A few questions about NPTs

I recently bought a 29 gallon aquarium and I am debating on setting it up as an NPT or just as a planted tank. So I have a few questions for those who have experience with NPTs.

1. What soil and cap did you use? And did it work well?

2. Did you air out or soak the soil before using it?

3. Could you add fish immediately after setting it up?

4. How long did the tank take to cycle?

5. Would you recommend setting up an NPT?

Sorry for all the questions. I just don't want to set up a new tank and kill ask of my fish and plants.

 

for my cherry bowl, I used miracle grow organic garden soil, capped with regular gravel. about 1.5 inches of each. I really like it. no tannins in the water.

I added the shrimp right away, in the heavily planted dwarf sag forest, with forgbit and a bit of najas. all the shrimp are growing and doing well. it's been set up for almost a month.

the 10 gallon NPT, I used topsoil, gravel cap. I have a HUGE amount of tannins. don't like. I added the fish, 2 sparkling gouramis, 2 CPO's right away. they were all fine...still are. yesterday I added 5 espI rasorbas...all doing well.

I only let the soil sit in the tank/bowl for a day, before filling it. didn't rise it.

I would get the MGOGS for sure. if you can.

plant it well! and yoy NNED frogbit! it is cool looking....plus it brings oxygen into the water.

oh. and I don't filter these tanks....or use anything at all. in a 29g, I would use a small powerhead maybe....for some small movement. too much movement takes co2 out of the water

 

Thanks jeri! I have access to miracle grow organic choice garden soil and I plan to use it. Do you think that it would be okay to cap it with eco complete from my 10 gallon? I figured that it would seed the tank. Also I plan to use an aquaclear 30 filter instead of a powerhead. Would that be okay?

 

I think eco will be fine to use. and the ac 30 will be fine too. npts are stocked pretty lightly.....so keep that in mind

-j

 

I want to move my current stock over to the 29 and add 10 von rio tetras, 1 or 2 nerites, and 4 more amano shrimp. Do you think that would be okay?

I am debating on moving the ADFs. I may try it and see if they do okay and if not set up the 10 gallon for them again.

 

you have a DG, some otos and a snail.....you'll move over? and add 10 von rios? yeah that'll be ok for sure.

 

Yeah I have the DG, 4 otos, a snail, and 4 amano shrimp. I may also add the two ADFs to see if they do alright. I want to add 4 more shrimp, 10 von rio tetras, and possibly 2 nerite snails.

I had one other question, what kind of plants should I put in the tank? I know that stem plants are recommended, but from your experience what are the best stem plants to choose?

I already have anubias, water lettuce/frogbit (I was told that it was water lettuce but now I'm not sure so I attached a picture), an amazon sword, giant vals, java ferns, and a mystery plant.

 

yeah that is frogbit. which I think is a bit easier to take care of than water lettuce. it seems less delicate.

what about dwarf sag, or hairgrass? I also like crypt wendti...the bronze colored one really makes the other plants stand out....instead of being one lump of green. ozelot sword is pretty...kind of a marble-y looking leaf.

 

I really like the crypt wendti! I will keep all of those in mind as I continue to plan. I won't have the money to set this tank up until after Christmas because I want to plant it very heavily. Thanks again Jeri!

 

the wendtI in my 26g is huge! I think I have a pic of it in my albums. you'll have to post pics of the plants, when you get them. and you're welcome!

 

Now I really want one! They are really pretty plants! I checked at my LFS and they have one for sale. Hopefully they don't sell it!

 

do you know what color it is?I like the bronze a lot.

-j

 

It is labeled as bronze, which is exactly what I wanted! If I have any extra money I may try to get it early.

 

mine is a bronze too. I really like it. I think I got my plant, as a baby, from sds haha....like a year ago. actually, I can send you one of mine....it has reproduced so much....I have more than enough. pm me if you're interested

-j

 

I'll pm you after I get out of school.

 

Haha, jeri, I must have gotten my bronze crypt wendtiI from SDS about the same time!

I don't have a NPT yet, but have a 20 g I am doing NPT research for - will probably set it up around february. From what I've read so far on other forums, it seems that people who capped the soil with eco-complete had a higher chance of going through a high algae period within a few months of setup than those that capped with gravel or sand.

I'll be looking forward to seeing your tank as you set it up.

I also have my little work tank that I took down this spring when my ADF's died from BGA . I plan to try to set that one up as NPT and get ADFs again. I haven't read much about people having ADFs in a NPT, but I don't see why it couldn't work.

ETA: It looks like your frogs are currently in a 10 gallon. The 29 is probably much deeper, and not as ideal for them anyways because of the distance they'll have to swim to get air.

 

did you get a crypt from him too? that's funny. is yours growing like crazy? mine definitely is.

I have a 10 NPT, and a 1.75g npt bowl. I have them both capped with gravel, and don't have issues with algae. in the 10 gallon I have tannins from the topsoil. I like MGOGS much better. it has been perfect in my cherry bowl.

I would think an NPT would be perfect for frogs. they don't like a lot of water movement, which you don't need in an npt. in fact, i'm thinking of re-doing the edge, that my 2 are in....and making it one. i'm thinking that most of my tanks that are set up in the furture, will be npt's. they're just very easy....and fit my way of doing things ;D

 

Yep, I got the crypt, as well as a few others from him. In my 37, it's doing amazing. In my big tank it isn't doing as well. I think because that tank has an UGF. They've started doing a little better in there with root tabs, but vals and nymphoides taiwan don't do that great in that tank either. I'm thinking the plants that are barely hanging on in that tank will probably do well if I move them to the 20 gallon with soil.

 

Sanjin: The eco-complete has been in my 10 gallon since July. I planned on using it because it would seed the tank. Do you think it would cause an algae problem even though it is not "fresh?"

Also, I have read that ADFs can be kept in tanks up to 18" high. This tank is 18" high but about 3" will be gravel and at least 1" will be air space. So it will only be about 14". I plan to keep my eye on them and be prepared to move them back to the 10 gallon if necessary.

Thanks for all of your advice!

Jeri: I just sent you a PM!

 

I suspect it would help that the eco-complete has been being used for that long. Right now, it's all theoretical for me though, because I have never used eco-complete, and I haven't yet had a NPT.

 

It's the same way for me. Right now I am learning from the experience of others (mostly JerI ) and I will continue learning after I set up my own NPT. Hopefully the number and severity of the mistakes that I make is minimized by the amount of research I am doing now!

 

thanks megan....I think you'll do just fine with your npt. I'm always here if you have questions.

-j

 

Dwarf water lettuce vs Frogbit

yeah that is frogbit. which I think is a bit easier to take care of than water lettuce. it seems less delicate.

what about dwarf sag, or hairgrass? I also like crypt wendti...the bronze colored one really makes the other plants stand out....instead of being one lump of green. ozelot sword is pretty...kind of a marble-y looking leaf.

What you are calling frogbit is actually dwarf water lettuce, thought this picture would clarify this:

 

yeah it is water lettuce....I was on my phone when I first looked at it....looked different on there! either way, they are both great -j