ScareCrow
Member
Either look like they would work fine. The slate would be my choice though. Depending on what fish you want to keep and the Scape you've got in mind, you could use the grit as a capping layer.
-
You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up
BigFishLittleFish
Seedling
Great marine knowledge provided in this article
Mr.Shenanagins
Member
Hi,
Planning to tear down my gravel only aquarium and add layer of soil underneath and I'm looking at picture in article above soil depth chapter and I'm wondering what is used to do mound in there. Would like to something similar and don't know what to use. Any advice please?
Planning to tear down my gravel only aquarium and add layer of soil underneath and I'm looking at picture in article above soil depth chapter and I'm wondering what is used to do mound in there. Would like to something similar and don't know what to use. Any advice please?
G
Guest
Guest
Just pea gravel in filter media bags.
OllieTY
Member
I think this thread is probably the most relevant place to post this video that showed up in my YT subscription feed. Thoughts? I bought a bag of peat for aquarium use, I'm sure the one bag is probably more than I will ever get through.
PARAGUAY
Member
Goes back to the old Peter Seabrook and Geoff Hamilton debates were Geoff gardened without Peat to prove it wasn't ,good as it is, necessary. Probably Monty Don best example l can think of as a sustainable gardener without Peat. Interesting had a email from Wildlife Trust who are campaigning for immediate ban on and think waiting while 2024 is just another delay.
zozo
Member
The Dutch are "compe(a)ting at a completely different level... The problem is named "The Sinking Lands"... As you can see in the picture below all that is purple is actually all Peat / Bog Land (A long time ago boggy forests.)
It's not only harvested for centuries but it's also from the seaside surrounded by dikes and is Polder Land at times below sea level. Complete cities are built there on top of wooden poles stuck deep into the ground to prevent them from sinking. There are numerous huge pumps running 24/7 to keep the land from flooding. What they did not anticipate centuries ago is the backside of draining and maintaining low water levels in peatlands. Since peat/bogland is actually floating land and draining the water out will bring oxygen into the peat levels and the peat will start to rot and compost and sink in. This sinking land results again in higher groundwater levels and thus it needs to be drained even further. Thus it's a repeating cycle of draining, resulting in oxygenized peat layers rotting away and sinking. The cities build on the wooden poles have the same issue, the wooden poles are oxygenated as well and are rotting away. Resulting in the buildings getting unstable and crumbling above their heads with the land around these buildings sinking faster than the buildings.
Calculated from the middle ages when this (Boggy forest/peatland) land was first colonized and exploited it already sank over 3 metres and it's still sinking at1 to 2 centimetres per year.
Scientists and environmentalists are estimating billions of Euros damage within the coming 20 years and yet there is no real solution.
Rising sea levels are not the only concern it's also Rotting and Sinking peatlands? But at first glance you don't see it, all is converted into polders with cities and fields. You can see it in the cities by looking closely at monumental buildings construction actually seem to be rising since the land around it is sinking.
Never mind the CO² hype and how much rotting peat produces. But bottom line the Dutch are destroying huge amounts of peat only by their existence.
As we can see 50% of the country is built on top of it...
The Dutch word for Peat is Veen, hence the cities named Veendam, Veenendaal, Herenveen, Amstelveen, Hogeveen etc.
It's not only harvested for centuries but it's also from the seaside surrounded by dikes and is Polder Land at times below sea level. Complete cities are built there on top of wooden poles stuck deep into the ground to prevent them from sinking. There are numerous huge pumps running 24/7 to keep the land from flooding. What they did not anticipate centuries ago is the backside of draining and maintaining low water levels in peatlands. Since peat/bogland is actually floating land and draining the water out will bring oxygen into the peat levels and the peat will start to rot and compost and sink in. This sinking land results again in higher groundwater levels and thus it needs to be drained even further. Thus it's a repeating cycle of draining, resulting in oxygenized peat layers rotting away and sinking. The cities build on the wooden poles have the same issue, the wooden poles are oxygenated as well and are rotting away. Resulting in the buildings getting unstable and crumbling above their heads with the land around these buildings sinking faster than the buildings.
Calculated from the middle ages when this (Boggy forest/peatland) land was first colonized and exploited it already sank over 3 metres and it's still sinking at1 to 2 centimetres per year.
Scientists and environmentalists are estimating billions of Euros damage within the coming 20 years and yet there is no real solution.
Rising sea levels are not the only concern it's also Rotting and Sinking peatlands? But at first glance you don't see it, all is converted into polders with cities and fields. You can see it in the cities by looking closely at monumental buildings construction actually seem to be rising since the land around it is sinking.
Never mind the CO² hype and how much rotting peat produces. But bottom line the Dutch are destroying huge amounts of peat only by their existence.
As we can see 50% of the country is built on top of it...
The Dutch word for Peat is Veen, hence the cities named Veendam, Veenendaal, Herenveen, Amstelveen, Hogeveen etc.
Last edited:
G
Guest
Guest
Thanks for all the detailed information on this. I'm new to planted aquariums, however I have a mate who used to have one and has mentioned to me about EI. With doing a 1:1 aquatic soil to Irish moss, is it still possible to do EI or do you stay away from it?
G
Guest
Guest
You could try EI, or a derivative of it There's no hard and fast rules.
barrreport.com
However, there will be a lot of nutrients in the substrate so you might also want to consider lean dosing as an alternative.
www.ukaps.org
Non CO2 methods
While much of the attention and aquascape seen on the web focuses on CO2 enrichment in their methods, Diana Walstad presents an excellent argument for the approach of a non CO2 enriched planted Aquarium. We should also extend this to include Excel and carbon enrichment liquids as well as acetate...
barrreport.com
However, there will be a lot of nutrients in the substrate so you might also want to consider lean dosing as an alternative.
The scientific background to the "Leaf Colour Chart"
Hi all, As a couple of people have asked about the *), I'll add some references into this thread, I'll add more as I collect them. * In December 2023 I wrote a more comprehensive "Duckweed Index" thread, so I'll link it in here: . The LCC was developed to give a visual indication of the...
www.ukaps.org
Great. Thanks for that. Do you need the Irish peat moss or can you just use aquatic soil?You could try EI, or a derivative of it There's no hard and fast rules.
Non CO2 methods
While much of the attention and aquascape seen on the web focuses on CO2 enrichment in their methods, Diana Walstad presents an excellent argument for the approach of a non CO2 enriched planted Aquarium. We should also extend this to include Excel and carbon enrichment liquids as well as acetate...
However, there will be a lot of nutrients in the substrate so you might also want to consider lean dosing as an alternative.
The scientific background to the "Leaf Colour Chart"
Hi all, As a couple of people have asked about the *), I'll add some references into this thread, I'll add more as I collect them. * In December 2023 I wrote a more comprehensive "Duckweed Index" thread, so I'll link it in here: . The LCC was developed to give a visual indication of the...
G
Guest
Guest
Aquatic soil is best mixed with extra organic matter, like moss peat, it improves the structure. It tends to be loam based and can become cloddy after mineralisation. You can add a little extra grit instead of, or as well as it you like.
G
Guest
Guest
I've never used it, so I hesitate to suggest it. However, it should be okay. You can get peat free compost composed of coir. You just need to be aware of what else it contains that may effect water quality.
I've found this online. Not sure how it relates to planted substrate though. This is the block I've got.
Peat moss ph ranging between 3.0 and 4.5. Because of this, manufacturers usually add limestone to it before sale to raise its pH to a point that’s acceptable for most plants. A couple of rarer types of peat have higher pH levels. The hypnum type from hypnum moss varies from 5.0 to 6.5, and the reed type from reeds and sedges runs from 5.0 to 5.5, so those types of peat might not require limestone. Coco coir Coco coir is “sweetest,” with a pH between 5.8 and 6.9, so it generally doesn’t require the addition of limestone to raise its pH either. However, in some cases, its pH is high enough that repeated waterings with hard water could raise it to harmful levels for many plants Coconut coir contains sodium, chloride, and potassium salts. Therefore, it requires less potassium in its fertilizer, but it’s less effective at absorbing other nutrients than peat moss
Peat moss ph ranging between 3.0 and 4.5. Because of this, manufacturers usually add limestone to it before sale to raise its pH to a point that’s acceptable for most plants. A couple of rarer types of peat have higher pH levels. The hypnum type from hypnum moss varies from 5.0 to 6.5, and the reed type from reeds and sedges runs from 5.0 to 5.5, so those types of peat might not require limestone. Coco coir Coco coir is “sweetest,” with a pH between 5.8 and 6.9, so it generally doesn’t require the addition of limestone to raise its pH either. However, in some cases, its pH is high enough that repeated waterings with hard water could raise it to harmful levels for many plants Coconut coir contains sodium, chloride, and potassium salts. Therefore, it requires less potassium in its fertilizer, but it’s less effective at absorbing other nutrients than peat moss
Attachments
G
Guest
Guest
Seems fairly innocuous, you just need a little to add structure so should work quite well.
Mr.Shenanagins
Member
I doubt you’ll have issues finding it, but if you do you can always order some fine mesh media bags. Works just as well, and I’m a big advocate of guide 👍🏻
I got it all yesterday. Been getting some sponge today for the sump, just need to get round to mixing the soil and coco coir together 🙂
