I tell everyone about you Lucas. You are by far one of the smartest aquarists I know. I've got more precious fish, plant and shrimp, breeding and tank maintenance tips from you, than anyone else I know of. Thanks for the years of sharing your knowledge with us! 💙
I just got into dirted tanks with a sand cap I’ve never seen roots and stems grow so well zero water changes, heavily planted little or no food can’t believe I never knew this just something to think about
hell yeah brother! With little to no food, your fish are happier and healthier, your water doesn't get nitrate buildup, everything becomes soooo much easier to manage. Not to mention your fish will live longer due to not being on this quick growth/life cycle.
Nothing like nature! It’s beautiful, you can get dirt, sand, rocks, botanicals and wood for your aquariums. When spring finally arrives…I go hiking and there’s a really nice natural stream that I go to and find a lot of cool stuff. Thx as always Lucas!
I should really do this for my ten gallon. Wood pieces at pet stores start at $9+ and live plants at $10+ and they always look half dead in my area. 😕 Definitely not worth the price 😭 I've been having only artificial decor but natural wood and real plants will always look best!!
For those who go get rock at a quarries... be careful too. Often they spray around piles of rocks to keep the weeds down. Soak and drain/ rinse the stuff really well.
Thank you for the how to video! I’m running low on sand from when our well was put down. Our whole yard is pretty much all sand. Also if I dig down enough I have black sand which may look pretty cool in a shrimp tank.😊
Free sand that's awesome, You purchased a great land and beautiful ponds, be careful with gators and your dog. What breed is this in the tank, I'll need the name, I never had seen them before. I will look up information, thank you for sharing and I know your fish business will grow, not much breeders in Florida.
@LRB Aquatics -Tanks on Tanks on Tanks cool thanks ill look it up. We have some top soil here, but honestly in the yard its got all sorts of weird debris like it was fill from leveling the building site, but under it we have this blue and orange clay ill have to send you a photo of, because the locals actually use it straight from the ground to make pottery sometimes. It will act as a layer cap in 1/2 an inch thick layers in a tank, if played with using that and silt a few times when capping off aquasoils or gravel etc.
@@Fishtory Sounds a lot like my soil in Indiana. Great for the bottom layer and slow release nutrients. My amano shrimp went bonkers digging it up from the bottom and putting it on top of the substrate. Was wild. I’ve always wanted to build a kiln and do have some clay here as well. Maybe one day I will get that done.
So I just threw fresh dirt bugs and all into a tank and Im just now starting to get all this info about sun bleaching ur substrate is it the end of the world if I skip that process?
No and it’s not ph you are worried about but tds. You should type in LRB ph spikes and a very informative video on the subject will pop up regarding ph and why it’s a goose chase.
Hey I got a question for anyone who will give me A moment of their time: why does playground sand change from light to dark after it’s been used in aquarium for a while? Also, one of my 20 gal long aquarium with sand capped organic potting soil tank I noticed that the dirt against the glass looks to be growing someKind of pink algae..? Is this bad? Thank you in advance ❤
Possibly tannins. Sand can look different when wet opposed to dry. Or you have detritus collecting which is just new dirt from organics breaking down. The pink algae hard to say. Some algae can turn pink when it dies or if a really old tank it is usually red spot algae that shows. Its not harmful.
Doesn’t affect it enough to matter. Plus ph test is a goose chase cause it reads hydrogen molecules. TDS meters give you a better idea of waters akalinity and acidity hardness.
I have great root growth from it. Where the fuzzy lil roots symbiotically adhere to the sand which is the healthiest sign of root rot. Root rot is specific to its substrate but overall health of the plant.
Yes, clay is very nutrient rich in a slow release form which is great! I have older long form video on more clay base dirt and how to process czcams.com/video/DwCL0_IKqU4/video.html
@LRBaquatics what happened with the substrate? I've got a 75 gal, and I already put some from the river in it. I definitely don't want to kill my fish.
@@patricahall2831 nothing too serious some bladder wort grew which is a carnivorous plant and smells like pepper. Got some leeches and large type of ostracods. You just never know what will come out of it. So best to take caution with the dry stuff with less stress.
Depends how you put in the water. If you kick it around everywhere it will but will eventually settle if no filter. If you use a plate or something for the water to hit so it does stir the substrate dirt it won’t get all murky.
Before or instead of drying, I rinse it in a bucket and scoop off the floating material. Sand bottom tanks look beautiful with guppies and mollies!
Thats a good method too
your sand/dirt looks great, and free is the best
I tell everyone about you Lucas. You are by far one of the smartest aquarists I know. I've got more precious fish, plant and shrimp, breeding and tank maintenance tips from you, than anyone else I know of. Thanks for the years of sharing your knowledge with us! 💙
Thank you I really appreciate that! ❤️
@@LRBaquatics 😉
I just got into dirted tanks with a sand cap I’ve never seen roots and stems grow so well zero water changes, heavily planted little or no food can’t believe I never knew this just something to think about
hell yeah brother! With little to no food, your fish are happier and healthier, your water doesn't get nitrate buildup, everything becomes soooo much easier to manage. Not to mention your fish will live longer due to not being on this quick growth/life cycle.
Nothing like nature! It’s beautiful, you can get dirt, sand, rocks, botanicals and wood for your aquariums. When spring finally arrives…I go hiking and there’s a really nice natural stream that I go to and find a lot of cool stuff. Thx as always Lucas!
I should really do this for my ten gallon. Wood pieces at pet stores start at $9+ and live plants at $10+ and they always look half dead in my area. 😕 Definitely not worth the price 😭 I've been having only artificial decor but natural wood and real plants will always look best!!
❤❤❤ love the dog too!!! 🐕 🐟 🐠
so happy to see your pup, twin to mine!
The dog prolly thinking you're crazy.
I use alot of pea gravel so cheap might as well be free. I toss in a bit of river landscaping rock gives it a nice natural look.
Pea gravel is under rated and a good choice as well
For those who go get rock at a quarries... be careful too. Often they spray around piles of rocks to keep the weeds down. Soak and drain/ rinse the stuff really well.
Yeah I have gotten some that smelled like diesel before from the Vigoro Bags at hardware store.
The price is right and the fish are happy, what's not to like??
Excellent 👍 Great visual & verbal explanation . . . Thanks 💋✨🐾
Thank you for the how to video! I’m running low on sand from when our well was put down. Our whole yard is pretty much all sand. Also if I dig down enough I have black sand which may look pretty cool in a shrimp tank.😊
I use fire ant hills for my substrate. Its perfect littlw round pebbles. Free
😂
Cute doggo ✌🏻
Nature is such a great teacher, provider and example to those who will work with her.
Indeed!
I do this and then put the dead fish either by some roots or right under the roots and my plants works good
Sounds like some Indian stuff
i like the piled up rocks looks like a river 💯
Happy Pitty 💖
Awesome!!!
I can't even buy sand that nice!!!
My yard is my favorite place to shop for sand 😁
Mine too!
Thats cool😊😊😊
Beautyfull ❤❤❤
Self sufficient for substrate, rocks, wood, yep, for sure the way to go.
Free sand that's awesome, You purchased a great land and beautiful ponds, be careful with gators and your dog. What breed is this in the tank, I'll need the name, I never had seen them before. I will look up information, thank you for sharing and I know your fish business will grow, not much breeders in Florida.
They are Dawkinsia Assimilis Mascara barbs. They are rare. I will have a breeding video for them out today :)
Nice
Lucky freakin duck! Ive got clay here 😂
Indiana had clay dirt. I have a video on how I processed it.
@LRB Aquatics -Tanks on Tanks on Tanks cool thanks ill look it up. We have some top soil here, but honestly in the yard its got all sorts of weird debris like it was fill from leveling the building site, but under it we have this blue and orange clay ill have to send you a photo of, because the locals actually use it straight from the ground to make pottery sometimes. It will act as a layer cap in 1/2 an inch thick layers in a tank, if played with using that and silt a few times when capping off aquasoils or gravel etc.
@@Fishtory Sounds a lot like my soil in Indiana. Great for the bottom layer and slow release nutrients. My amano shrimp went bonkers digging it up from the bottom and putting it on top of the substrate. Was wild. I’ve always wanted to build a kiln and do have some clay here as well. Maybe one day I will get that done.
Sir soil me beneficiary nutrients plant lagane ke baat ate hai ye phale se hi moojod hote h
Most plants in the hobby don’t need substrate to even grow. I quit using fertilizers.
So I just threw fresh dirt bugs and all into a tank and Im just now starting to get all this info about sun bleaching ur substrate is it the end of the world if I skip that process?
Not a big deal especially if you got it from a dry space. I have used it without sun bleaching it.
My friend told me to add stone in the soil then, mix with it
You can do that. You don’t need to but you can. Depends on the look you like.
So if I dig sand from a field or my garden it will work for aquarium plants to root and to have enough nutrients?
Yes as long as they havent been sprayed with pesticides or any other chemicals. Best taken from an organic spot.
Thanks!
What about ph! Will natural sand raise ph? And water hardness
No and it’s not ph you are worried about but tds. You should type in LRB ph spikes and a very informative video on the subject will pop up regarding ph and why it’s a goose chase.
Un I live in Maine we don’t have sandy yards?
I have done this in Indiana if you type in LRB free dirt there’s an old video. The dirt there is a lot like maines.
This only works in low land areas
Why do you think that?
@@LRBaquatics Im assuming because there's very little topsoil on mountains as it washes away.
Hey I got a question for anyone who will give me
A moment of their time: why does playground sand change from light to dark after it’s been used in aquarium for a while? Also, one of my 20 gal long aquarium with sand capped organic potting soil tank I noticed that the dirt against the glass looks to be growing someKind of pink algae..? Is this bad? Thank you in advance ❤
Possibly tannins. Sand can look different when wet opposed to dry. Or you have detritus collecting which is just new dirt from organics breaking down. The pink algae hard to say. Some algae can turn pink when it dies or if a really old tank it is usually red spot algae that shows. Its not harmful.
How much water ph after ?
Doesn’t affect it enough to matter. Plus ph test is a goose chase cause it reads hydrogen molecules. TDS meters give you a better idea of waters akalinity and acidity hardness.
Can we plant plants in it
You can. It’s my favorite to plant in.
Do your plant suffer from root rot?
I have great root growth from it. Where the fuzzy lil roots symbiotically adhere to the sand which is the healthiest sign of root rot. Root rot is specific to its substrate but overall health of the plant.
I'll take some of that sand
Pretty cool. Lots of clay in my area. Still good?
Yes, clay is very nutrient rich in a slow release form which is great! I have older long form video on more clay base dirt and how to process czcams.com/video/DwCL0_IKqU4/video.html
@@LRBaquatics ty so much. Excited to try it now. Need to redo one of my tanks and am definitely going to try this!❤️👏👏👏
What about river sand and rocks?
Best to get from dry land so you dont get aquatic unwanteds. Even best to stay away from seasonal flooded dirt as well. I have learned the hard way.
@LRBaquatics what happened with the substrate? I've got a 75 gal, and I already put some from the river in it. I definitely don't want to kill my fish.
@@patricahall2831 nothing too serious some bladder wort grew which is a carnivorous plant and smells like pepper. Got some leeches and large type of ostracods. You just never know what will come out of it. So best to take caution with the dry stuff with less stress.
But wait, a second isn’t what you’re calling sand actually dirt that you just dug up? Won’t that make the water, cloudy and murky?
Depends how you put in the water. If you kick it around everywhere it will but will eventually settle if no filter. If you use a plate or something for the water to hit so it does stir the substrate dirt it won’t get all murky.
dog!
"free" unless you use your land LOL
Or a friends
Nice