# Switching to NPT



## Jsthomas (Nov 3, 2010)

Hi, I have a 25 gallon tall tank, and I have all my plants in clay pots with soil, and then gravel on top. I got tired of the cluttered look of the pots already, and I'm thinking about redoing my tank, with soil/gravel on top. My only concern is that I have 4 neon tetras, a molly and 4 platy's, and I dont have anywhere to put them for a tank cycle. Also, probably a stupid question, but when you are planting with this setup, how do you get to the dirt under the gravel without mixing it all up? In my potted plants I had a hard time planting/ replanting with the gravel on top, because the gravel mixed in with the dirt. Thanks!

Added pic of current setup


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## Angie (Dec 4, 2005)

It shouldn't need to recycle. Just use the filter as is. Don't clean it out when you make the change.


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## Astex (Jun 10, 2009)

As to your second question...you don't, at least not easily. I've found that a nice small grain top substrate holds the plants down until they reach the soil by themselves as well as minimizes dirt uprising when planting in a full tank. 

Also, when you move plants, you make a mess. So far one corner of my tank has more dirt on top of the the gravel than below it. It does settle out pretty fast, so it does not bother me, but if you are a purist who always wants the gravel/sand on top, you might be better sticking with pots.


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## RESET (Oct 12, 2010)

Take out all the gravel. you can leave a little gravel around the edge of the tank to hide the dirt layer if you like. Put in your layer of dirt and wet it down a bit. Place your plants on top of the dirt layer one at a time and pile gravel around them to hold them in place. Once you have all your plants in place, fill in the rest of the gravel layer. Put a plate on top of the gravel, it won't hurt the plants if it lays on top of them for a couple minutes, and pour the water in carefully so you don't blast the gravel around and stir up the dirt. Use you uncleaned filter to take up the ammonia and Nitrates/ites until your plants get established.


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## Angie (Dec 4, 2005)

Ya my 29 gets some soil on top and from time to time I add a little gravel in the thin spots. But not to bad and it does settle pretty fast if you or the fish disturb it.


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## Emily6 (Feb 14, 2006)

NPTs are inherently messy. Also, combining soil with a light-colored substrate will probably make one even nuttier about the mixing of layers. Stick to darker substrates. Tends to be more relaxing in the end. ;-)


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## Gramazing (Mar 6, 2010)

You could buy a plastic tote from the hardware store to keep your fish in while you re-do your tank. Drain some of the tank water into it and if you are going to take a while put your filter in there as well.


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## potatoes (Jun 25, 2010)

when i used gravel as a cap, the soil immediatly lifted through ii and some settled on top. i am hoping to avoid this with my next tank by using a finer cap (pool filter sand or black diamond blasting grit) has anyone noticed a diffecence in retention of layers when using different sized caps? 

if it dose end up above the cap, you can always plant a dense cover of dwarf sag or pygmy chain swords or something to completley cover the substrate.


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## Jsthomas (Nov 3, 2010)

Cool thanks for the info, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do yet, one of my platys is really bloated and he just hangs out at the bottom. I have noticed that this fish has damaged tail fins, and although the fins are healing, he has become extremely bloated. Also my molly has some yellowish spots, barely noticable. From what I read it kinda sounds like Ich or TB, what should I do?


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## Franco (Jun 25, 2010)

When I did my ten gallon I did not wet the soil whatsoever. I put the soil in how I wanted it, put my plants on top of the soil, put activflora over the roots to hold in place, filled in the rest of the cap and filled the tank.
I never had even a tiny bit of soil make it up through the cap during filling or replanting. When replanting, shut off the filter, be very gentle, and try to keep the cap in place at all times.
If you have the soil really muddy when setting up, the gravel will fall through it to the bottom and make a mess of your layers.


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Regarding the bloated fish, any protrusion of scales? If it has scales prorusion, it's likely to be dropsy. Personally I won't recommend any medicine because I have very limited success with medication.

I would separate all the sick fishes if I were you. Otherwise, the disease will spread to other fishes.


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## Jsthomas (Nov 3, 2010)

Well, since I've switched my amazons are dying, the leaves are becoming transparent with only slight browning. When I had them in pots they were thriving, and also my hornwort just kinda sinks instead of floating up. I'm not doing anything different compared to when I had them in pots, unless melafix is killing them? Although it says plant safe on it. I've also been using purigen as my water has been murky since setting it back up. Is it possible there is something in the soil? When the plants were potted I planted, put gravel on and dipped them in a bucket, possibly rinsing the dirt? I did a 15-20% water change last night, so from here I'll give it a day or two and see what happens, and maybe do another.


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## RESET (Oct 12, 2010)

Hornwort sinks in cold water and rises in warm water. Has you temp changed? Maybe your swords are just melting from the relocation and will come back?


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## Jsthomas (Nov 3, 2010)

My water is about 80 degrees. I dunno, I'll just have to wait and see i guess


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

I have no experience with melafix. Purigen might pull nutrients out of the water, but I would not expect such a fast problem from that. I don't know how long your plants were out of the water while you made the switch, but they could be stressed from that. Hopefully the new growth will improve. Like you say, wait and see.


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## Emily6 (Feb 14, 2006)

My sword melted when I switched tanks and came back with gusto- don't give up on it.


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## Jsthomas (Nov 3, 2010)

Well the thing is that the plants were beginning to thrive in the pots, they were well rooted and I kept them in water while I was switching. Should I trim all the transparent leaves off? My hornwort is becoming bald stalks.


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