is this topsoil safe

[zaidyn]

can someone tell me if this is safe to use https://www.bunnings.com.au/garden-basics-25l-all-purpose-potting-mix_p0274301
im from australia and we dont really have "top soil" this is the closest thing i can find ive been using it as substrate with other things mixed in for about 2 months so it should be fine right?


i think this show all the details i dont really know what to look for https://media.bunnings.com.au/api/public/content/27e3a0182ddd45fc8503cec798847f92?v=4d27cac3

 

[Ratmosphere]

Not sure, try and stick to organic.

 

[zaidyn]

Not sure, try and stick to organic.

it says its organic

 

[Ratmosphere]

Oh ok I see it now, pretty small text saying "Organic Based Mix". As long as you can assure that there are no pesticides at all in this mix, then I'd say have at it. If not, stick to something like coco fiber.

 

[Andrew Clayton]

can someone tell me if this is safe to use https://www.bunnings.com.au/garden-basics-25l-all-purpose-potting-mix_p0274301
im from australia and we dont really have "top soil" this is the closest thing i can find ive been using it as substrate with other things mixed in for about 2 months so it should be fine right?


i think this show all the details i dont really know what to look for https://media.bunnings.com.au/api/public/content/27e3a0182ddd45fc8503cec798847f92?v=4d27cac3

Definitely not this stuff potting mix is different to plain top soil. It says so on the details you sent it's harmful if inhaled or in contact with skin. It's soil you want most places it will be labeled top soil I had a look on that site and it's very limited choices. I wouldn't use any of it. Searching on Google it looks like you're looking for something along the lines of Organic top dressing or blended topsoil in Australia
Found this. This is the stuff you're looking for just bagged up obviously.

Over Turf / Top Dressing $88/m3 | Warner Garden Centre

www.warnergardencentre.com.au

 

[cold blood]

Not sure, try and stick to organic.

I say to always AVOID the word organic....that's a bad sign unless you're growing plants...all soil is inherently organic, when you see that label on the bag, it's not in reference to the dirt, it refers to the additives....generally compost or manure....You want soil FREE of additives....the label you should look for is "great for filling holes and leveling ground"....that's the cheap, additive free stuff you want.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Correct. I've had some good organic mixes around 10 years ago with no perlite, no manure; just yuca and "forest floor" material which I'm guessing was composted material. Worked ok in a pinch, but was temporary. I really would suggest just using coco fiber.

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Correct. I've had some good organic mixes around 10 years ago with no perlite, no manure; just yuca and "forest floor" material which I'm guessing was composted material. Worked ok in a pinch, but was temporary. I really would suggest just using coco fiber.

I'm with you on that, I only use cocofibre too.

 

[zaidyn]

Definitely not this stuff potting mix is different to plain top soil. It says so on the details you sent it's harmful if inhaled or in contact with skin. It's soil you want most places it will be labeled top soil I had a look on that site and it's very limited choices. I wouldn't use any of it. Searching on Google it looks like you're looking for something along the lines of Organic top dressing or blended topsoil in Australia
Found this. This is the stuff you're looking for just bagged up obviously.

Over Turf / Top Dressing $88/m3 | Warner Garden Centre

www.warnergardencentre.com.au

but it says in the ingredients that it is 100% Blend of raw and/or composted 100% None Allocated natural organic materials

 

[Andrew Clayton]

but it says in the ingredients that it is 100% Blend of raw and/or composted 100% None Allocated natural organic materials

It's also has these warnings. Do not use it please. I also sent you a link to the stuff you want.


Do not use it

 

[zaidyn]

It's also has these warnings. Do not use it please. I also sent you a link to the stuff you want.

View attachment 491180
Do not use it

ill be honest ive been using it for a little while now i hate coco fiber and that was the closest thing i could find to top soil near me ive had some ppl say its fine to use because it said it was 100% organic my ts seem fine but i didnt know about all that other stuff i just changed and washed out all of their enclosures to coco fiber will they be okay ?

 

[Andrew Clayton]

ill be honest ive been using it for a little while now i hate coco fiber and that was the closest thing i could find to top soil near me ive had some ppl say its fine to use because it said it was 100% organic my ts seem fine but i didnt know about all that other stuff i just changed and washed out all of their enclosures to coco fiber will they be okay ?

Organic stuff is dodgy as @cold blood said dirt is naturally organic so with them labeling it as organic it usually means stuff has been added to it. I couldn't answer if there going to be ok but you have definitely done the best thing by switching it out, only time will tell if there has been any effects from it, but I recon if there fine just now all should be good.

 

[zaidyn]

Organic stuff is dodgy as @cold blood said dirt is naturally organic so with them labeling it as organic it usually means stuff has been added to it. I couldn't answer if there going to be ok but you have definitely done the best thing by switching it out, only time will tell if there has been any effects from it, but I recon if there fine just now all should be good.

one of my mature ts just molted to 120mm as well so i think that they are doing okay

 

[Andrew Clayton]

one of my mature ts just molted to 120mm as well so i think that they are doing okay

That's great bud, what T's do you have? I don't know if I'd like living in Australia only being able to keep native species. Although they are some pretty cool T's.

 

[zaidyn]

they are kind of boring i wish that i could have some cool new worlds i really want a Grammostola pulchra my sp 2.5 looks pretty much like a new world so thats cool only bad thing is they are all brown the Sp. Pq113 is the most colorful she just molted so shes like blue / black right now but then she will go back to being brown lol


mature / Phlogius Sp. Pq113
mature / Selenotypus Sp. 2.5
mature Coremiocnmeis Sp. Pygmy



slings
Phlogius kuttabul
Selenotypus exevale
Selenotypus glenelva
Phlogius pseudo crassipes
Phlogius airlie
Phlogius Proserpine Tarantula
Selenotypus Sp. Victoria Creek

That's great bud, what T's do you have? I don't know if I'd like living in Australia only being able to keep native species. Although they are some pretty cool T's.

That's great bud, what T's do you have? I don't know if I'd like living in Australia only being able to keep native species. Although they are some pretty cool T's.

i found this stuff i think it would be a good substrate and safe only bad thing is that its 50$ a bag and it probably wouldnt fill up an entire exo terra 30x30x30

Zoo Med Tropical Bio Blend Substrate 8.8 Litre

Zoo Med Tropical Bio Blend Substrate 8.8 Litre. Created with a blend of natural ingredients, Zoo Med Tropical Bio Blend Substrate provides a healthy enriching environment for reptiles.

www.amazingamazon.com.au

 

[Gevo]

I'm not familiar with the laws in your country, but sometimes those warning labels are unnecessarily alarmist due to local laws about printing them. That label makes it look like it's gathered from a toxic dump site, but it also looks like the kind of cover-your-butt warning that a company is forced to include.

Soils that list "organic matter" are usually some base mix of peat moss, compost, sand, clay, or mulch, with manure or worm castings or something added to them, plus sometimes minerals as pH balancers or mychorrizae to support beneficial fungus. It's all organic stuff, but it's made to encourage growth in a garden. Those ingredients aren't going to hurt your Ts, but they might encourage more mold or fungal growth.

Soils that are potting soils contain the same base components, and they can contain any of those additional things that organic soil has, plus they're likely to contain things like vermiculite, perlite, and sand to manage water and drainage, and they can contain more things as fertilizers. Again--that doesn't make it inherently harmful to your Ts, but you might not know what those additional fertilizers are, and it's there to encourage growth, so you might get more mold and fungus.

Normally, topsoil is just the base "dirt" made up of compost, peat moss, sand, clay, or mulch without any added fertilizers or water or texture management whatsoever.

Since the labelling is different in your country, you could also reach out to the manufacturer for clarity. It would be convenient to use what's cheap and available to you, and it would clear up any questions about that sketchy-but-maybe-mandated label. Personally, I wouldn't be panicking over it, but it's good to ask.

 

[Andrew Clayton]

i found this stuff i think it would be a good substrate and safe only bad thing is that its 50$ a bag and it probably wouldnt fill up an entire exo terra 30x30x30

Zoo Med Tropical Bio Blend Substrate 8.8 Litre

Zoo Med Tropical Bio Blend Substrate 8.8 Litre. Created with a blend of natural ingredients, Zoo Med Tropical Bio Blend Substrate provides a healthy enriching environment for reptiles.

www.amazingamazon.com.au

That would work but I wouldn't. It's a quarter ton though but only 22$ https://www.narellansand.com.au/store/Premium-Top-Dressing-Loose-tip-p595930275
As I'm in the UK it's hard for me to search what's near you but this is what you're looking for.

 

[viper69]

it says its organic

Everything is organic

 

[samuraiscorpion]

one of my mature ts just molted to 120mm as well so i think that they are doing okay

Are you using the Garden Basics 25L All Purpose Potting Mix? Just housed a tarantula with 40/40/10 (potting mix, cocofiber and red sand) in it today. I got the potting mix from Bunnings btw

 

[Matt Man]

I say to always AVOID the word organic....that's a bad sign unless you're growing plants...all soil is inherently organic, when you see that label on the bag, it's not in reference to the dirt, it refers to the additives....generally compost or manure....You want soil FREE of additives....the label you should look for is "great for filling holes and leveling ground"....that's the cheap, additive free stuff you want.

Yup. The most basic, cheap dirt is typically best.

Everything is organic

Arsenic, Cyanide, Belladonna, amanita.....