local pond's muddy ecosystem

[FishHugger]

Been thinking about trying out soil from a local pond or river in my tank. Saw some vids on planted tanks where people collect soil from natural sources and use it under the sand cap for plant growth.

I've only got one planted tank going, and I'm using aquasoil right now. Not sure about the long-term results yet, but I've noticed a lot of ammonia leaching. So I'm curious, how does natural pond soil compare?

Anyone tried this method? What were your results like?

[TankWarrior]

Honestly, I'd advise against using soil from a local pond or river. You just don't know what's been dumped in there - chemicals, waste, who knows. It's a risk I wouldn't take. If you want a more natural approach, I'd suggest using an organic potting mixture as a base. Yeah, it can be a bit messy, but at least you know what you're getting.

[graye]

I'd still be cautious about using pond soil, to be honest. The risk of introducing pond creatures is pretty high, and you can't always predict what's lurking at the bottom. Plus, there's the issue of potential fertilizer or insecticide runoff from the surrounding land - that's a big unknown. I do know someone who tried this in a 40-gallon tank, and it seemed to work out okay, but I think he might've just gotten lucky.

[infold]

I just can't fathom why people would even think about putting dirt in their tank as a substrate. It's a recipe for disaster. I mean, what if there's who-knows-what kind of pollutants or parasites just waiting to wreak havoc on your poor fish? Maybe, just maybe, it could work in some massive aquarium that's barely stocked and has a ton of plants to absorb all the potential toxins, but honestly, I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than try that in my own tank.

[FishHugger]

Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate the input. The concerns about land leaching and pond life are definitely valid and make me question how it could work out for some people. I mean, it's possible those who claim success might just be lucky, or maybe there's more to it that I'm not considering.

There is one person in particular who's made me consider giving it a shot, a YouTuber who shares his experiences with using natural soil in his tanks. The way he explains the process and his results really has me curious, and I'm thinking of trying it out in a small tank to see how it goes and what kind of trouble I might run into.

[boomer]

You're absolutely right to question the YouTube fish experts, I mean, how many times have we seen them claim some miracle solution, only to have it all fall apart later on. And let's not forget the very real concerns about using local pond or river soil in our tanks - it's not like it's going to magically benefit our aquatic plants more than aquasoil, which, by the way, is already a questionable choice.

The fact is, the nutrient value in most natural ecosystems is pretty low, and using soil from a local water course is not going to change that. And as others have pointed out, there's always the risk of introducing unknown pollutants or pests into our tanks. I just can't see how this is a good idea, no matter how convincing some YouTube personality might be.

[graye]

I live on a lot with less-than-ideal soil, and it got me thinking - if I'm going to grow veggies this Spring, I'll need to fortify the soil or I'll be lucky to get a single tomato per plant. Having rich black soil would be a dream come true, but when it comes to growing plants in a tank, I'd rather start with known good soil if I decide to go the dirted tank route.

The internet, especially YouTube, can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, there are excellent presenters who share valuable knowledge. On the other hand, there are plenty of, let's say, "unreliable" sources. I recall a kid from a forum who would ask me basic questions all the time. Fast forward a bit, and he's a YouTube sensation with a huge following. I'd bet most of his followers knew more about aquariums than he did, but he had a gift for self-promotion. He did well for himself, but his impact on the hobby is debatable.

I've noticed that YouTubers who use their real names, like Ivan Mikolji or Lionessver Lucanus, tend to produce high-quality content. On the other hand, those who hide behind online personas, like "Doctor" this or "Professor" that, often raise my BS detector. Father Fish is one I haven't checked out yet, but I'm curious to see what he's all about.

[rockyfox]

Most everyone I've seen doing this has been in tiny setups, like small jars or 2.5-5 gallon aquariums, but here's the thing, they're always fishless. It's more like an experiment, a little self-contained ecosystem where you might do the occasional small water change. I've never come across anyone who's actually tried this in a real aquarium with fish swimming around.

[rockyfox]

I'd still be cautious about using pond soil, to be honest. The risk of introducing pond creatures is pretty high, and you can't always predict what's lurking at the bottom. Plus, there's the issue of potential fertilizer or insecticide runoff from the surrounding land - that's a big unknown. I do know someone who tried this in a 40-gallon tank, and it seemed to work out okay, but I think he might've just gotten lucky.

I get what you're saying about Father Fish, but we can't just assume his method will work for everyone. The thing is, he's using soil from his local pond or river, and he knows what's in it. But we don't know what's in our local water, and that's a big problem. You can't just throw mud or soil from a river or pond into your tank without knowing what's in it. It's not responsible, and it's not safe for your fish.

I'm sure Father Fish has a reliable source of water, and that's great for him. But we can't assume our water will be just as good. I mean, our rivers and ponds here are in bad shape, and I wouldn't use that soil for anything except maybe a small jar setup.

[infold]

I've got to say, I'm with @graye on this one - when it comes to online personas, I've got a major BS detector going off with those corny names. You know, the ones that sound like they were dreamed up by a marketing team. It's like, if you're going to share your expertise, just be upfront and genuine about it.