Aquarium soils

[evonner]

Are there any soils substrates that don't need to be replaced?

Why do they need to be replaced?

[Scapexghost]

Technically, none of them need to be replaced. The reason the do get replace is because we use up the neutrients faster than they are replaced. Soils have high CEC, so, in theory, if you can balance plants and fertilizers and stocking, you should be able to go indefinetely without changing substrates. However, this is not necessarily achievable for most planted tanks, since they have so much plant mass and growth. Much more than an actual lake of river would have in such a small area.

 

You can add soil without tearing down the scape, by freezing the soil in an icetray and using them as root tabs.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Scapexghost

[evonner]

As well as doing that, will adding root tabs when nutrients begin to deplete work too. I use root tabs and liquid fertilizers.

[Scapexghost]

On 1/2/2023 at 12:19 AM, evonner said:

As well as doing that, will adding root tabs when nutrients begin to deplete work too. I use root tabs and liquid fertilizers.

Yes that should work.