# First NPT



## oksrum (Feb 11, 2008)

After a month or so of reading this site, Diana's bible, and doing my bottle test, I finally got my first NPT up and running today.

Hardware:
- 10 gallon tank
- Aquaclear 20 HOB filter
- 1" Home Depot top soil amended with 2 handfuls crushed oyster shell
- 1" gravel cap
- Walmart incandescent hood with two 14W 5500K florescent corkscrew bulbs, and a small amount of ambient sunlight (planned 15 hour photo period)
- 7" driftwood

Flora:
- 2 Amazon Sword
- 1 Compact Sword
- 1 Ruffled Sword
- 2 Water Sprite
- 2 Java Fern
- 2 Java Moss
- 2 Dwarf Hairgrass
- I ordered some floaters, but the dealer was out stock... I need to go pick some up at my LFS I guess.

Fauna:
None yet, but the stocking plan I want to work up to is:
- 4-6 Harlequin Rasbora
- 3-4 Dwarf Oto
- 2-3 African Dwarf Frogs
- 1 Betta
- Red Cherry or Amano Shrimp

Here are some pics (I need to get myself a tripod)


















I have a question about trimming. Some of my swords stems came bent, and parts of the water sprite are in rough shape. Should I trim these damaged pieces off or give them a chance to get better? Do I trim them just below the damage, or all the way down to the base of the plant? Maybe some general pruning tips would be helpful.

Comments and suggestions appreciated,
Matt


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

okay warning for you the swords are going to take over the tank in a matter of no time and when you want to take them out its going to get messy. or you could cut off the leaves that are over powering. the leaves that are dieing ARE dieing ha ha just cut them off and then that will encourage new growth...hope i helped and wasnt to critical...happy fish keeping


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

Like it, it's nice. Lots of plants.
Just watch out for the Am. It got me on my 20g long when I first started.


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## oksrum (Feb 11, 2008)

It's been about 2 weeks and here are some updates:

- Most plants seem to be putting out plentiful and large new growth.
- New growth on the swords tends to be golden or bronzish in color for the first few days, then colors out a nice green.
- The hornwort I have is also golden in color.

Generally, my water parameters are:
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0 - 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
KH: 2dH
GH: 7dH
Temp: 76 - 78

Anyone have any ideas about the coloring of the swords and hornwort?

About a week and a half ago, I bought 6 harlequin rasboras, who seem to have developed a case of cotton mouth (at least, that's what I think it is, their bottom lips have slight whitish dots). I have been treating for three days with Maracyn/Maracyn 2 with no noticeable results, but thankfully it is not getting worse. The behavior of the fish seems normal, they feed hungrily and swim and school normally around the tank. The only strange behavior I have noticed is that they sometimes keep trying to swim into the side of the tank below the HOB filter. I think my oxygen levels are okay because the HOB does generate a good amount of surface turbulence and the fish don't gasp at the surface at any point in the day.

I had a question about cleaning the tank - there is a fair amount of brownish mulm and small pieces of decomposing plant matter (hortwort leaves and other small pieces I can't easily pull out) on the bottom. Should I more carefully clean this?

Thanks!


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## HoldingWine (Oct 7, 2007)

My hornwort's new growth is a golden color as well. 

Sucks about the rasboras. I learned my lesson long ago; always quarantine. Hopefully they pull, through.

New pictures?


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## oksrum (Feb 11, 2008)

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Overall view: Yellowish and bronzish color of swords is a bit washed out due to the flash, however it is present in the middle swords, both FG and BG... you can see the yellowing a bit. The hornwort definitely isn't as lush as it used to be.









Here is some of that decomposing organic matter. Should I try to get this stuff out or just let it be?









One of the sick rasboras. Unfortunately these guys are a bit sneaky so this is the best shot I could get. It's a bit blurry but you can see the whiteness on the lower lip area.









Any suggestions appreciated!
Matt


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

why dont you break the hair grass apart and spread it out where you want it? also i would pull out the hornwort and put in some rotala indica it grow very very well in these tanks...i mean WELL lol

i do have to apologize though the amazons seem to not take over as quick as i thought

good luck with the rasboras they should be great


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

oksrum said:


> Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:
> Here is some of that decomposing organic matter. Should I try to get this stuff out or just let it be?


I leave such stuff in my tank; I haven't noticed it doing any harm. Of course, if you leave it, you also get to see it everytime you look at the tank--so if seeing it bugs you, I suppose you could siphon it out (or sprinkle a little gravel on top of it to hide it?)

Natalie


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

Snails will clean up that mess on the bottom.
And Cherry Shrimp would love to eat the microbes of that decaying matter too.


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## Mr Fishies (Apr 9, 2006)

My tank has been up for about 2-1/2 years and recently I had a bit of a crypt meltdown with a few plants loosing leaves. I was busy with work/travel etc and I didn't clean up the decaying matter and had a bit of a green algae bloom as a result of the nutrient excess. (I suspect)

If decaying plant can set off algae in an long established and heavily planted tank, I would think removing it from a new tank that perhaps has not yet established would help avoid excess nutrient and the resulting algae. I'd use a gravel vac, keep it just touching or above the gravel and suck up the loose easily removed bits - don't go into the gravel just skim the surface.


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## isu712 (Feb 8, 2008)

What media do you have in your filter? I'm curious because I'm debating putting both chemical and mechanical vs. just mechanical into a new tank.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

I agree with Mr. Fishies. I would clean the tank and remove mulm and plants that aren't growing well. You've already got enough organic matter in that fresh soil to take care of the plants. This tank probably has more CO2 and less oxygen than what is ideal for the fish. Also, the Maracyn killed a lot of bacteria, and they're releasing their toxins into the water. If you can, I'd add carbon to the filter to remove those toxins. Or do several water changes.

The tank should look more like your starting picture, which shows a truly nice start.

Sometimes you have to find the right balance between enough organic matter versus too much organic matter. Unfortunately, fish diseases can confound new tank setups. 

Glad you sent the pics so we could "get the picture". Keep us posted.


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## oksrum (Feb 11, 2008)

isu712 said:


> What media do you have in your filter? I'm curious because I'm debating putting both chemical and mechanical vs. just mechanical into a new tank.


I've got just the sponge media for mechanical filtration in right now... it gets gooped up pretty quickly. I have debated dropping the charcoal media in for a few days to clear up some of the tannins and other stuff suspended in the water... however, I'm going to do a water change instead.

I think when I do my 50% water change at the end of this medication cycle, I'll vacuum up some of that organic matter on the bottom. My concern was that the decomposing matter was providing a nice place for bacteria to hang out and may have lead to the rasboras getting sick.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

oksrum said:


> I've got just the sponge media for mechanical filtration in right now... it gets gooped up pretty quickly. I have debated dropping the charcoal media in for a few days to clear up some of the tannins and other stuff suspended in the water... however, I'm going to do a water change instead.
> 
> I think when I do my 50% water change at the end of this medication cycle, I'll vacuum up some of that organic matter on the bottom. My concern was that the decomposing matter was providing a nice place for bacteria to hang out and may have lead to the rasboras getting sick.


Good moves and it sounds like you're on top of this. However, while you are waiting to finish medication cycle, I would vacuum up the organic matter on the bottom and keep cleaning the filter.

Explanation: The dying Hornwort, the antibiotic treatment, and a new tank with soil may have led to an "organic overload". This may, indeed, have harmed your fish.

Your situation prompts me to caution hobbyists to not let too much debris accumulate, especially in new tanks. I do recommend adding as many plant species as possible in the beginning to find those that can adapt to your tank's ecology. However, this means that some plants will inevitably die. One should remove this dead plant matter fairly quickly. Remember that dying plants (like dying bacteria) is fresh organic matter. Bacterial decomposition of larage amounts of fresh organic matter can be problematic for fish.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

well said Ms. Walstad!


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