# Garden soil in substrate?



## dahcmed (Oct 3, 2006)

Hi Guys! Need your advise.

I'm setting up a 15Gal tank. Am planning to grow plants in them, though I'm afraid the flourites, etc. substrate are too costly for me. 

The guy from the petstore said that I can use some garden soil. Mix this up with some fine gravel and cap it up with gravel. I understand this will cloud up the water and will take some time to settle. Is garden soil ok?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Well I wouldn't use soild from your own garden for starters............... 
You can use soil but be sure it doesn't have any herbicides or pesticides or fertilizers in it or your asking for trouble. Plain topsoil will work but its light and will cloud you tank for some time. Diana Walstad is an expert in this area. Googling her shoudl yeild great results.
Here's a start.........
http://www.aquabotanic.com/plants_and_biological_filtration.htm


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I'm no plant expert and i've never tried dirt, but its a common practices to put peat pellets in little clay pots and top it off with gravel and plants. Somehow I always manage to topple them and spill the gravel and peat, but it does seem good for the plants.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I have plants growing quite well just in plain sand, including an Amazon sword that's enormous.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Make sure the soil doesnt have any ferts since product like MiracleGro and of the like tend to have high ammonia content in Urea form (which is pretty harmful) along with alot of phosphates. I would stick with eco complete, flourite, or perhaps plain sand like boxermom said.


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