Topsoil Q

xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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May 21, 2019
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Is it still possible to use inorganic topsoil for animals, particularly isopods. Like can you bake it or other techniques. It’s a sandy topsoil with sawdust. I highly don’t I can use it but I have it sitting here so just wondering if there is something I can do
 

xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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Not organic. I’d usually think that topsoil has no additives and is literally just plain topsoil but it doesn’t say on the bag that it is organic. The company is redi-gro and I think it’s only local to the California area. I tried contacting them but no answer yet. Wherever o look it says that topsoil organic matter only
 
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birdonfire

Arachnosquire
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Interesting question. My research suggests Redi-Gro Top Soil has fir sawdust included in the mix: https://www.redi-gro.com/products/top_soil.html. Conifer byproducts are typically NOT recommended. However, Miracle-Gro Performance Organics potting mix contains "processed forest products" and that usually means pine in the southeast and I've used that with success. Trialing is necessary. But if in doubt, go with the tried-and-true option.
 

xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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Interesting question. My research suggests Redi-Gro Top Soil has fir sawdust included in the mix: https://www.redi-gro.com/products/top_soil.html. Conifer byproducts are typically NOT recommended. However, Miracle-Gro Performance Organics potting mix contains "processed forest products" and that usually means pine in the southeast and I've used that with success. Trialing is necessary. But if in doubt, go with the tried-and-true option.
Thanks for all the research. I plan on spending a ton on isopods, I’ll run some tests on maculatum, scaber, and laevis
 

xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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Also one more thing most of the soil is potting soil and not just topsoil, topsoil is a very minimal amount
 

Albireo Wulfbooper

Arachnoprince
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FYI "inorganic" doesn't mean the opposite of "organic". It seems like it should (and in the world of chemistry, it kinds does) but when asking about organic soil versus soil that isn't organic, if you use the word "inorganic", people are likely going to be confused - there's not really any such thing as inorganic soil :)

Anyway, soil doesn't need to be certified organic to be safe, but it does need to be free of pesticides, and neither organic nor standard soil is guaranteed to be safe for invertebrates, as there are plenty of invertebrate-murdering compounds that are allowed in organic soil. What you want is something that is free from pesticides and fertilizers - most topsoils will fit this description, but not all. Personally I stick with substrates designed for invertebrates and amphibians because i'm paranoid.

Potting soil often contains fertilizer - use extreme caution.
 

xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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Potting soil often contains fertilizer - use extreme caution.
The only fertilizers I see is bat guano and feather meal. It has aged forest products, sphag peat moss, pumice, perlite, feather meal, bat guano, kelp meal and dolomite for pH adjuster. Im gonna run some tests for a few months and see. Where do you get your sub from. A lot of that stuff ain’t cheap
 

jc55

Arachnoknight
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There are some decent top soils available that are just the soil with no pesticides or additives and in my opinion always a safe choice.
 

xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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Bruh i don’t even know anymore, I think I’m just gonna run some tests for the next few months, I’m gonna spend over 700 hundred so I don’t wanna lose all that
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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Just glancing at this thread from a distance perspective, this is ridiculous. Ludicrous. Hard to find ordinary dirt that isn't contaminated by something.
 

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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Bruh i don’t even know anymore, I think I’m just gonna run some tests for the next few months, I’m gonna spend over 700 hundred so I don’t wanna lose all that
Get a simple bag of topsoil from homedepot, lowes, bricomart etc commonly used brands: earthgro, scotts, westlands, wickles, timberline, Baccto or any other topsoil. Organic does mean that it was sourced without any chemical prodecures, every soil is organic. It it sailys organic, check if it has any fertilizers. Very low levels like 0'0x% won't do nothing, any soil with rotting woods an decaying leaves will have more % of those fertilizers than it, usually Nitrogen, phosporus and photasiun. Sometimes they add organic for branding reasons where in reallity the amount of fertilizer is minimal. The ones to avoid are the ones with high amount of fertilizers on it. But better to prevent anything added.
 

xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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May 21, 2019
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T
Get a simple bag of topsoil from homedepot, lowes, bricomart etc commonly used brands: earthgro, scotts, westlands, wickles, timberline, Baccto or any other topsoil. Organic does mean that it was sourced without any chemical prodecures, every soil is organic. It it sailys organic, check if it has any fertilizers. Very low levels like 0'0x% won't do nothing, any soil with rotting woods an decaying leaves will have more % of those fertilizers than it, usually Nitrogen, phosporus and photasiun. Sometimes they add organic for branding reasons where in reallity the amount of fertilizer is minimal. The ones to avoid are the ones with high amount of fertilizers on it. But better to prevent anything added.
Thanks, man. I’ll buy some today. I’m getting ten new species including cappuccinos, and a few other high valued isos. So I can use Baccto topsoil for my isopods?
 
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JonnyTorch

Arachnotwit
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May 10, 2020
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329
@JonnyTorch it was made out of sedge?

@moricollins and @Smotzer could tell you better than me if baccto is apropiate for them.
@xXTristinaXx @Dorifto I called the owners of Baccto personally, regarding their TOPSOIL. I called the company owner, and the owners who own them (I dug deep and got two different phone numbers, it looks like Baccto is a company owned by a larger company). Both calls the owners said the same thing: There is no pesticides or fertilizers in the topsoil whatsoever. 100% Reed Sedge Peat moss (Decomposed peat moss, making it a soil). Basically 100% real, natural soil. I use it in my Genic enclosure. She prefers it over coco fiber, and took a liking to it immediately when I switched. And it took a lot of me to switch, but I'm glad I did.

I think isopods will be fine with it but I could be wrong.. I don't keep isopods, I keep tarantulas. But it's 100% natural, pesticide free, fertilizer free, peat moss that is now a soil. I don't see how it could be that bad. My T loves it.. she hated the coco fiber.
 
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xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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May 21, 2019
Messages
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@xXTristinaXx @Dorifto I called the owners of Baccto personally, regarding their TOPSOIL. I called the company owner, and the owners who own them (I dug deep and got two different phone numbers, it looks like Baccto is a company owned by a larger company). Both calls the owners said the same thing: There is no pesticides or fertilizers in the topsoil whatsoever. 100% Reed Sedge Peat moss (Decomposed peat moss, making it a soil). Basically 100% real, natural soil. I use it in my Genic enclosure. She prefers it over coco fiber, and took a liking to it immediately when I switched. And it took a lot of me to switch, but I'm glad I did.

I think isopods will be fine with it but I could be wrong.. I don't keep isopods, I keep tarantulas. But it's 100% natural, pesticide free, fertilizer free, peat moss that is now a soil. I don't see how it could be that bad. My T loves it.. she hated the coco fiber.
bro thank you so much, you’re fantastic bruddah. Genuinely made me smile to see this info. The search has been rough, I finally don’t have to spend a fortune for a bag of dirt
 

JonnyTorch

Arachnotwit
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bro thank you so much, you’re fantastic bruddah. Genuinely made me smile to see this info. The search has been rough, I finally don’t have to spend a fortune for a bag of dirt
Just make sure you use the Baccto Topsoil, not the potting soil or something else, I only talked to them about the Topsoil. The bag I got is like 50lbs and comes already moist, I just put it straight in and removed some larger chunks here and there for my tarantula. 👍
 
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xXTristinaXx

Arachnobaron
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May 21, 2019
Messages
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Just make sure you use the Baccto Topsoil, not the potting soil or something else, I only talked to them about the Topsoil. The bag I got is like 50lbs and comes already moist, I just put it straight in and removed some larger chunks here and there for my tarantula. 👍
Yup, I’m getting some P werneri and expansus so I’m gonna have to let the dirt get bone dry for ‘em
 
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