Re-using nutrient substrate

[Paul195]

Hi

I've got 3 20lb bags of Caribsea Tahition black moon sand to go in my new tank and trying to decide if I should use some sort of nutrient layer underneath it for the plants. In my current tank I have some Oliver Knott Nature soil which is about 1.5 years old but is still mostly intact granules - but I guess there might not be many nutrients left in by now ? I was considering trying to save some cash and reusing it underneath the sand cap. Maybe I could add some ferts underneath it and then break it down into a sort of dirt, and then cap with the sand.

Any thoughts on whether this is a reasonable suggestion and what I might add if anything ?

Thanks

Paul

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi Paul
You could re-use the Oliver Knott....but add Osmocote fertilizer to it....plus some root tablets!

hoggie

 

[Paul195]

Thanks Hoggie

Does it have to be osmocote plus ? or one which doesn't contain ammonia ?

 

[AverageWhiteBloke]

I'm <currently maturing a low tech setup> re-using cat litter as a substrate with Osmocote underneath. So far so good (fingers crossed) but I do appear to have used a little too much. Quite difficult to gauge how much to use exactly so I suppose it's trial and error. Would be great to experiment and try and find the correct amount, I just gave the bottom a sprinkle, pretty much a guess.

 

[AverageWhiteBloke]

Does it have to be osmocote plus ? or one which doesn't contain ammonia ?

AFAIK they all contain Ammonia in one shape of form.