I want to convert!

im just very lost on how, if my gravel will work for capping and all sorts of questions... i was going to do a mixture of miracle grow, sand, clay, and a little ash that is decomposed. my gravel is a larger grain like you would find at petsmart. will it be able to cap it right and allow me to plant with out disturbing the dirt. also how long will it take to settle at the bottom and add my fish back ?

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Permalink Reply by 2apes2gp667wr on November 29, 2011 at 6:09pm

That gravel will be fine as a cap. A lot of people like a smaller grain gravel, but that will work. If you save about half of your tank water before the dirting in a container and add it back in after, you can add the fish in right after dirting. I've done it twice with no ill effects. The dirt will continue to settle for some time, but that will all happen under the cap. There's a good sticky thread in the dirt convert section.

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Permalink Reply by Sin the conqueror on November 30, 2011 at 1:05am

i wouldnt recommend putting your fish back in after dirting for some time because the dirt will release alot of ammonia into the water when you submerge it. i know that people do it and get away with doing so with massive water changes but i would advise against it.

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Permalink Reply by 2apes2gp667wr on November 30, 2011 at 9:21am

Like I said I've done it twice with no problems. I should have mentioned to check Ammonia levels after a massive change like this. I'm on day 6 of my recent dirting and still reading 0 NH3 and I check water parameters for the first week or 2 to make sure everything is OK. I must have plenty of bio bact. going on, enough to offset the loss of substrate bact.

To what are you attributing the spike in ammonia? The amount of ammoniacal nitrogen in the dirt should be able to be handled by the plants and bact. I think it is soluble and any extra should be taken care of with a few water changes if need be. I know that's a lot of shoulds. lol

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Permalink Reply by Snow&Tanks on December 1, 2011 at 12:43pm

also i have two large amazon swords that are pretty rooted already will that be a problem??

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Permalink Reply by Sin the conqueror on December 1, 2011 at 1:02pm

if they're already planted then i wouldnt bother removing them...#1 because im lazy...#2 because it'll cause a big mess and release tons of nutrients into the water #3...it'll release tons of nutrients into the water

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Permalink Reply by Snow&Tanks on December 1, 2011 at 1:07pm

but like thats the problem they are the only plants i can get to root that way. o nothing is "growing" per say

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Permalink Reply by Sin the conqueror on December 1, 2011 at 1:21pm

in your non-dirted tank? maybe you should upload some pics....im not really understanding what you're trying to do and what the problem is. if the amazons are rooted in a non dirted tank then just take them out....if they are rooted in a dirted tank then you should be fine and other plants SHOULD be able to grow....if in a dirted tank and other plants arent growing then i really dont know >.>

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Permalink Reply by Snow&Tanks on December 1, 2011 at 1:26pm

yea its non dirted lol thats what i was saying. all i have is high lighting i have pics on my profile if you can just save me the trouble and go there lol