So, as many of you will know, we finally have our pond and hopefully our goldfish will be in it within a month. I just need to buy a pump and build the filter.
When he moves, I'll be inheriting his 90 litre tank. I have done a lot of thinking and, since I can't get aquasoil or anything like that here for less than a bajillion dollars, I want to do an NPT, as it seems the best option all round.
My stock will be:
- 6 female bettas
- 12 Endlers Livebearers
- 4 corydoras anaeus
- 4 peppered cories
- 2-4 blue lyretail (I think) killifish
Plus shrimp.
The plants I currently have that will be moving to this tank:
- some huge java ferns attached to a driftwood cave
- two pieces of driftwood, both with anubias and java moss
- elodea/anacharis
- hornwort
- some crypts
- luwigia repens
- pygmy chain sword
- duckweed (though I don't think it will survive due to the filter style and surface movement)
and whatever else is in there hiding. I also want to add some ambulia and possibly some lacefern, plus whatever else I can buy off friends.
So, these are my questions:
1) I know I need a soil base with no additives or chemicals, covered by a layer of sand (I'm going to use an aquatic sand because it looks beautiful). How thick should each layer be?
2) I have heard that I need 75% of the tank to be covered in stem plants and 10% to be floating plants. Is this correct?
3) The lighting for this tank is two sunlight 18w bulbs. I haven't got a clue what kelvin they are, though. Does anyone know that, or how I could find out? It isn't written on the bulbs...I am worried about this as I know that lighting is the biggest cause of NPT failures.
4) What are the risks involved in an NPT? What can go wrong, and what will the results be?
5) Can I add my fish the same day as setting up the tank? As all the plants will be transferring from my current tank, I kind of have to....
6) What kind of maintenance am I looking at (what and how often)?
7) Do I need fertilisers or root tabs?
8) Is my stocking ok?
Thanks so much to anyone who can answer this! I'm so nervous about the whole process...I've been working with plants for a while with relative success, but I have never tried a soil-based tank, or anything other than gravel for my plants.
When he moves, I'll be inheriting his 90 litre tank. I have done a lot of thinking and, since I can't get aquasoil or anything like that here for less than a bajillion dollars, I want to do an NPT, as it seems the best option all round.
My stock will be:
- 6 female bettas
- 12 Endlers Livebearers
- 4 corydoras anaeus
- 4 peppered cories
- 2-4 blue lyretail (I think) killifish
Plus shrimp.
The plants I currently have that will be moving to this tank:
- some huge java ferns attached to a driftwood cave
- two pieces of driftwood, both with anubias and java moss
- elodea/anacharis
- hornwort
- some crypts
- luwigia repens
- pygmy chain sword
- duckweed (though I don't think it will survive due to the filter style and surface movement)
and whatever else is in there hiding. I also want to add some ambulia and possibly some lacefern, plus whatever else I can buy off friends.
So, these are my questions:
1) I know I need a soil base with no additives or chemicals, covered by a layer of sand (I'm going to use an aquatic sand because it looks beautiful). How thick should each layer be?
2) I have heard that I need 75% of the tank to be covered in stem plants and 10% to be floating plants. Is this correct?
3) The lighting for this tank is two sunlight 18w bulbs. I haven't got a clue what kelvin they are, though. Does anyone know that, or how I could find out? It isn't written on the bulbs...I am worried about this as I know that lighting is the biggest cause of NPT failures.
4) What are the risks involved in an NPT? What can go wrong, and what will the results be?
5) Can I add my fish the same day as setting up the tank? As all the plants will be transferring from my current tank, I kind of have to....
6) What kind of maintenance am I looking at (what and how often)?
7) Do I need fertilisers or root tabs?
8) Is my stocking ok?
Thanks so much to anyone who can answer this! I'm so nervous about the whole process...I've been working with plants for a while with relative success, but I have never tried a soil-based tank, or anything other than gravel for my plants.