# First Post - NPT Questions



## rpadgett37 (May 23, 2014)

Hello one and all. Happy to find this forum as I am planning an NPT, inspired of course by Diane's book. I have a couple of questions. This is my first post 

First, I will be using MG Organic Choice Potting Soil. Can I cap it with Flourite gravel?

Second, I will be using reconstituted RO water, but I am unsure what to use. I have been using Saltyshrimp Softwater GH + and KH +. I also have Seachem Equilibrium and a variety of buffers. As I wanted to create a slightly acidic, softwater environment for my Betta, I have been using SC Neutral Regulator with Discuss Buffer, the SS products and 100ml of IAL extract. PH 6.8, dK 4, dH 5. Will this still be fine for an NPT or is there a different option I should use?

Finally, lighting. this will be a 5 gallon tank. It is impossible to find a light in the 6500k range to fit this tank. What I have is a Finnex Fugray Plant light at 7000k and red lights at 660. I also have north facing windows so the tank only gets a little ambient light, no direct sun light. Under these conditions, will the NPT concept still work?

Thanks in advance.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Welcome to APC!

Yes, you can cap MGOC with Flourite. I strongly suggest you prepare the soil first, and consider mixing the prepared soil half and half with the Flourite. See the sticky "Suitable soils for the Walstad method".

The Finnex fixtures have generally worked well for planted tanks. The only problem I can see is it might be a little too much light depending on what plant species you grow. But that is an easy problem to solve.

I can't answer your questions about the RO water. This is a lot of trouble for a species of fish that is not fussy about water conditions. Is your tap water completely unsuitable for aquarium use?


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## rpadgett37 (May 23, 2014)

The tap isn't really suitable. Because the starting dK and dH are at 1 and the PH is at 7.9, I still have to add minerals and bicarbonates to the water anyway. And after I'm done, I have used the same amounts to achieve the same results as I do in the RO water. The only difference then is the TDS, which starts at 78 for the tap water.

I had thought maybe a better solution for the dH would be to use the Equilibrium (potassium, calcium and magnesium) with SC replenish for trace minerals for the fish as a starting point. But is that even necessary with this type of setup?

There is alternate Finnex light that is 5 watts 7000k LED. I thought that might not be enough light, which leaves me in a little bit of a quandry. In either setup, though, I have only a vague idea of what plants to use. Lighting will affect those choices I see.


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## walzon1 (Feb 24, 2014)

PH 7.9 dKH 1 GH 1 TDS 78. This is not possible 7.9 PH indicates water that is extremely high in TDS and buffers(dKH) and most likely high in GH. Your tap is most likely under the PH testers limits, the PH should be more like 5.9. The fugeray can work if you use a lot of floating plants, so will the smaller 5 watt finnex but you would most likely be limited to low light plants like java, anubias and maybe some cryptocoryne.


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## rpadgett37 (May 23, 2014)

walzon1 said:


> PH 7.9 dKH 1 GH 1 TDS 78. This is not possible 7.9 PH indicates water that is extremely high in TDS and buffers(dKH) and most likely high in GH. Your tap is most likely under the PH testers limits, the PH should be more like 5.9. The fugeray can work if you use a lot of floating plants, so will the smaller 5 watt finnex but you would most likely be limited to low light plants like java, anubias and maybe some cryptocoryne.


Nope. These numbers are accurate. I have a PH test meter and 2 different kh and gh test kits. Don't ask me how it is holding like that, but it is.


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## walzon1 (Feb 24, 2014)

Your water treatment may be adding things to make PH artificially high or KH artificially low, usually thuogh the PH would be more nuetral between 7.0-7.2 if this was the case. Regardless I would ask them what exactly they are adding to your water. Also your LFS would have more insight as to how to make your water more suitable since they are most likely using tap.


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## rpadgett37 (May 23, 2014)

walzon1 said:


> Your water treatment may be adding things to make PH artificially high or KH artificially low, usually thuogh the PH would be more nuetral between 7.0-7.2 if this was the case. Regardless I would ask them what exactly they are adding to your water. Also your LFS would have more insight as to how to make your water more suitable since they are most likely using tap.


Appreciate the advice, and I agree there is something in the tap water that is artificially holding the PH high. Running an airstone for 24 - 48 hours doesn't change it.

Just the same, I have a good handle on how to make it suitable. Since what I use in the tap and RO water is the same (product and dosage), it has made more sense to use RO water.

Michael,

You said there is a way around the lighting issue (high light of the one fixture). Would that involve lots floating plants? Also, what plants would that limit me to? Going with just low light slow growing plants clearly makes this type of NPT unsuitable.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

You can deal with high light in three ways:

1. Suspend the fixture farther from the top of the tank.
2. Reduced photoperiod.
3. Floating plants.

The only limitation is that very slow growing plants tend to develop a lot of algae on the leaves in high light conditions.


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## jrIL (Apr 23, 2005)

Michael said:


> You can deal with high light in three ways:
> 
> 1. Suspend the fixture farther from the top of the tank.
> 2. Reduced photoperiod.
> ...


4. Use something like fiberglass window screen under the light to reduce par.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk


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## rpadgett37 (May 23, 2014)

Easy enough, and the filter is so simple it is brilliant.

I going to use slow growers at some point, but don't plan to add them till the fast growers, floaters and bacterial processes and biological elements get established.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Yes, I forgot about the window screen!


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