# 30Gallon NPT (Soil/Onyx) Update - 2 Pics



## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

Was fooling around before work tonight and took a couple tank shots. Its been 15 Days since the last pics. The tank is 19 Days Old.

Tonight before Work - 06/13/06









Taken on 05-29-06









My newest plant: Bacopa Colorata (Thanks russell)









I also just added a tiger lotus that I wasnt able to get a good picture of. The "Good Camera" (as seen in pic 2) wasnt available today  I removed a small about of algae that was scattered across the front glass before taking pics. Kind of got me puzzled since I've never had a single spec of algae. Itll pass Im sure 

Anyways, Thanks for looking!,...
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Great looking tank! What a pleasure to look at this morning.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Wow!


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

Thanks guys 


A comment I meant to add earlier is that I really enjoy the new substrate. It is SO easy to replant cuttings. The last tank with Soil/Gravel (was abit too thin) I sometimes would have to struggle some to get a cutting to stay down. especially large cuttings like H. Diformis. Now..... one poke and it goes straight to the bottom and stays there. I have yet to find something floating and have to replant it .... even with my big plec's running amuck 


The Amazon sword all the way to the left doesnt look so hot. But I understand this is typical of swords for the first month or so? Also also of the E. Tenellus in the foreground yellowed abit for the 1st 5-7 days but its growing like mad so I think all is well there. 

The nitrates have been running alittle high... Im sure it will settle down. After removing algae from the front glass last night I tested for N03 when I came home from work.... looked to be about 20ppm, so I changed about 15gallons or so.... This is probably a good conservative look at how dangerous trying to enrich the substrate is - perhaps if I had put in anymore organic topsoil (see other thread for details) than I did I would have a big mess on my hands.

I will probably lower my fish load pretty soon as intended for awhile now, mostly I wanted to see how well a Natural tank would stand up to the fish load - and it has.... WELL! lol I think I want to build a over/under combo stand so I can put my 29gallon under the 30. Probably leave them plumbed together in a Tank/Sump config. Only the sump in this case well be more display space  We'll see 


-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

It looks great!!


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

If you have nitrate production this high, you might want to test for nitrites. That said, it's good you did a water change!

Nitrates will be converted by soil bacteria via nitrate respiration (my book, page 65) to nitrites, which are toxic to fish. Nitrate respiration is a common bacterial process, especially in new tanks with plentiful nitrates and fresh soil. Some hobbyists (as well as yours truly) have had temporary problems with nitrites.

I'll bet this tank will be able to carry a heavy fish load. Assuming lighting is adequate, the more fish you have, the better the plants will grow!

Do watch out for anaerobic decay under the driftwood. Over time (months and years), the wood may start to rot.


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

Hrmm... didn't consider that about nitrites - lol, don't even have a test kit for it but now that you mention I'll pick one up. I've been spot testing for ammonia but not nitrites.

I'll definitely 2nd that about the fish load after seeing how well the last setup handled the load 

You mentioned the decaying driftwood when commenting on my last setup so I was alittle more mindful of it this time by minimizing how much of the wood actually touched the substrate. The wood is actually 2 pieces stacked. The bottom piece is, for lack of a better description, almost sitting like a table or a tri-pod.... having 3 pointy knobs that stick out on the bottom side.... and the other piece is laid over the top of it. Kind neat because it makes a "cave" of sorts under the wood that the fish love to hang out in. The wood sinks into the substrate about an inch under its own weight but because of how its sitting its not a permanent fixture in the tank so it should be easy to keep an eye on...


Somehing I just noticed: In the first picture.... towards the bottom left ... In the reflection you can see one of the bigger Sunfish in the tank across the room watching me 

I noticed today that it looks like the sword plant has sent out a stem with a flower bud on the end on it 

-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

I wondered what that fishy reflection came from!


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## javalee (May 8, 2006)

Wow, Justin, that's a really cool photo trick! I bet you could have never done that if you tried! I love this tank; it's really beautifully designed with different species and driftwood. I'm also so glad to hear you still have your sunfish! BTW, I'm learning lots about freshwater plants in Louisiana with the help of my wildlife biologist cousin at LSU, so PM me if you wanna get the inside story ! I'd love to share what I've learned if you're still interested in collecting wild plants. I'll tell my cousin how well your sunfish have done!


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

*uh-OH!*

I broke down and pruned this weekend - while doing so I found a good bit of what I'm guessing is Black Beard Algae (Looks like little back goat-tee's attached to plant leaves...some upto about 3cm long) growing on some of my Hygro. Difformis and Hygro. Costata (hrmm... interesting that they are both Hygro species).. After I was done pruning I removed all affected leaves that I could find and did a large water change (about 90% of the entire system - which is around 50gallons sump included)

Is there any other measures I should take?

-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

I can't think of anything. Sometimes you have to step in--- as you have done---and correct a problem before it gets out of control. 

Judging from your photo, it seems like your tank is doing quite well.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Take all the trimmings and crush them and bury them underneath the substrate for some fast food available carbon for the rest of the happy plants growing. Just my idea. 

Of course, I am a newbie to NPT so you may want to bounce that idea off someone more experienced with NPT. I just consider it recycled Seachem Excel (smile).


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

That would probably result in ammonia or nitrIte happening from decomposition of all the fresh organic matter.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

And the growing plants eat / consume that, yes?


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Jimbo205 said:


> And the growing plants eat / consume that, yes?


They will, but you might get an anaerobic mess/overload of nutrients.

There's a _huge_ difference between fresh organic matter (raw meat, fresh plant matter) and decomposed organic matter (compost, humic acids).

The fresh plant matter is filled with tasty sugars, proteins, carbohydrates that bacteria will quickly feast on. Too much of this "fast food" will create havoc in the tank. If you want to try it, I would suggest trying it on a limited scale. Watch your fish carefully, as the bacteria will consume lots of oxygen as they feast.


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