Everyone Said This Would Fail…. But I Proved Them Wrong (Sort Of)

I kept an Oscar cichlid in a planted dirted aquarium for an entire year — something the aquarium community said was impossible. This video documents the full journey: the setup, the challenges, the unexpected success, and the final twist when the dirt substrate finally failed me.

Whether you’re into planted tanks, South American cichlids, or the dirt vs inert substrate debate, this video will challenge what you think is possible in the aquarium hobby.

➡️ Was it worth it?
➡️ Can you really keep an Oscar in a planted tank?
➡️ Is dirted substrate reliable long-term for big fish?

Stick around to the end — I reveal the full tank transformation and what I switched to next.

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📌 Gear & Specs:
• Tank Size: 65 Gallons
• Substrate: Organic potting soil capped with sand (initial)
• Final Substrate: layered inert substrate -sand, pea gravel, &pool filler sand
• Filtration: Aquarium Co Op sponge filters
• Light: Glowrium Aquarium Light

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🎥 Related Videos:

🔗    • Setting Up A Dirted Tank For An Oscar Cichlid  
🔗    • Oscar Cichlids In Dirted Tanks: Is It Poss...  
🔗    • Oscar Cichlids And Dirted, Filterless, No ...  

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