silly substrate question

[hockeyhead019]

ok guys bear with me,

i'm sitting in the library at school and just wondering why can't we use dirt as our substrate? granted it won't look astonishing but it's free haha you could put it in and let the tank cycle as usual and then add plants and fish?

idk just a crazy idea i'm sure there's a reason you can't do this but i was curious as to what it was haha

thanks

[Scrup]

simple answer really.

wet dirt=Mud.

[hockeyhead019]

wow haha completely forgot bout that... wouldn't the mud settle eventually

[annageckos]

You don't know what is in it. Chemicals, polutants. All kinds of things. Then you are going to have to have an ammonia problem untill all the little mirooranizimims die off. Some people use fert free sterilized potting soil but you will still have little critters living in it and they will cause am ammoinia spike. You will also need to put gravle ontop other wise it will cloud the tank every time the fish stir it up a little. I hear of algea blooms too. It could afect your ph and hardness. Really there are lots of reasons not to. Unless you are experianced and want to give it a try I would suggest sand or gravle.

[Lab_Rat]

Some people do have luck with soil, as well as kitty litter. It can make a huge mess, not something that I've attempted. You also have to be careful with whats been sprayed on the dirt, etc.

[hockeyhead019]

gotcha... ok well yea i wasn't planning on trying this haha just wondered why you never hear about it but the whole chemicals in the water cycle and then those chemicals getting into the dirt makes sense...

thanks guys

[Tetris]

Top soil is an outstanding substrate. A dirt substrate can hold more beneficial bacteria than any other (that I know of) substrate. This makes it superior for decomposing fish waste into nutrients. Do some searching on the Walstaad method if you're interested in learning about soil as a substrate.