How many water changes with dirt?

Hey guys,

I've just been experiencing and playing around with dirt. AHAH I have a 10 gallon tank and i've just added some new plants, how many times a week or month should i do a water change from the first month and then on and so forth?

Thanks as always,

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Permalink Reply by Robert Jango on August 18, 2012 at 9:55am

Basically what Peter said. Dwarf Sag also grows fast. Anubias is a slow grower.

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Permalink Reply by Erik Molenaar on August 23, 2012 at 3:15pm

i have a couple tanks, but anubias is doing best in my low-light (one 13w bulb), NO dirt tank. also in the tank are floating anacharis, hornwort, and java fern and java moss... all plants that "float".

anubias seems to give out a new leaf every other week for me, with trace elements and flourish excel.

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Permalink Reply by Lewie on August 14, 2012 at 9:00pm

I dont mean to change this post around, but I was wondering if you could further elaborate on the green water idea? You put some orgaic dirt and a piece of potato or something and add water? Is that it? And how do you know if you have any daphnia or anyting in the water, can you see it?

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Permalink Reply by Robert Jango on August 15, 2012 at 5:30am

Just add anything organic to water and put it in the sun and you will get green water. Organic material breaks down into nitrates which algae devours. I prefer to add vegetable matter like lettuce, spinach or, as you say, a potato, but you can also add manure or a dead dead mouse if you like. If the water source is hard (contains lots of minerals) you don't have to add anything; algae will just appear. Or if the container is made of concrete algae will also thrive.

I guarantee mosquito larvae will appear in the container if you leave it outside. And you will also find redworms and other insect larvae. Will you be able to spot them? Absolutely. Give it a couple of days.

If you want Daphnia or blackworms you'll have to order them online. The blackworms won't reproduce fast enough to provide you with a perpetual supply. But if you take care of the Daphnia you'll never have to order them again online.