Gas buildup in my substrate

[Dax MIckelson]

Hello all. I've had a fish tank for most of my life. Recently I've
decided to create a tank that is mostly plants with some supportive fish.

I've created a substrate that is composed of vermiculite and soil (50/50
and about 2-3 inches deep) topped by about 1/2 inch of general purpose
sand. My plants are growing well and showing good color and my fish
look healthy too. HOWEVER, my substrate has swelled about 1/2 to 1
inch. If I push on it a ton of gas bubbles come out. Is this a bad thing?

[A. Paul. Ing]

Not a biggie..........go to Wal Mart or Walgreens and buy some Bean-O
and toss 2 pill per 10 gal water and the gas will be gone! Rolaids
Soft Chews w/gas relief may also help get rid of that bloated feeling.


On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 22:58:18 -0600, Dax MIckelson >
wrote:

<<>>Hello all. I've had a fish tank for most of my life. Recently I've
<<>>decided to create a tank that is mostly plants with some supportive fish.
<<>>
<<>>I've created a substrate that is composed of vermiculite and soil (50/50
<<>>and about 2-3 inches deep) topped by about 1/2 inch of general purpose
<<>>sand. My plants are growing well and showing good color and my fish
<<>>look healthy too. HOWEVER, my substrate has swelled about 1/2 to 1
<<>>inch. If I push on it a ton of gas bubbles come out. Is this a bad thing?

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Dax MIckelson > wrote:
>Hello all. I've had a fish tank for most of my life. Recently I've
>decided to create a tank that is mostly plants with some supportive fish.
>
>I've created a substrate that is composed of vermiculite and soil (50/50
>and about 2-3 inches deep) topped by about 1/2 inch of general purpose
>sand. My plants are growing well and showing good color and my fish
>look healthy too. HOWEVER, my substrate has swelled about 1/2 to 1
>inch. If I push on it a ton of gas bubbles come out. Is this a bad thing?

It's not particularly bad. People still use vermiculite? That's so 80's :-)


(There's no particular advantage to using vermiculite, it's more important
to fertilize properly).




--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

[Dax MIckelson]

Richard Sexton wrote:

> In article >,
> Dax MIckelson > wrote:
>>Hello all. I've had a fish tank for most of my life. Recently I've
>>decided to create a tank that is mostly plants with some supportive fish.
>>
>>I've created a substrate that is composed of vermiculite and soil (50/50
>>and about 2-3 inches deep) topped by about 1/2 inch of general purpose
>>sand. My plants are growing well and showing good color and my fish
>>look healthy too. HOWEVER, my substrate has swelled about 1/2 to 1
>>inch. If I push on it a ton of gas bubbles come out. Is this a bad
>>thing?
>
> It's not particularly bad. People still use vermiculite? That's so 80's
> :-)
>
>
> (There's no particular advantage to using vermiculite, it's more important
> to fertilize properly).
>
>
>
>

Not vermiculite? That is all I've read about to use. I'm new to
aquascaping. What do you recommend then?

[Larry Blanchard]

Dax Mickelson wrote:

> Richard Sexton wrote:
>
>>
>> (There's no particular advantage to using vermiculite, it's more important
>> to fertilize properly).
>>
>
> Not vermiculite? That is all I've read about to use. I'm new to
> aquascaping. What do you recommend then?

EcoComplete.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

[A. Paul. Ing]

Why look...its the infamous turtle ****er Larry!

On Tue, 19 Jun 2007 08:36:05 -0700, Larry Blanchard
> wrote:

<<>>Dax Mickelson wrote:
<<>>
<<>>> Richard Sexton wrote:
<<>>>
<<>>>>
<<>>>> (There's no particular advantage to using vermiculite, it's more important
<<>>>> to fertilize properly).
<<>>>>
<<>>>
<<>>> Not vermiculite? That is all I've read about to use. I'm new to
<<>>> aquascaping. What do you recommend then?
<<>>
<<>>EcoComplete.

[Gail Futoran]

"Dax Mickelson" > wrote in message
...
> Richard Sexton wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> Dax MIckelson > wrote:
>>>Hello all. I've had a fish tank for most of my life. Recently
>>>I've
>>>decided to create a tank that is mostly plants with some supportive
>>>fish.
>>>
>>>I've created a substrate that is composed of vermiculite and soil
>>>(50/50
>>>and about 2-3 inches deep) topped by about 1/2 inch of general
>>>purpose
>>>sand. My plants are growing well and showing good color and my
>>>fish
>>>look healthy too. HOWEVER, my substrate has swelled about 1/2 to 1
>>>inch. If I push on it a ton of gas bubbles come out. Is this a
>>>bad
>>>thing?
>>
>> It's not particularly bad. People still use vermiculite? That's so
>> 80's
>> :-)
>>
>>
>> (There's no particular advantage to using vermiculite, it's more
>> important
>> to fertilize properly).
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> Not vermiculite? That is all I've read about to use. I'm new to
> aquascaping. What do you recommend then?

There are a number of online articles that might
be helpful. Here is one that I found useful:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_substrate.htm

I use Profile with gravel over, and it works
well enough. I don't add CO2, use plants that
do well without much fuss (light, fert, etc.), and
I have small jungles in my tanks. Fish are
healthy, monthly partial water changes are
sufficient.

Gail

[A. Paul. Ing]

well well well, wonder of wonders. Gail the idiotic bimbo bitch that
did not have the guts to follow up on becoming a mod for Ron
Schompert. She instead decided to suck Ron and Derejs dick full time
instead.




On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:21:29 GMT, "Gail Futoran"
> wrote:

<<>>"Dax Mickelson" > wrote in message
...
<<>>> Richard Sexton wrote:
<<>>>
<<>>>> In article >,
<<>>>> Dax MIckelson > wrote:
<<>>>>>Hello all. I've had a fish tank for most of my life. Recently
<<>>>>>I've
<<>>>>>decided to create a tank that is mostly plants with some supportive
<<>>>>>fish.
<<>>>>>
<<>>>>>I've created a substrate that is composed of vermiculite and soil
<<>>>>>(50/50
<<>>>>>and about 2-3 inches deep) topped by about 1/2 inch of general
<<>>>>>purpose
<<>>>>>sand. My plants are growing well and showing good color and my
<<>>>>>fish
<<>>>>>look healthy too. HOWEVER, my substrate has swelled about 1/2 to 1
<<>>>>>inch. If I push on it a ton of gas bubbles come out. Is this a
<<>>>>>bad
<<>>>>>thing?
<<>>>>
<<>>>> It's not particularly bad. People still use vermiculite? That's so
<<>>>> 80's
<<>>>> :-)
<<>>>>
<<>>>>
<<>>>> (There's no particular advantage to using vermiculite, it's more
<<>>>> important
<<>>>> to fertilize properly).
<<>>>>
<<>>>>
<<>>>>
<<>>>>
<<>>>
<<>>> Not vermiculite? That is all I've read about to use. I'm new to
<<>>> aquascaping. What do you recommend then?
<<>>
<<>>There are a number of online articles that might
<<>>be helpful. Here is one that I found useful:
<<>>http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_substrate.htm
<<>>
<<>>I use Profile with gravel over, and it works
<<>>well enough. I don't add CO2, use plants that
<<>>do well without much fuss (light, fert, etc.), and
<<>>I have small jungles in my tanks. Fish are
<<>>healthy, monthly partial water changes are
<<>>sufficient.
<<>>
<<>>Gail
<<>>

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Dax Mickelson > wrote:
>Richard Sexton wrote:
>
>Not vermiculite? That is all I've read about to use. I'm new to
>aquascaping. What do you recommend then?

Well, it's near heresy but mybest performing tanks have 1/2" of manure under 4-5" of fine beach sand.
Into the manure you put some washers and steel wool. Under anaerobic conditions the iron is reduced
and made available to the plants.


Here's a pic of it:

http://images.aquaria.net/plants/Cryptocoryne/u/UND/Image80s.jpg


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

[neilbrrian]

I use Profile with alluvium over, and it works well enough. I don't add CO2, use plants that do able-bodied after abundant fuss (light, fert, etc.), and I accept baby jungles in my tanks. Fish are healthy, account fractional baptize changes are sufficient.

[raniejohnsonn]

I've created a substrate that is composed of vermiculite and clay (50/50 and about 2-3 inches deep) topped by about 1/2 inch of accepted purpose sand. My plants are growing able-bodied and assuming acceptable blush and my fish look advantageous too.