[Guest]

I use coco fiber from superpet and find It holds too much water. I was wondering if I could add something to it to help with drainage. Thinking about orchid mix from home depot, but don't know if this a good product to use in a vivarium? I'm also thinking about adding regular play sand to it.

 

[Scott]

Orchid mix would work.

Sphagnum moss would work.

A mix of both with the coco fiber (in equal parts) would work well.

I think Mark Wilson just did a mix quite a bit like this.

s

 

[Guest]

doesn't sphagnum moss hold water?

 

[Scott]

Yes it does... but it also holds air. You don't kind the water... you just want a little air exchange in their also.

s

 

[Guest]

do i got to mill the moss or just break it up? If I got to mill it, how do I do that?

 

[Scott]

Not sure - scissor it?

Doens't need to be too small.

I believe that Melis just adds it whole to her mix (but I'll let her confirm that).

s

 

[Guest]

thanks alot scott. Need the mix in a couple of days but am goin to buy the supplies now.

 

[Guest]

i used 1 part coco fiber ground, 1 part coco chips, and 1 part pea gravel. I put some plants in there and they grew overnight. this mix works great for me and looks really natural and cool!

 

[Scott]

I'm using the Coco chips now also... wanted to help him get what he needed now (with materials fairly close at hand).

I'm using:

1 part large chips
1 part small chips
1 part sphagnum (kinda chopped up a bit)
1 part coco fiber

s

 

[melissa68]

...

I don't break the lf spaghum up at all. I think my soil mix changes every time, depending on the ingredients I have on hand. I will use any, all or some of the following products in our soil mix.

Orchid bark
Coco chips

coco peat
milled peat moss

sand
charcoal
lf spaghum
leaf little (oaK)
etc...

There is no set 'rule' on how to make your own soil mix...

Melis

Not sure - scissor it?

Doens't need to be too small.

I believe that Melis just adds it whole to her mix (but I'll let her confirm that).

s

 

[mindcrash]

I'm using a bag of the Orchid Mix cut with a brick of eco-earth (groun up coco husks) and it works great. Provides good drainage and all of my plants are growing nice.

 

[Guest]

there is charcoal in the orchid mix. I did not expect to find it in there. What will charcoal do for my soil mix. I hear it absorbes bacteria or something, but at a certain point it gets full and actually releases something harmful. This is why I want to take it out.

 

[Scott]

I don't really think the charcoal is a big deal.

I've heard the same thing about releasing what it has absorbed also but I've never had a problem.

I've had charcoal in most all of my mixes since the beginning without any harm.

I wouldn't worry about it.

s

 

[Guest]

Substrate mix

Hi All,
Scott's right I mixed 1/3 orchid bark, 1/3 milled sphagum( milled in my wife's blender,shhhh)and 1/3 expanded coco brick.I have it in the tanks but have just started planting in it.My tanks still smell touch like silicon so I am going to plant all 3 of the vert tanks tomorrow.I like how it looks and Scott saved me a good amount of money by sharing his mix with me instead of ordering it and having to pay extra on shipping a heavyweight package.
Mark Wilson

 

[Guest]

Check at Lowes ot Home Depot for aquatic plant soil, its a fired clay material, and will loosen up the soil, allowing for air exchange i.e. drainage

 

[Guest]

how long should this substrate last before it should be replaced?

 

[Scott]

I've used it for a couple of years at a time with no problem. Some tanks probably longer.

When you pull it out... you've pretty much got the best potting soil you can buy (including fertilizer already in it). I recycle all my frog tank soil to my African Violet plants.

s

 

[Guest]

hey scott thanks, I planted the tank using the trio mix and I feel it will work well. The tank is planted and I'm just leting it cycle before I use it for any frogs. Did not know the soil would hold up that long! cool every turn in this hobby sheads light on a great new aspect. I'll let ya know how it works out