Aquatic Plant Central - El Natural http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:24:35 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/images/apc/misc/rss.jpg Aquatic Plant Central - El Natural http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc Plant Choice for walstad tank http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66761-plant-choice-walstad-tank.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:19:37 GMT I'd like to order some plants online for a walstad tank I'm going to be setting up soon. I really like dwarf baby tears and micro swords, but I am not sure if they would do well. This is my first time trying this method. I already have some java ferns that I am going to add. I am going to be using a ten gallon tank with potting soil. So basically what would be some good plants to add and what are some good sites I could buy them off of. ]]> El Natural cojack22 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66761-plant-choice-walstad-tank.html One question about co2 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66723-one-question-about-co2.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:10:25 GMT I have small tank 5 l - 1.3 g . How much co2 boobles generate in one minute. I have small tank 5 l - 1.3 g . How much co2 boobles generate in one minute. ]]> El Natural Kova http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66723-one-question-about-co2.html Will Canadian Sphagnum peat do? http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66722-will-canadian-sphagnum-peat-do.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:50:10 GMT Hello,

Would a layer of Sphag peat suffice for a "fertilizer" layer at the bottom (under the silica sand substrate) of my tank? I plan on working some beach sand into the silica sand to buffer the pH. Would the peat serve as an adequate carbon source as well as N, P and micronutrient source?

In the past I have relied on fish poo for plant fertilizer but am now starting from scratch with no fish so I need something for the plants. I don't trust the local potting soils etc... (very few standards over here in sunny South Africa).

Thanks ]]> El Natural Tyrone Genade http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66722-will-canadian-sphagnum-peat-do.html Finally got my 75g started http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66698-finally-got-my-75g-started.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:46:52 GMT I finally got my soil Mineralized, the clay mixed in and put in the tank with a 1/2 inch of gravel. I do think I added a little too much clay and too little gravel [had it so the top was just covered with gravel]. But the water is almost totally clear now. [4wc and filter]

Plants I currently have
Duckweed
riccia
Corkscrew Val
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (brazilian microsword)
Hemianthus callitrichoides (HC)
e. tenellus (Dwarf chain sword)

I currently bought and waiting to get:
Echinodorus uruguayensis Sword Plant
echinodorus vesuvius
Hygrophila corymbosa Kompakt
rotala rotundifolia
willow' hygro (angustifolia)


Im still looking for/planning on adding:
Amazon Sword Plant
AFRICAN WATER FERN - Bolbitis heudelotii
HORNWORT
Cabomba furcata
Alternanthera reineckii var 'roseafolia'
more floating plants
flame or weeping moss


Tank:
75g
2wpg with a little sun
will have no filter

How does that sound ]]> El Natural Shadow45 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66698-finally-got-my-75g-started.html should i use native soils? http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66694-should-i-use-native-soils.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:40:40 GMT hi, I'm preparing to set up a tank as a natural biotope. I am going to be creating a florida wetland environment. It seems logical to use the sediments from the areas that I will be collecting my plants from, but thought I would ask some opinions first. (i'm a newb).

so, a few questions for taking this route. My reasoning is that by using these sediments (as opposed to potting soil or w/e from a garden center) is that this way you get the native microbes into the mix and would thus be starting out with a healthier sediment that's ready to take off from the start. So, would I want to filter out the sediments that I collect? What about any (native) invertebrates in the sediments... would these be detrimental in an aquarium situation? I know that some are needed, but I am under the impression that these are best added after the plants get established properly.

I was thinking of the following layers. First, about an inch or so of native sediment. Above that a very small amount of peat for added carbon source. Then a layer of small diameter gravel of some kind..

any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

cheers ]]> El Natural fyodor http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66694-should-i-use-native-soils.html Ludwigia palustris http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66690-ludwigia-palustris.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:10:41 GMT *EDIT* Sorry about the misleading thread title, I changed my mind about what I wanted to post.

I am about to tear down my 120 gallon riparium and start it all over. It will be a West Tennessee swamp biotope. I would appreciate any comments and criticism. Tank and plumbing cannot be changed but everything else can! I know the lighting is especially in need of upgrading; any suggestions as to what wattage I should be shooting for would be appreciated.

Tank:

30" X 30" X 30" acrylic quarter-round

Plumbing

1.5" adjustable standpipe
wet/dry sump
inline pump
Loc-line return near top of tank

Lighting (current):

1X 30W T12
3X 26W threaded base CFLs

Substrate (starting with bottom layer):

oak leaves (~1/4")
clayey topsoil (~1.5")
sand and fine gravel (~1/2")
waterlogged leaves and wood bits (scattered on surface)

Decor:

planting platforms made from 1/2" PVC and plastic canvas for emergent plants, filled with same substrate as above and set at various depths
artificial stump made from foam, with planting area for epiphytes

Floating plants:

Azolla caroliniana
Limnobium spongiae
Riccia fluitans
Ricciocarpus natans

Submersed plants:

Cabomba caroliniana
Cladophora
Spirogyra

Floating-leaved plants:

Callitriche heterophylla
Ludwigia palustris
Potamogeton diversifolius

Emersed plants:

Alisma subcordatum
Echinodorus subcordatum
Eleocharis acicularis
Heteranthera dubia
H. reniformis
Lobelia cardinalis
Rumex verticillatus
Sagittaria brevirostra
S. calycina
S. platyphylla
Saururus cernuus

Vertebrates:

Aphredoderus sayanus
Etheostoma fusiforme
E. gracile
E. proeliare
Fundulus chrysotus
F. dispar
F. notatus
Lepomis humilis
Notophthalmus viridescens
Opsopoeodus emiliae
Siren intermedia

Invertebrates:

Cambarellus puer
C. shufeldtii
Palaemonetes kadakiensis
assorted physid, lymnaeid, planorbid, and viviparid snails ]]> El Natural Noto http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66690-ludwigia-palustris.html Organic Choice http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66661-organic-choice.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:49:06 GMT For those of you using organic choice, did you screen it before using? also did you just use it straight up, or mix it with top soil? Seems to me that the organic choice is a a lot of peat, along with bark/organics (twigs etc.) however i have heard several members are getting great results using it. For those of you using organic choice, did you screen it before using? also did you just use it straight up, or mix it with top soil? Seems to me that the organic choice is a a lot of peat, along with bark/organics (twigs etc.) however i have heard several members are getting great results using it. ]]> El Natural MrSanders http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66661-organic-choice.html Starting an NPT - brown water http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66654-starting-npt-brown-water.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:02:15 GMT Hi all

Recently started an NPT slowly. Added an inch of some unused aquarium base ferts, then an inch of potting soil, and finally an inch of 1-3mm gravel.

This is a (L)24x(W)12x(H)18 tank, and the water is only about 6 inches deep. I haven't gotten round to buying any plants for the tank. I figured I'd just fill the water in and let it sit/condition whilst I wait for a suitable time to buy the plant. This tank has no livestock or plants whatsoever, and I ran a small internal filter to just create water flow and keep the mosquitoes away.

I filled the tank last night (6 inches of water) and by this morning the water was a dirty yellow/brown. Am I missing something here? Should I have compacted the gravel? Because I didn't.

Or is this normal and I should make frequent water changes until the water is clear?

The internal filter in the tank is not the final one I will be using. My eventual filter for this NPT is an Eheim 2008 Pick-Up internal filter.

Oh, and by the way, I don't have any wood in the tank so it's definitely not leaching from wood. Perhaps leaching from the soil? ]]> El Natural desewer http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66654-starting-npt-brown-water.html adding soil http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66643-adding-soil.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:19:15 GMT Hi new to the forum . I have a tank with a few plants in it and was wondering could i just put some potting soil in a fine mesh bag and add this to my tank to provide plants with nutrients. Or would it be better to start again and put soil under the gravel. has anyone already tried this. Hi new to the forum . I have a tank with a few plants in it and was wondering could i just put some potting soil in a fine mesh bag and add this to my tank to provide plants with nutrients.

Or would it be better to start again and put soil under the gravel.

has anyone already tried this. ]]> El Natural wak1 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66643-adding-soil.html substrate question http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66604-substrate-question.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:35:25 GMT I have used mirical gro organic potting soil for a sub and then capping with pool filter sand. I think the mgo is leaching tannins into the water cause i can change it and a few hrs to day and it yellow again. What can i do next time to prevent this I have used mirical gro organic potting soil for a sub and then capping with pool filter sand. I think the mgo is leaching tannins into the water cause i can change it and a few hrs to day and it yellow again. What can i do next time to prevent this ]]> El Natural wicca27 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66604-substrate-question.html Planning first 20g el natural http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66557-planning-first-20g-el-natural.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:28:42 GMT In the next few months I'll be starting a 20g tall el natural tank. I plan on using miracle grow organic soil and Seachem flourite. I'd like some suggestions for plants and lighting. I'd like to use no more than 1.5 watts per gallon. I do plan on light dry fert dosing but no co2 injection.

This will end up being an RCS tank. I'd like to have a carpet plant. What are good low light hardy plants that can be used as carpets? I'd like to grow the carpet out emersed at first then go submersed.

Also, what other low light plants would you suggest for a tank of this size?

I also plan on using a fluval 205 which I will be adding to my 26g bow front tank to seed.

For lighting, I have a Single GLO Life-Glo T5 HO 24W 6700K laying around. Would that be a good light for this?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. ]]> El Natural oheresy http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66557-planning-first-20g-el-natural.html Filtration for a NPT? http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66552-filtration-npt.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:20:14 GMT I am going to attempt a 58 gallon NPT with a top-soil/potting soil layer and a gravel cap. Will I need to get a filter or something for circulation? What would you advise I get? I am going to attempt a 58 gallon NPT with a top-soil/potting soil layer and a gravel cap. Will I need to get a filter or something for circulation? What would you advise I get? ]]> El Natural Rastan71 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66552-filtration-npt.html My 200G ex-Natural tank http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66533-my-200g-ex-natural-tank.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:58:18 GMT Hi all,

As some may remember... i had LOTS of algae problems with my 200G natural soil tank. Turns out i couldnt control the natural light + soil: algae everywhere, KH and GH dropped to almost 0, green water... a real mess. Lost 1 Rainbow shark, 1 Flame gourami and 2 angels and several plants; so i decided to tear it down... had to move all the fish and surviving plants to a 50G.

Dont think there is any problem with the NPT method, but for my conditions, it just couldnt work.

Re-built it, without soil... Added a large driftwood (it sank right from day 1, never leached tannins). Planted, brought the fish back from the 50G, Added silver angels. All the fish have been healthy, no more fish loss EXCEPT for my clown loaches: they were not able to withstand the stress from the moves... only 2/6 remain :( real pity. I had them for some months in my 50G and they were very healthy... but it was all too much for them.

The tank's been running in the new format for about 1.5 months, there is some algae... but nowhere near the mess i had before. It's a lot healthier, but i have to dose some nutrients and excel daily (quite easy to be honest). I also improved the shading..... Water parameters have been steady, no funny things. Everyone is healthy except for the clown loaches. i'll wait several months before adding clown loaches again...

Here are some pics showing the 'evolution':
1) Initial set up w/ soil (about day 3)
2) TOXIC tank! (about 3 weeks later)
3) A week or so ago

Regards!
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]]> El Natural f1ea http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66533-my-200g-ex-natural-tank.html some kind of invertebrate bringing up subsoil http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66495-some-kind-invertebrate-bringing-up-subsoil.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:55:04 GMT I have had walstad tanks for years. In 50 years of keeping aquariums, I have never had this problem. There are some little critters who invaded the substrate in one of my 125 gal tanks. I feed lots of live foods. mostly daphnia, but also got a mix of inverts, mostly scuds and bloodworms from sachs, for my outdoor pond, some of which may have come in with the daphnia. Anyhow, they destroyed the 125 by bringing up so much subsoil that the tank could only be maintained by twice weekly water changes. At first I thought it was some kind of snail, treated the tank and killed off all the visible snails with no real change. I know, if it was snails, they could have been protected under the substrate. I packed the tank up, took the plants out and put them in a new 20 gal tank. Within a few weeks the little ant hills of subsoil started appearing on top of the gravel again. Whatever they are must have come over with the plants... The next tactic was to inject ich away(formaldehyde and copper) into the subsoil beneath the mounds. My logic was that if they were inverts it would do them in. That seemed to work pretty well for a while but was not really completely effective. The other tactic was to get a yo yo loach. They are snail and worm getters and good at rooting for them in the gravel - again no luck. I am going to start the tank over again unless someone has another treatment suggestion. What can I dip the plants in again to insure there are no hitchhikers? I have had walstad tanks for years. In 50 years of keeping aquariums, I have
never had this problem.
There are some little critters who invaded the substrate in one of my 125
gal tanks. I feed lots of live foods. mostly daphnia, but also got a mix of
inverts, mostly scuds and bloodworms from sachs, for my outdoor pond, some
of which may have come in with the daphnia.
Anyhow, they destroyed the 125 by bringing up so much subsoil that the tank
could only be maintained by twice weekly water changes. At first I thought
it was some kind of snail, treated the tank and killed off all the visible
snails with no real change. I know, if it was snails, they could have been
protected under the substrate.
I packed the tank up, took the plants out and put them in a new 20 gal tank.
Within a few weeks the little ant hills of subsoil started appearing on top
of the gravel again. Whatever they are must have come over with the
plants...
The next tactic was to inject ich away(formaldehyde and copper) into
the subsoil beneath the mounds. My logic was that if they were inverts it
would do them in. That seemed to work pretty well for a while but was not
really completely effective.
The other tactic was to get a yo yo loach. They are snail and worm getters
and good at rooting for them in the gravel - again no luck.
I am going to start the tank over again unless someone has another treatment
suggestion.
What can I dip the plants in again to insure there are no hitchhikers? ]]> El Natural stevebutterworth http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66495-some-kind-invertebrate-bringing-up-subsoil.html Sludge and parasites in the NPT http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66465-sludge-parasites-npt.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:10:41 GMT Dear All

I left a post recently concerning a lot of flashing that was going on my tank. This is a development of that.

Despite treating with Interpet No.7, my fish are still flashing, and some have little grey patches on their flanks - more likely where the mucous is 'inflamed' rather than an actual beastie.

In my small 40L NPT everything is fine - equally there is no sign of sludge on the bottom - as if a miracle fishkeeper is maintaining it for me! In my 200L, where these problems are occuring, there is some sludge and detritus which collects around the base of the plants. I am wondering if this is indicative of a too high biological load on the tank. The tank contains a breeding pair of Bolivian rams (who are causing havoc every month now by spawning), an older Bolivian ram, 7 cardinal tetras, 5 glass blood-fin tetras, an Ancistrus sp. and three Ottocinclus sp. When the rams spawn, I try and feed the fry with frozen cyclops - very messy. But I can't let them starve, now can I? Of course the rams go on the rampage when they spawn, and everything gets chased about, adding to stress levels.

But I note in pictures of your tanks Diana - you have no sludge visible - as is the case in my well running 40L. It is as if the levels are all in balance and everything gets broken down. I'm wondering if my 200L is overloaded, and thus providing a breeding ground for these parasites - whatever they are.

Should I thus be more traditional with my water changes - with a bit of hoovering up of this sludge? As this tank is going to become a marine tank in the future, I am having a sump built, so hopefully this might alleviate the bio-load (as there will be a lit refugium where I will grow some Hygrophillia or something).

Any input, as ever, would be much appreciated.

Joe ]]> El Natural Joeinlondon http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/66465-sludge-parasites-npt.html