Re: Setting up first NPT 10g Ok, I set the tank up last night! I ended up using Miracle Grow Organic Choice potting soil. Picked out the larger pieces of bark, then read after I had filled the tank that I probably should have sifted it through a screen to get more out. So, as expected, tannins leaching out by this morning. Added charcoal to the HOB filter. I capped it with my plain gravel instead of fluorite (was concerned about the acidic soil plus iron-rich fluorite combination). I also added a piece of cuttlebone and some baking soda and epsom salts to increase hardness.
Plants include Echinodorus angustifolia, crypt lutea, crypt Wendtii 'Red', Hygro 'Compact', Valisneria nana, dwarf sag, Hygro difformis, java moss, ludwigia, and pennywort. The Hygro 'Tiger' I bought ended up looking not so good after all, mostly stems with few leaves, so I trimmed my other tank and got some rotala rotundifolia and rotala sp. green to replace the hygro. Also some water lettuce and what was sold to me as frogbit, but I think it is actually duckweed. I'm excited to be able to try the valisneria, as I can't grow it in my other tank with Seachem Excel added. I hope I have enough plants.
I found out my strip light doesn't work, the power button broke off and fell inside the fixture. Will have to run out on my lunch break and get a new one. Too bad, I was hoping to mostly use stuff I had laying around for this tank. I hope it will be ok with just window light for today.
No fish yet, I'm waiting to see how things go in the next week or so. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping the plants grow and I don't have any major algae breakouts. |