so water changing is kept to the minimum. Hopefully this will solve the problem


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