I am wanting to do a couple low tech, low light NPTs. The first is a 5.5 Gallon tank. Once that is going well, I would like to take some of the trimming and start a 15 Gallon NPT. Would any of these plants work? And would any be better for the beginner?
You need to read up on each of these plants, some will grow too tall for your tank. A few good places to look are plantedtank.net and aquatic plant central.
For a soil based natural planted tank-you really need to start out with more stem plants. The plant on your list are all great plants, however, you have a lot of moss and fern-while they are awesome-too many IMO-I would pick 1 or 2 each of the moss and fern that you like best and start with those.
Crypt is a nice rosette and work great in soil based NPT
The Vallisneria nana is also a nice rosette and will give you some height, contrast. The corkscrew Val might be a better choice for a 5gal IMO.
The Echinodorus tenellus-another nice rosette that will do well in a NPT
The 3 of the 4 stem plants are all nice and work well in a NPT, however, the Pogostemon helferi is one I have never personally kept/grown and can't say if it will do well.
Other good stem plants that I have had great success with in my soil based NPT's.....Naja grass, Cabomba caroliniana, Hygrophila corymbossa, Hygrophila siamensis, Rotala indica/rotundifolia, Lugwigia natans.
I would also recommend floating plants-like water lettuce or frogbit or duckweed.
What kind of soil did you plan and type of cap
What are the lights-watts, kelvin, age of bulbs and photoperiod you plan
What is the finial livestock stocking-fish, shrimp, snails....
Type of filter
What are the hardscape items-driftwood, large rocks....etc.....
I am planning on using 2 inches of screened topsoil with a 1 inch cap of play sand. Does that sound about good?
The setup is the 5.5 TopFin starter kit from Petsmart which includes 5.5 gallon glass tank,16" Incandescent hood, Incandescent bulb, Power Filter with cartridge.
I have been looking at different CFL bulbs and was thinking of using a zoo med ultra sun daylight CFL 10 Watt 6500K. The bulb would be new. As for photoperiod I really haven't looked into that yet ... I still have a lot to learn and I appreciate everyones help. I will post a picture later of the window area where I plan to locate the tank and hopefully someone could suggest a photoperiod.
Livestock will include a male betta, a trumpet snail to keep the soil nice and airey, maybe some ghost shrimp, maybe an Oto. Again suggestions would be appreciated.
As for hardscape, some driftwood, some inert slate (already did the vinegar test thanks to the info I found here) from my yard. Plus an Elite 50 watt Submersible Preset Heater.
Again I want to thank everyone for all of your help and patience. The more I learn the more excited I get.
For a soil based natural planted tank-you really need to start out with more stem plants. The plant on your list are all great plants, however, you have a lot of moss and fern-while they are awesome-too many IMO-I would pick 1 or 2 each of the moss and fern that you like best and start with those.
Other good stem plants that I have had great success with in my soil based NPT's.....Naja grass, Cabomba caroliniana, Hygrophila corymbossa, Hygrophila siamensis, Rotala indica/rotundifolia, Lugwigia natans.
How many stem plants would you recommend? Is there a minimum/maximum total number of plants (stem, moss, rosette, floating, etc)?
I would use 1 inch soil and half in sand in a 5gal at the most 1.5in with half inch sand.
I like to start out with 2-3 bunches of 3-4 different species of fast growing stem plants and at least 1 species of floating plants.
You will want to add the trumpet snail and shrimp are always good to complete the little ecosystem, however, in a 5gal I wouldn't add any other fish besides the Betta-especially not Otos...they need at least 20gal of a mature heavy planted tank and kept in large groups to do best long term.
About 75% of the floor planted with stems....You can plant the rosette too-as well as attach the moss, fern and anubias to either the driftwood or rock that you had planned to use. Set it up how you plan to keep it in other words and plant the fast growing stem between everything and once the tank is mature (in about 3 months) and the rosette are growing well you can start thinning down the stem plant if you want or to start another tank with them and the trimmings.
With live plants you want to start on at least 10h/day PP to support plant growth
I want to thank everyone for their help. I greatly appreciate the benefit of your knowledge and experience.
I have another newbie question. When using bunched plants do you separate the bunch and plant individually or just plant the whole thing? And what about potted plants do you break them up or once again just plant the whole thing?
With stem plant you want to separate them and plant nest to each other and with potted plants-Remove the pots and rockwool then plant. Sometimes you will have more than one plant in the pots too-so separate them to plant...
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