I really enjoyed this video. ❤I set up my phone and watched it while cooking for my kid's. I learn so much. I'm 43yrs old and REALLY wanted to be a Marine Biologist by watching you Father Fish makes me feel much better even though I didn't get to go. Your the best professor any student could ask for😊😊🥰🥰
Father Fish, how are you pulling up deep rooted established plants to sell on a regular basis in your deep sand dirted tanks without causing problems in the water column? Would love to see a video showing and explaining this. Every discussion I've ever seen on deep sand beds prior to your videos says they only work if you never mess with it...ever. Yet here you are running an Aquatics store selling rooted plants out of your tanks...constantly changing things...pulling up and planting new ones. Thank you a million times over for all the knowledge you so freely share in a way that's understandable and makes sense.
Plants that are deeply rooted in dirted substrate are typically left alone. More shallow rooted plants with only a month or so of growth are more easily uprooted. I am careful to "jiggle" the plants as I uproot them to ensure the soil is not pulled up with the roots. It is a technique I have developed over the years that prevents soil disturbance. Obviously with large, deeply rooted plants this is problematic. I am able to remove such plants with a minimum of disturbance by very slowly jiggling these plants. Typically I add sand to the area to increase the cap depth prior to puling them out. I have, on occasion removed undesirable plants by simply cutting them off just above the crown and leaving the roots in the substrate. Typically these plants have regrown.
Thank you, Father Fish ! Now I feel less guilty about skipping some water changes... It is great the way you explain things and the way to show how to maintain a beautiful aquarium without a ton off the work. I have a few dirted deep substrate aquariums and now I am going to add more substrate to those that don't as well. Thanks again and keep m coming... All the best from The Netherlands.
I've just created a dirt base aquarium capped with sand and planted. I have an external filter that was already running (5 years now) it has a built in filter. So my take from this video is I won't need to clean that filter for about 6 months & a small water change about the same time.
This is truly miraculous for sure! This system and the way it helps self-sustain the aquariums is fascinating . Thank you for explaining your overflow system in your videos. It is definitely Incredible expertise! Thank you for sharing 🙏🌱🐟🌿
Incredible Father Fish incredible I used to set up aquariums using soil and sand like you back in 1984 back in 1984 I would add different compounds like Epsom salt ,calcium Red clay. Also I would add frist to the bare bottom of the tank a dusting of all purpose fertilizer Then the soil.
Thank you Father Fish for imparting your knowledge. With a deep bed substrate does the anaerobic process reducing the nitrate level and sustaining the aquarium continue for ever. How long does it last for? Is it an everlasting natural process? Thanks for any advice you have.
I add mierals to the substrate to prolong its viability until a balance can be achieved, usually 3-5 years, after which the system continues indefinitely.
Father Fish - okay, just set up a 7.5 gallon nano tank. I used the plant/shrimp substrate that came with it. After watching your videos, I added potting soil, and then capped it with about 2" sand, then added plants. Then, after a couple of days and after watching more videos, I went out and got a little leaves, mud, and small rocks from the creek in my backyard and poured that into the aquarium as well. Is that okay to do? Am I ready to add fish now that I have the creek substances in the tank?
I had difficulty setting up a dirted tank, but I ended up with a bit of a hybrid: I wanted the gravel on top but i used aquasoil as dirt. After about a month now the tank is nearly overgrown with no CO2 whatsoever
i only have gravels in one of my fish tank right now as substrate and no live plants in the bottom(only got some floaters and hornwrots) So can i add a layer of sugar sand over the gravels ? will it do any benefit at all since i dont have any soil ? plz reply as i m pretty new to this
Father Fish! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and love of fish keeping! I have 5 planted tanks with deep substrate. I wish I had found your channel first as it would have simplified the while process. I used Black Flourite capped with black sand. My substrates run about 4-5" deep. My tanks are usually over run with plants and fish are healthy. Question. I am setting up an unplanted cichlid tank with a sand substrate, driftwood, rock and some pothos growing down the wood into the tank. Since the tank will NOT be planted, can I achieve the same balanced system without using dirt and just 4" of sand? Should I add MTS to keep the substrate turned over?
Sir, The dirted tank with plants.. Nice tanks and i am so happy to see them 1) i was under impression that dirted tank would work for a year or two and then have to be redone... and i see so many tanks not touched for long long times.. leave alone redone... 2) donot see use of CO2 either 3) Do you provide any fertilizers ? liquid or some other? 4) I liked that you not using or talking about any commercial products and i thought i cannot have a beautifull eco stable tank without using commerical available things
Father Fish, I have two questions. The first one: Is it possible to grow ground covering plants in these type of tanks? Do the roots of these tiny plants penetrate deep enough to get enough nutrients? The second one: If I run a dirted tank with a sand cap, but there are a lot of big stones on top of it, would it still work? Thanks in advance.
Excellent questions. To grow ground cover in a new dirted tank they need to be grown either emersed or with CO2. A well established tank will do well without either. Plants will grow well with a rock cover if their roots are in the sand.
Hello. I just found your channel after setting up the base of my tank. With sand only. Is there a way to add mud now? Or I would have to empty it all and start over? Thank you
I am so looking forward to purchasing your mixture on getgills. Hope it is available soon as I’m getting a new tank soon and plan to finally get the courage under your tutelage to do a dirted tank.
I appreciate your videos and how helpful they are! Would you add a sand cap to tanks that have eco complete or Fluval plant substrate? I would think the sand would settle down through and not remain a cap. Thanks!
@@stryker5055 They are a salt water animal that grows VERY large. They require a deep substrate where they bury. I have had many of them. Collect them here in FL as babies and sell to salt water aquarists. I have never assumed they were paticularly relevant to the maintenance of an aquarium.
African cichlids are digger, don't they digg the substrate and mase with sand? Did you used soil under the sand bad in cichlids tank as well, if yes than how thick is soil layer and sand layer? In your sump what type of bio media you use? Thanks for answers in advance father fish.
i Have some systems 8" deep with 6" of sand capping soil. Other systems for Africans are only deep sand that develops nutrition over several months. For large Centreal American cichlids I never use soil but make the sand bed very deep, at least 5".
If there is no other element in the substrate it will require 75lbs of sand to create a depth of 2.5" in a tank with ha base of 48" x 15" I would use 2 50 lb bags of sand for this installation.
What are your thoughts of pros and cons on including a plenum only or using an under gravel filter (with or without dirt) along with a deep substrate. I am firm believer in deep substate but UGF adds a layer of filtering and prefer over canister, hang on back or sponge filters in the tank for low cost and low maintenance. A slow moving water flow through UGF and deep substrate should continue to allow root growth and prevent any rotting. A potential side effect is nutrients if dirted would flow into water column more so than without UGF.
We like to prevent nutrients from entering the water column. In addition, a UGF prevents the deep substrate from becoming anaerobic, a vital factor in breaking down waste for plant root production.
@@FatherFish thanks. What do you think of using an UGF for only part of the tank substrate? Would that still allow anaerobic conditions for part without an UGF?
Hi Father Fish. I love dirted tank. But i got a few questions. I want to setup a tank that will have a carpeting plant on it, Like hemianthus cuba. Tank is 60cm. How thick should my soil and sand be? Do you think it will work with carpeting plants? Thanks!
Do u have an email or something father fish? I have a 300L fancy gold fish. Sand at bottom... before I learned from u. With heaps of plants :) growing great. I used root tabs. The water is always stable. I test weekly. I would love to set it up as dirted as u teach... I would have to start from scratch correct? Will this disturb cycle or keep my canister running... Also with just the sand and water stable. (2 yrs) are u saying that I don't necessarily have to do weekly water changes also... or this is only for deep sub...?? Agh. So many question...
Father fish do you know if shrimp would be fine with a deep substrate I have all deep substrate tanks and my plants love it but was wondering about 🦐 shrimp
I'm trying to learn how to naturally balance fish tanks, and your videos are so informative! I've only had my first fosh tank going on two years, and I've had so many failures. -_-' perhaps with your knowledge I'll finally build my best tank.
Hello, 1)How to add dirt or river sand to an existing tank with fish? 2)Also how does the circulation in a deep sand bed work without plants? I've collected 20 kilograms of river sand and planning to add it to an inch of gravel in my corydora tank making it four inches. The aquarium has two small power heads with sponge in it and a top filter with sponge and ceramic rings.Planning to replace some of the ceramic rings with clay balls to make it more compact But if planted is better then i will add soil to the gravel and then cap it with river sand. Which one would you advice Thanks again Father Fish Amazing tanks
Since your tank s already running with gravel you only need to add 2" of sand to the gravel. DO NOT sterilize the sand. It has beneficial bacterial growing on it that will help your tank.
@@FatherFish Oh no i boiled it a couple of times..Guess i got to get some more tomorrow ?Got it in the cleaner part on the banks of the river but sometimes dogs,wild animals(forest area) and elephants come in that area so i sterilized it.this was dry sand but little wet as i dug little deeper
oh man broke my back cycling with all that sand.i also got a large piece of wood nearly 20 kgs along a stream in the shaded area of a forest .how would i go about it.thank you
Hello father fish You have me sold on the dirt tank my 80 gal has 4in of sand no dirt Ive always only done sand vac 1/2 in down my tank is crystal clear minimal maintenance and I always thought it was because of the algae fix chemicals that I use half dosage of what they say on the bottle I’ve never liked chemicals are use crushed coral to increase the pH of my well water I’m trying to go chemical free I do not know what kind of dirt to use dirt from my backyard? Potting soil? I think probably clean soil in bags from the depot?
Father Fish, when you set up a dirted blackwater leaf tank / like you spoke about on project piaba, do you have any type of filtration a bottom sponge filter, or a low volume hang on back, I want to set up a leaf litter dark water tank but not sure about having a still water tank or low level water movement, I would think a no movement tank might smell or turn stagnant, I understand about not going over 1" in substrate & 2" of sand, and not feeding tank, letting everything feed on natural food web, but I haven't seen or heard about weither no water movement or a small amout of movement, I have all your planted tank ingredients, I also located some blue clay from a warm springs in Georgia, and ordered 5lbs of dry powdered clay from Israel a dry out ocean bed, plus all the other suppliments on your dirted tank substrate, got worm castings at home Depot, I'm fixing to set up 2 37 gallon tanks, one heavy planted the other a leaf litter blackwater tank, thanks so much for all your videos & help, I've learned more in 2 months than 50 years of sterial tank systems, I had been using before, your videos brought me back to the hobby, Leonard Barron
Thank you Barron. I typically use sponge filters when I set up new systems. Join us on DISCORD and share pics and discussion of your tanks. discord.gg/yyGKtsyq
Father fish I’m new in this awesome hobby, but I’m honest, I’m afraid to my tank get stinky , because my family do not like it help me please love you Chanel very much ❤
Hello father fish , i have doubt about the TDs in water ,change by the river sand , if I add a RO water with TDs 70 ppm the sand changes into 450 ppm , in this condition i can't grow a moss and also shrimp
Thank u father fish , once I rechange all the water in my tank , this time it doesn't happen. now i understood TDs is change because of the old water in my tank. You are right . Thank u
Love Father Fish and all of your advice. I have a 55-gallon tank that was purchased to house an angel which had been under-housed. I have 2 Electric blue acara and one bristlenose in the tank. The two Acara were purchased 2 weeks apart from same tank but the second appeared to bring ich in after a week of being transplanted from the quarantine tank. I thought fish would be clear after a 2-week quarantine. Anyhow, I am slowly raising temp to 86, I am at 80 now. What signs should I look for regarding any distress from the temp raising. Also, my ph is incredibly high and my water source is hard. I have read and learned from you that quickly lowering this is not good for the fish. Should I place some driftwood in the tank, which I need to do for the pleco anyhow and see if that helps or will my carbon filter render that useless? What about tannins in a bottle, do they also slowly lower the ph and hardness? Finally, do you have a Twitch channel I can subscribe to?
No the dirt would still work because of anaerobic denitrification. Nitrates are turned into nitrogen gas which simply escapes into the atmosphere. As you see in the video, the tank with all the aggressive cichlids contains very few plants.
@@alistairburr2345 Diana Walstad suggests adding the fish the next day but I've always cycled my tanks and used a starter since it's not expensive and seemed less risky.
