New to Planted tanks and hoping for pointers.

[Psylk87]

I have been doing a bunch of reading on soil based tanks and was hoping to get some thoughts and pointers.

I currently have on 5.5 gallon tank with a male Betta. I have kept fish for years but this is the first tank I have kept live plants in. It has several plants but they are just in gravel. I have Wisteria, Water Sprite, Micro Swords, Amazon Swords (or so I think), and two other plants that I grew from Walmart bulbs. This tank has been set up and running for slightly over a year.

I have been wanting to try my hand at shrimp and have decided to move my betta from the 5.5 gallon to a 10 gallon so that I can use the 5.5 for RCS. Idealy I would like both the 10 gallon and the 5.5 to be Natural planted tanks (NPT) so this is where the questions come in.

1. I have read that if you set up an NPT correctly that you shouldnt have to cycle the tank before adding the fish. Does this mean I can move my betta straight to the 10 gallon after it is set up? (I would be moving everything over, same gravel (for cap), all the plants, the water, and the current filter.)

2. How do I know how many plants I need? I am worried I may need more to properly do this?

3. Will a NPT run okay with only shrimp in it and ntohing else? (this would be for the 5.5 gallon)

4. What is the best way to trim plants so they get too tall in a tank?

5. Are NPT's really that great of choice? What is better?

6. Would 5 neon tetras and 4 pygmy corys be acceptable as tank mates in the 10 gallon for the betta? He is fairly docile and had shrimp as tank mates in the past that he never bothered.

7. What plants would be best for both the 10 gallon and even more so the 5.5 shrimp tank. (this will be my first trip into shrimp)

8. Any other pointers for a beginner with plants and even mroe so with NPTs would be great!

Currently I have Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Mix (orange bag) For the soil base. I have read this is what a lot of people use.
The cap will be greavel for the 10 gallon and sand for the 5.5 Shrimp tank.
Lighting is a 6500k/10 watt Light. The Zoo Med Ultra Sun.

Thank you all very much for any and all pointers and advice. I am waiting to start the tank until I have lots of info!

 

[GodFan]

I have been doing a bunch of reading on soil based tanks and was hoping to get some thoughts and pointers.

I currently have on 5.5 gallon tank with a male Betta. I have kept fish for years but this is the first tank I have kept live plants in. It has several plants but they are just in gravel. I have Wisteria, Water Sprite, Micro Swords, Amazon Swords (or so I think), and two other plants that I grew from Walmart bulbs. This tank has been set up and running for slightly over a year and I have had other tanks in the past.

I have been wanting to try my hand at shrimp and have decided to move my betta from the 5.5 gallon to a 10 gallon so that I can use the 5.5 for RCS. Idealy I would like both the 10 gallon and the 5.5 to be Natural planted tanks (NPT) so this is where the questions come in.

1. I have read that if you set up an NPT correctly that you shouldnt have to cycle the tank before adding the fish. Does this mean I can move my betta straight to the 10 gallon after it is set up? (I would be moving everything over, same gravel (for cap), all the plants, the water, and the current filter.)
*********if you move the filter media to the 10 it will be cycled**********
2. How do I know how many plants I need? I am worried I may need more to properly do this?
*********** If you are trying to get the tank to silent cycle (cycle through plants) than you are goibg to need alot of plants************
3. Will a NPT run okay with only shrimp in it and ntohing else? (this would be for the 5.5 gallon)
************absolutely!!!!*************
4. What is the best way to trim plants so they get too tall in a tank?
************I usually just pinch them in half but aquarium plant trimming scissors can be bought*********
5. Are NPT's really that great of choice? What is better?
**************up to you***********
6. Would 5 neon tetras and 4 pygmy corys be acceptable as tank mates in the 10 gallon for the betta? He is fairly docile and had 1 as tank mates in the past that he never bothered.
**********you would need to watch and see********
7. What plants would be best for both the 10 gallon and even more so the 5.5 shrimp tank. (this will be my first trip into shrimp)
************ depends on the light. Shrimp adore moss though*********
8. Any other pointers for a beginner with plants and even mroe so with NPTs would be great!
**********keep it simple. Ask questions on here. Enjoy it!***********
Currently I have Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Mix (orange bag) For the soil base. I have read this is what a lot of people use.
The cap will be greavel for the 10 gallon and sand for the 5.5 Shrimp tank.
Lighting is a 6500k/10 watt Light. The Zoo Med Ultra Sun.
***********for which tank?********
Thank you all very much for any and all pointers and advice. I am waiting to start the tank until I have lots of info!

Answers above. Sorry about the confusion. The app isnt great for long stuff lol

 

[Rivercats]

Dirted tanks are good if you are planning on planting them heavily and you want your tank to have a nutrient rich substrate. I have dirted tanks, my largest being a 220g. But you need to know there are also drawbacks to starting up a dirted tank that you wouldn't have if just using a commerical substrate. The disadvantages are tannins will be released from the organic soil breaking down for a couple weeks which will require more frequent WC's (especially the first week), you will have to release gas pockets in the soil again for a couple 2-4 weeks that are caused from the inital breakdown of the organic soil. You will also have a flux of excess nutrients in the first weeks which means you need to plant the tank heavily, IMO a minimum of 80% of the substrate needs to be planted, and you need to use either water sprite or wisteria along with some fast growing stem plants like anacharis so they can mop up the excess nutrients. Also limiting your light to 6 hours in the first weeks helps with algae growth. Also in dirted tanks if you add plants like Crypts that grow big root systems you will not want to move them once planted or you will make a mess with the dirt getting into the tank above your cap. But all that being said I love my dirted tanks. They just require more attention in the first weeks. If you planted heavily and used media from your established tank to seed the new tank you could add fish in a few days. The only reason I say a few days is because often times after dirting a tank you will have to do a few WC's to mostly get tannins out of the water. Plus you'll have some floaties to net out after dirting.

 

[Psylk87]

Dirted tanks are good if you are planning on planting them heavily and you want your tank to have a nutrient rich substrate. I have dirted tanks, my largest being a 220g. But you need to know there are also drawbacks to starting up a dirted tank that you wouldn't have if just using a commerical substrate. The disadvantages are tannins will be released from the organic soil breaking down for a couple weeks which will require more frequent WC's (especially the first week), you will have to release gas pockets in the soil again for a couple 2-4 weeks that are caused from the inital breakdown of the organic soil. You will also have a flux of excess nutrients in the first weeks which means you need to plant the tank heavily, IMO a minimum of 80% of the substrate needs to be planted, and you need to use either water sprite or wisteria along with some fast growing stem plants like anacharis so they can mop up the excess nutrients. Also limiting your light to 6 hours in the first weeks helps with algae growth. Also in dirted tanks if you add plants like Crypts that grow big root systems you will not want to move them once planted or you will make a mess with the dirt getting into the tank above your cap. But all that being said I love my dirted tanks. They just require more attention in the first weeks. If you planted heavily and used media from your established tank to seed the new tank you could add fish in a few days. The only reason I say a few days is because often times after dirting a tank you will have to do a few WC's to mostly get tannins out of the water. Plus you'll have some floaties to net out after dirting.

What other substrate options are availible and what is most recommend? Also which makes for a healthier tank in the long run? I am really leaning towards a soil base but I am not sure if its the best place to start when I dont have much experience with planted tanks? I can handle the water changes and everything but I worry I wont have enough plants to start it off right.

 

[Rivercats]

If it were me and I was just starting I would do a commercial substrate like Eco-complete that has a high CEC (cation exchange capacity) which means it can absorb nutrients from the detris and water column and hold them for plant use. It will also allow you to focus on the plants and not having to mess with the substrate. Then down the road when you get comfortable with the workings of a planted tank you can try a dirted tank. But if you really want to try to do a dirted tank do the smallest tank with commercial substrate and try dirted with the 10g. Plus if your seeding your new tank with media from the other tank just get several plants to start and add more if needed. It's rare for a person to actually get the exact amount of plant they need the first time.

 

[Psylk87]

Would Eco-complete be an okay substrate for the cherry shrimp? If not can it be capped with sand so its better for them?

 

[Rivercats]

I only have ghost shrimp but they do fine on eco. If you want to use sand you can. Your just going to have to use root tabs.

 

[Psylk87]

When you say root tabs you mean those little root fertilizer tabs right? I asm thinking this Eco-complete may actually be the way to go. I was a bit nervous about the soil idea anyway because I read you can't clean off the algea and cant vaccum the cap for it. I assume this eco-complete is ocay to vaccum?

 

[Coursair]

When you say root tabs you mean those little root fertilizer tabs right? I asm thinking this Eco-complete may actually be the way to go. I was a bit nervous about the soil idea anyway because I read you can't clean off the algea and cant vaccum the cap for it. I assume this eco-complete is ocay to vaccum?

You can buy Root Tabs or
DIY Root Tabs

DIY Fert-Cicles.
Osmocote Plus from hardware store or nursery
+ Ice Tray
+ Tank Water

Fill trays 1/2 way with Fert
Fill trays with tank water
Freeze

Bury deep under or near Crypts and Swords or struggling plants. You don't need to put one per plant. Space them about 6" apart I think ??

I use O+ in my tanks. Got a RAOK of O+ root caps, gel capsules. They work great.

 

[Rivercats]

When you say root tabs you mean those little root fertilizer tabs right? I asm thinking this Eco-complete may actually be the way to go. I was a bit nervous about the soil idea anyway because I read you can't clean off the algea and cant vaccum the cap for it. I assume this eco-complete is ocay to vaccum?

You can vacuum Eco but in a planted tank the only time you want to vacuum is if there is an open unplanted area. Plus you can't vac too close to the plants or you could damage roots. I don't vac my 220g because about 90% or more of the substrate is planted. What I do is wave my hand gently over the plants and substrate right before I do a WC and suck up the detris.