# eggshells? and is a powehead absolutely necessary or how can I tell?



## helenf (Mar 24, 2008)

I set up a 5 gallon NPT a few days ago. My first foray into "natural" tanks, and something of an experiment.

The substrate is potting mix covered with gravel, and I've added some crushed seashells on top of that, since my water is very soft (KH 0-1 and GH 1 out of the tap). That plus some bicarb and I now have KH 4 and GH 4, PH 7.2. 

Seeing some posts here about using eggshells to raise GH, I wonder whether those are better than crushed seashells, or are they much the same? I would like to raise my GH somewhat further, as I am keeping guppies in the tank. 

The tank is heavily planted with stem plants (mostly hygro varieties) plus an anubias nano and a crypt of some sort. There is duckweed on the surface. The tank gets good natural light, but not direct sunlight, from a south-facing window (I'm in the southern hemisphere, so this is like a northern hemisphere north-facing window), and even more indirect light from the other windows in the room. 

I've seen no sign of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate so far in the tank, and I added 4 wild-type guppies 2 days ago. 

My main question is about water circulation. I'd like to get away with as little equipment as possible for this tank, so at the moment all I have in there is a heater and

I might end up removing that once the fish are acclimatised to slightly lower temperatures. At the moment, the only circulation is that caused by heat variation in the water, so very slight. I'm hoping that I can get away without using a powerhead or filter. Does anyone have experience at doing this? How will I know if it isn't working and I need to introduce artificial circulation? Will something go wrong with the water chemistry I can measure, or will I have to guess based on looking at the plants, or what? 

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks!


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

I use a powerhead on my 10-gallon, but not on my two 1-gallon nanos. The 1-gallon nanos are my best growing NPTs (maybe because they are the only ones that get direct sunlight). They are totally no tech but I have to change a little water from time to time (top offs every week and change 1/4-1/3 every month with a plant trim). I tried to go no current with the 10-gallon, divided for Betas, but got a filmy residue on top of the water. Just a little water movement prevented this. The gallons don't have the problem. Since your are between sizes I'd say try it and see. I don't know if this was much help...


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## hallidave (Aug 20, 2006)

I've had a 12 gallon NPT for about 2 years. About 6 months ago I took out the internal filter and now have no water circulation at all, other than the fish swimming around. I haven't had any problems so far. I have duckweed on the surface, so I haven't noticed problems with film on the top.

We have soft water where I live. I put in a small amount of Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate) and that seemed to do the trick for raising the GH. A 1/8 of a teaspoon would probably be lots for your 5 gallons tank.

Cheers,

Dave


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## helenf (Mar 24, 2008)

Oh, I'm glad to know this works for other people.

Maybe all I have to do is keep the duckweed growing and it'll work out. (hoping to do so, but the last lot of duckweed I had didn't last that long, since it kept getting caught up in the filter and dying - this should suit it better, I hope). 

Thanks both.


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## yum (Feb 11, 2008)

i too had the same thoughts about water circulation. my 20 long has just surface lighting and a submerged heater. when i only had 3 ottos and some RCS in the tank, i had a tiny bit of surface film. there are now 4 guppies that break the surface of the water quite a bit so i have not had any surface filming issues since. i occasionally have to move the duckweed around as the dangling roots tend to bunch up in the taller plants and block out some light.

i would also like to add that there is a tiny bit of "natural" circulation in the tank. i know this b/c i can see the duckweed and flake food slowly circulating on the surface. it moves in 2 circular motions with the clockwise circle on the left side and counter clockwise on the right side of the tank. i believe this is caused mainly by my submersed heater. it is mounted quite low and horizontally in the back of the tank, so as the hot water rises, it pushes up and then towards the front of the tank.

it's been running for about month and a half, i think (bad with time) and so far so good. too early to declare a success but the only problems i'm having so far is some hair algae and the MTS stirring up some clumps of dirt. i occasionally "dust" the tank with a turkey baster.


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

I use no filter.
I definately get warm and cool zone.
77 at the surface and 75 on the bottom.
Nobody seems to mind.

As for the water circulation, I'm assuming that is only occuring during feeding.
I believe the surface tension is being broken. My food starts racing half way across the tank sometimes.

Yum how old is your tank. I don't seem to have a film. But again I have enough snails running upside down cleaning the water.
Also have some tiny creatures swimming around which I have not identified yet.


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## yum (Feb 11, 2008)

I believe the "convection" circulation happens all the time. I will know for sure in a few days when I stop being lazy and trim down the plants that have grown out of the water. For now, the duck weed drifts and gets caught in the tall plants.

Crikey! I thought my tank was 1.5 months old but looking at my progress post it seems it's not even a full month! http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/49045-soil-down-plants-what-s-next.html

haha. at any rate, i have cherry shrimp in there and from what i've read they are the "canaries in the coal mine". not that i want them to die, but they will be the first ones to go if my set up doesn't work. so the fact that they are pretty active and growing (noticed the first female transferring eggs to her tail last night! YAY!) i take as a very good sign. oh, i also put in a pair of fancy guppies last sunday and 2 days later i have 20+ fry.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

There's many cases where there's no need to have filter or powerhead.

I have been running my 55 gal for 3 months now without a filter as a nursery for some baby Rainbowfish. I have a submersible heater on the bottom that produces convection currents to circulate the water [I didn't want a stagnant layer of cold water at the bottom of this very tall tank].

Plants, especially floating plants, are doing better and there's less algae. Baby fish are growing. I like it!


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

Mines diagonal. Didn't want to move the stuff around to make it flat (but I think that was when I had a filter).
Hmmm....
Are you pressing it with suction cups agains the glass or just lying on the bottom?


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## yum (Feb 11, 2008)

newbie314 said:


> Mines diagonal. Didn't want to move the stuff around to make it flat (but I think that was when I had a filter).
> Hmmm....
> Are you pressing it with suction cups agains the glass or just lying on the bottom?


it is about an inch from the substrate, held to the glass with a suction cup. i didn't want to lay it flat and possibly throw off the reading of the internal thermostat. also, i wanted there to be maximum heating efficiency so i wanted to make sure water could touch it on all sides.


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