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How long can I keep the substrate open?

Bonesaqua

Member
Joined
10 Jun 2017
Messages
30
Location
Dubai
Hi,

Maybe a silly question, but I don't want anything to go wrong :)

I am almost ready to start my first planted tank, have all the things ready so I am thinking of going ahead and setting up my hardscape. Is it ok, till then, to leave the substrate open in the tank, lets say I will be planting in two weeks, till I am happy with my hardscape. Will it dry/spoil the substrate or anything? I live in dry hot and sometimes humid hot Dubai.

Substrate later :
Ada Super 4: (Bacter 100, Clear Super, Tourmaline BC and Penac W)
Power Sand Special
Ada Amazonia Aquasoil

Thanks,
Regards,
B
 
But how long can I keep doing this? Is two weeks a long time (just a max estimate)?
 
Hi
There is no problem to layer the substrate and hardscape it and leave it dry.The aquasoil and additives are dry anyway.U can cling film it on top and wet it 24 hours before planting to let it soak well.
Not sure how will the additives react if kept moist but not flooded and water circulated.
Regards Konsa
 
They being???

Soil is packed essentially dry in bags for unmonitored time periods with no manufacturer warnings :)

BUT a lot of shuffling about with hardscape could cause some "powdering" of the ADA soil (which is one of the softer proprietary aquarium soils)
 
Agreed with the above, you dont need to keep it wet and in my experience can keep it open exposed to air with out any ill effects. Possibly if you keep it wet evaporation may start to pull nutrients out of the soil and be wasted... tho thats just my theory
 
Thank you all. I guess I will not risk it, since it the additives and substrate.
 
I have open bags of aqua soil left for years in my workshop from tanks that I have stripped down. I spread the wet soil out on cardboard outside leaving it to dry, bag it up and then re use it sometime in another tank when I re-scape. Never had a problem ;)
 
It's OK to leave it drying indefinitely, it won't do it any harm and it'll still do it's magic once flooded.
However, like alto mentions, if it's been played with a lot during scaping there will more than likely be some powdery residue which could make your tank a little cloudy to start with. But if you flood your tank carefully and don't disturb the substrate too much thereafter it should be fine.
 
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