i have been watching videos on people that dirt a tank with organic potting soil. if anyone has any experience please tell me how u did it and how ur plants did. Post pictures and videos if u can. please

I dont really have many pics but I had my 20 running with organic potting soil and after the way everything thrived I did my 55 the same way. Organic potting, sand and gravel, planted heavily and added fish, I used seeded water, sponge filter and gravel to start it and have had no disasters as of yet.

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55 Gallon Planted dirt bottom,Reproducing colony of Heterandria Formosa(Least Killifish), 2 Dwarf Puffers, 5 or so Gambusia, 2 Swamp darters???, Several Wild P. Latipinna(Sailfin Mollies), a handful of Jordanella Floridae(American Flagfish), 1 Lepomis Macrochirus(Bluegill fry)

I have dirt capped with PFS in my planted 75 gallon tank. I am assuming that you have not started your tank yet.
This is what I did when I started my tank. Put the desired depth of dirt in then put ~2-3" of sand on top of that. When you are putting the sand in don't dump it in, scoop it in by the handful to avoid mixing it with the dirt. When filling the tank with water place a bowl or a plate in it and pour the water onto that. DO NOT let the water hit the glass or the sand when pouring or the dirt and sand will mix. Remember to fill the tank slowly and you will end up with a great looking tank.
Here is a recent pic of my tank to give you an idea of what dirt/sand substrate will look like. I do have snails that burrow so that is why the sand is streaked in with the dirt.

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75 Gallon Planted

Google Diane Walstad or check this link: Setting up a Walstad Natural Planted Tank

The only thing I do additionally is to bake the soil to a temp of NO MORE than 190 degrees for a period of 30 minutes. Do not let the temps go higher... This kills any orgasms without sterilizing the benefits of the soil. Bill in Va.

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12 Tanks, 900 gallons. Discus/Angels/Malawi/Lake Victorias. Just added a 135 & 2 - 29's..

Look up beaslbob builds on this forum.

what I recommend is 1" peat moss, 1" play sand, 1" pc select.

Works great and the sand "traps" the peat moss so the water is clear right from the start.

my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden