# 75g NPT Journal



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Since this is my first true NPT set up, thought I'd start a journal. The tank is already set up, but better later than never. This will be a true low tech NPT, no WC's, only top offs, low low light, no ferts, no Co2.

Tank specs:

Tank: 75g All Glass tank, new

Stand: Old pine stand painted black

Filtration: Filstar xP3 and AC70, both taken from other tanks

Heater: VisaTherm 200W

Lighting: Catalinaaquarium.com, 2x24w T5HO, 8 hour photo period, suspended with black chain 6" above the tank

Substrate: Used mineralized top soil left over from a previous tank, capped with Black Flourite

Hardscape: An old peice of driftwood I had stored in the garage for years

Plants: Tiger Lotus bulb (Nymphaea zenkeri), Red Rubin Sword (Echinodorus "Rubin"), Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis), Aponogeton Natans (bulb), Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle Leucocephala), Several varieties of Anubias tied to river rock, Java Fern tied to river rock, Windelov tied to a piece of driftwood, Hygro Polysperma (Sunset), Dwarf Sag, Various Crypts from other tanks, Rotala Indica

Fish: 7 - Rainbows (bought as Trifasciata Goyder River F2 Rainbow, but I think I got ripped, not sure what they are), 15- Serpa Tetra's, one of my favorite tropical fish, 2- Gold Tetra's, rescued from a friends tank, 2- Black Skirt Tetra's, rescued from that same tank, 1- female betta, couple Endlers, 3- Nerites

I also have three air plants hanging from a metal wall decoration hanging above the tank and some ripteriumsupply planters with Phyos clippings in the tank, which are starting to root.

Since the lighting is so low, this tank is very dim. If I find it's not enough light, I'll upgrade the lighting to a 48" fixture.

This tank was bought used and set up and planted on 9/18/11. On 9/22/11 I noticed the top frame was cracked, and the glass on the side of the tank had "shifted" about 1/2 inch. Not good, ran out and bought a new tank, broke down the used tank and set up the new on in it's place. I was not happy. I cycled the tank fish in with Seachem Stability, works like a charm and after 3 weeks, it was cycled (both filters had been on other tanks since 5/11). So far plants are healthy, no algae on them and growing ever so slowly. The Tiger Lotus bulb has several small leaves, however, I haven't seen anything growing from the Aponogeton Natans. There is some BBA growing on the driftwood, I swear it lived for years dormant on the wood while stored in the garage. It comes off easily, one of these days I'll scrape it all off.

Below are a few (badly taken) pics, I'll try to update at least monthly.


----------



## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Thanks for starting this jounral, I will be following it with interest!

Something I have experienced and heard from others is that NPTs develop potassium defficiency over time. _H. polysperma_ is very sensitive to this and will show symptoms long before anything else does. When you made your mineralized top soil, did you add the "muriate of potash" (KCl)? I did not on my earlier tanks but now do, and it seems to prevent the potassium problems, at least so far.

Something else I am curious about is the philodendron in the the riparium planters. I've been tempted to try something like this, but haven't yet.

--Michael


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

I stopped adding Potash when it was figured out you can't keep inverts for the first 6 months or so after setting up the tank. Not sure the "why" but I found, as well as others, that adding it kills shrimp and nerites. This soil was used for about a year, then stored in my garage for another year. I have 3 nerites in the tank, and they are thriving, I'm hoping the Potash was gone w/in the year it was in my 120g. Those 3 nerites will be the tell tale sign.

I have used philodendron in those planter cups for a few years now. Here is a pic of one that's on my 26g bow N. Caudopunctatus tank, it's over 10 feet long today and has several other shoots growing from the planter cup:


----------



## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Never heard that about potash before.


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

I check out every tank daily, dose each tank as needed, take out leaf litter, rid old leaves, etc. On inspection of the 75g NPT, I noticed the swords old leaves are turning brown, but it also has new leaves growing. With my other planted tanks, I would remove the older dying leaves, but think I've read with an NPT, you should leave the dying leaves. Yes? Or should I remove them?


----------



## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Hmmm, I used KCl under the substrate in my 40 gallon, and kept red cherries and nerites in it from the start.

On the old leaves, if you have a good clean-up crew of shrimp and snails to rapidly eat the leaves then leave them in. But if you are seeing a build-up of dead leaves, take them out. Large amounts of dead vegetation decomposing on its own can cause an ammonia spike.


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

BruceF said:


> Never heard that about potash before.


I'm a member of GWAPA, it's been said that higher concentrations of Potash used in MTS will kill inverts. Now, what is a higher concentration? Who knows.....What I do know is I def used a higher concentration in the 120g I had set up a few years ago, couldn't keep nerites or shrimp in that tank alive for more than a couple of days. My 29g did keep them alive for a few months, but eventually they all died. That could have been the high TDS in my well water (500ppm out of tap), but I also think the potash had something to do with it. I don't add potash in my tanks anymore, and I can keep nerites. Still can't keep shrimp alive with my well water. Right now I have a experimental 5 gallon set up with my daughters city water (tds is 160 out of tap), verdict is still out, all shrimp are alive after a mere week .


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Michael said:


> Hmmm, I used KCl under the substrate in my 40 gallon, and kept red cherries and nerites in it from the start.


Maybe it has something to do with the already high TDS in my water? I really don't know, but in my tanks, potash does not go in anymore.



Michael said:


> On the old leaves, if you have a good clean-up crew of shrimp and snails to rapidly eat the leaves then leave them in. But if you are seeing a build-up of dead leaves, take them out. Large amounts of dead vegetation decomposing on its own can cause an ammonia spike.


Thanks, off to pull some leaves....


----------



## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I didn't mean to express doubt just surprise. I'm for removing large leaves as I had a sword plant foul an old tank with debris once.


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

BruceF said:


> I didn't mean to express doubt just surprise. I'm for removing large leaves as I had a sword plant foul an old tank with debris once.


It's all good, IME potash affects my inverts, but may not in your tanks. I removed the old leaves, thanks!


----------



## activesize (Jun 26, 2011)

londonloco said:


> I'm a member of GWAPA, it's been said that higher concentrations of Potash used in MTS will kill inverts. Now, what is a higher concentration? Who knows.....What I do know is I def used a higher concentration in the 120g I had set up a few years ago, couldn't keep nerites or shrimp in that tank alive for more than a couple of days. My 29g did keep them alive for a few months, but eventually they all died. That could have been the high TDS in my well water (500ppm out of tap), but I also think the potash had something to do with it. I don't add potash in my tanks anymore, and I can keep nerites. Still can't keep shrimp alive with my well water. Right now I have a experimental 5 gallon set up with my daughters city water (tds is 160 out of tap), verdict is still out, all shrimp are alive after a mere week .


What sort of shrimp are you trying to keep? My TDS is at 800ppm and my tiger nerites are fine. I never added potash. Also, I'm pleasantly surprised that my ghost shrimp are developing white color bands and red highlights after three or four weeks in the same 55 NPT with the nerites.


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Active all I've tried to keep is RCS and yellows. I can not keep them alive. I've NEVER seen a baby shrimp in my tanks, and I've tried over and over for 2 years. From what I understand (and believe me, my understanding is limited) meters measure the minerals in your water. It doesn't tell you what those minerals are exactly. Without having my well water analyzed, I don't know what those minerals are. I should have it analyzed, but haven't.


----------



## activesize (Jun 26, 2011)

Perhaps your well water contains toxic compounds, aresenic, heavy metals, etc.

However, short of lab testing your well water, one suggestion is to buy a cheap copper test kit and just check for that, as the presence of inorganic copper is deadly to most invertebrates. Actually, from my reading it's the release of free cupric ions (Cu+2) that is elemental copper's major toxic species, doing much damage to crustacean gills by inhibiting osmoregulation. Organically bound copper, such as is found in a popular shrimp food product, is both harmless and necessary for hemolymph regeneration in shrimp, as they use copper in their hemolymph the same way that we use iron in our blood. 

Copper piping, and also aquatic plant fertilizers that happen to contain any trace amounts of elemental copper, could be killing shrimp and other invertebrates too.


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Monthly update. All plants have gone thru a die off to new growth period. The Aponogeton Natans (bulb) has popped up some leaves, you can't see them behind the driftwood. The Pennywort kept floating up, off the driftwood, so I planted them in the substrate behind the driftwood also, they still pop up every so often. No algae cropping up at all so far. I did take out a red lily bulb, I had about 6 red leaves popping up, but they were tiny and not growing after emerging from the bulb at all. I did one 50% waterchange at the 1 month mark last week. I'll continue to do 50% wc's monthly. The fixture hangs a bit crooked, the black chain links are not all the exact same size. I plan on changing the chain out to ss wire someday. Just have to find the time. This tank is so dark, but I'm getting used to it. And I'm loving the no weekly wc, no trimming, no dosing. Pic below:


----------



## capn_kirkl (Jul 4, 2006)

what are your pothos and lucky bamboo planted in... I mean what are those "cups"? I MUST FIND SOME... for my tank!


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Over the years I've tried some make shift containers, but was never successful until I found Devin at:

http://ripariumsupply.com/

I have some planter cups that have been stuck to the back of aquarium walls for literally years. His set ups are perfect.


----------

