Help with my soil !!!!

[acadialover]

Hi all, I'm hoping someone sees this tonight ! I have everything ready to go, and fish and shrimp floating along with all the right plants...
My local Lowes dept. had only one kind of ORGANIC POTTING SOIL. It is a local comp. called Cedar Grove and the soil is Organic soil made from compost and worm castings.... I worried that it may kill the fish ? It has worm castings /
After researching all the organics including Miracle Grow, I see they all ad ferts. Hope it is ok. ????

[aokashi]

It should be fine. Miracle gro organic potting mix is recommended because it has the least added ferts. fertilizers shouldnt harm your tank if you planted correctly. ie. 70% stem plant cover to take care of nutrients from the soil. + lots of floaters to take nitrates from the water column.

ofcourse, you don't have to do a NPT to get the benefit from plants. regular gravel or sand will grow lowlight plants just fine without fertilization and low lighting.

[acadialover]

Thanks allot for responding.
I have 5 different tanks, all planted the regular way. I've been in fish keeping for quite a few years.
After reading OFL thread on soil tanks,and one of my Betta's dying, I decided o give it a try. This tank was already a "planted tank " with reg. eco complete and plants.So, I have everything planted and up and running . It is "slightly ' hazy this morning, but lookin' ine. The shrimp are scamp
ering around having a fine time. I will get my new Betta today

[aokashi]

hm... test for a nitrate spike... it will kill shrimp. shrimp scampering around isnt neccessarily a good sign. ecocomplete is not a good cap, it will allow nutrients to leech into the water.

[acadialover]

LOl.... I must be miscommunicating today.... I just started a soil tank with sand. I have several other tanks with eco complete or gravel.... all, heavily planted. My new soil tank is doing fine. I did not mean that they were jumping around the tank. I meant they were IN the tank looking good . The tank I JUST converted to AOIL< was also previously planted but with eco complete and and some river rock.