8g dirt tank questions

[Jkeating8]

Yeah i found a dealer online about 3-4 hours from me, they have some nice looking neos, but the less common ones are so expensive. They sell blue diamonds for like $20 a piece and carbon rillis around $13, are these normal prices for these types of shrimp?

That's expensive for those shrimp. You should keep an eye out on The Planted Tank forum in the sale sub-forum. People are frequently selling shrimp of all kinds. Good prices. You can also try speedie aquatics and Invertabrates by msjinkzd. Both are reputable and sell quality shrimp.

 

[KleinVis]

Pezzep, how is your dirted tank doing? How much water have you added? Have you done any test? Is your water cloudy? Did you decide to cap it? My tank water is pretty cloudy, like really cloudy. I used organic soil (not miracle grow, I'm from South Africa, don't have the same brands). Anyway, the soil isn't capped, because I like the color, but it is making the little bit of water that is in there, really really dark. I changed most of the water today, but it is still dark. Any suggestions?

 

[KleinVis]

Do you think if I mineralize it, it would stop the water from being so dark?

 

[KleinVis]

Well, after some more research, I've found another site to refer to. Hope it helps a bit? I think I'm just going to leave my soil in my yank the way it is, for a long time, with water changes (hopefully getting rid of the nasty color). In anyway, I have to save money before I can buy lights and the equipment needed for my sump. (Might as well take the long route)

Suitable soils for the Walstad method - El Natural - Aquatic Plant Central

 

[KleinVis]

Wow, small world! I see that Rivercats has been part of that thread! Sorry about that! Nut I still hope the link helps to answer a few people's questions.

 

[Pezzep]

Pezzep, how is your dirted tank doing? How much water have you added? Have you done any test? Is your water cloudy? Did you decide to cap it? My tank water is pretty cloudy, like really cloudy. I used organic soil (not miracle grow, I'm from South Africa, don't have the same brands). Anyway, the soil isn't capped, because I like the color, but it is making the little bit of water that is in there, really really dark. I changed most of the water today, but it is still dark. Any suggestions?

I've filled the tank up, capped it with very small gravel. Haven't done any tests on the water added some snails to the tank to try and get my cycle going. My waters not cloudy at all just some tannins being leached into the water it's not bad at all though, will post a pic. I'd suggest you cap it and just try and find a substrate that is dark like the soil if that's the look you like.

 

[Jkeating8]

I've filled the tank up, capped it with very small gravel. Haven't done any tests on the water added some snails to the tank to try and get my cycle going. My waters not cloudy at all just some tannins being leached into the water it's not bad at all though, will post a pic. I'd suggest you cap it and just try and find a substrate that is dark like the soil if that's the look you like.

I think it looks good! I think if you placed those rocks closer to the wood, maybe along the base, it would give it a much more natural look.

 

[Billbug68]

I think it looks good! I think if you placed those rocks closer to the wood, maybe along the base, it would give it a much more natural look.

I agree.

 

[Pezzep]

Yeah that's what I was thinking too, to move the rocks that are near the driftwood right up next to it or at least that bigger white one. I need to get some smaller rocks too, to throw in along where the substrates change and up against the driftwood. Ill toy around with it more and look for more rocks in my backyard. Wanna go to my cottage soon to take some stones from my lake. Some neat looking rock on the shore there. Can't wait to get the right lighting and plants for this tank. Going to have so much colour.

 

[Pezzep]

An update on the Betta tank!

Added two 13w CFLs for now until the planted + gets here! should be here soon I hope. Added the plants today and ferts/glut and root tabs. Here's a photo of it!

The plants were floating for a bit so they look a little twisted they will straighten out in time. They also got mailed to me and i think they came a day late so they don't look so hot right now.



Plant list:
Top left gold nesea
Top right ludwigia indica
Middle left bocapa Caroline
Below that althernia renikii
Foreground dwarf baby tears

Probably butchered the names lol but oh well...hoping the baby tears will stay alive, I ordered a little to much so I ended up getting to cover pretty well the entire foreground rather than watching it spread which I guess is fine, less wait time. I think the gold nesea was grown emmersed if that's even possible with that plant cause it has these little buds on it and one of the tops looked different after letting it float for a while. Now I just got to wait for the plants to bounce back then I'm going to do some heavy duty trimming to get the plants to look the way I want. Will probably post more updates after the first trimming and grow back.

 

[Rivercats]

Plants always straighten back out in a day or two after shipping. With the Golden Nesaea if it is in its emersed the stem will be bright pink. After it's in the tank the stem will lose all it's pink color and you'll see the leaves change shape.

 

[Pezzep]

Yeah the stem is very pink at the moment. Do you think I have enough light for the dwarf baby tears? I'm thinking of keeping one of the 13w CFLs on there with my finnex fugeray planted + to keep a little extra light on the front of the tank, if necessary.

 

[Rivercats]

You should be able to grow it. Are you using CO2 or liquid carbon?

 

[Pezzep]

I'm using liquid carbon, dosing about 4-5ml daily.