Thank you all for your input and experiences!
Mika - I was planning to pop on chat and pick your brain for info, lol! I know you've used dug-from-the- woods soil before. . . I've alwasy told you that I'd be entirely too much of a fraidy cat to do things that way, but that the idea appeals to me . . . I think I might finally be ready to go that route. How much more natural can you get?! Did/do you use a cap on your dirt tanks? (HEY! Am I missing updates to that last tank? I haven't gotten any notices from you!)
Nice t-shirt idea, Red, lol! I might have to give that a try! You're right in that almost everyone uses/recommends the topsoil. . . though most of the things I've read do recommend that you sift it through some type of screening first, it makes sense that it'd be lighter, just because it is.
Just make sure the aerobic layer is healthy and the whole substrate is gritty enough that water can flow between the layers.
RIGHT up until you say stuff like this, then I get nervous again! Having never done this before, how do I know that the substrate is gritty enough to be healthy, and that the water is able to flow through? I'm not planning to actually layer it (I don't think). I suppose this is one of the areas where adding sand into the mix - even to separate naturally, and not as a cap - comes into play?
One last question . . . is there anything that I should do extra, aside from the mineralization process, to make sure that 'wild-caught' dirt is. . . clear of anything that would hurt the critters that may or may not eventually be living in the tank? Weird question, but should I bake it or boil it, lol?! To those that have used the stuff before, is it best to get it from an area that is farther away from water or actually in or near the water - or would it not matter? And what am I looking for in a good dirt?
John. . .we're both curious, and hopefully soon to find out, lol!
HAHA! So many really weird questions that I never thought I'd ask!!! Thank you guys for being patient and lending your experience! I appreciate it!