# Wanting to start a "natural" but concerned...Advice please..:)



## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

Hi,

I've ordered a 6g Fluval Edge tank with the hopes of starting out a nice, low maintenance planted tank.
I'd like to have a small school of CPD's and a couple varieties of shrimp (Cherries and Crystal Reds).

I've ordered Diana's book after doing some prelim reading about her method, (although it hasn't arrived yet), and it seems like the way I'd like to go, but I have a concern. I keep reading about H2S build ups and how unhealthy they are for the inhabitants, but also the smell is something that worries me as the tank will be located in the great/living room. 

Can anyone shed some light on this matter from experience?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Welcome to APC!

Excessive hyrdrogen sulfide is pretty rare, and almost never happens if the proper soil is used and the substrate is not too deep. In a small tank like yours, 1/2" to 3/4" of soil with 1" cap of gravel is plenty.

You may have more probelms with the weak lighting that comes with the Edge. I don't have any direct experience, but others have said that they had to retrofit or supplement the lighting to grow much of anything. If you plan to use just the light that comes with the tank, stick to low light species. Also, the light seems to be concentrated in the center of the tank, so plants at the edges may have a harder time.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.


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## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

I'm getting the newely released edge with the upgraded led lights. I'm not sure how much better they are than the original halogens, but I imagine it's a step in the right direction.

Can I use mgoc garden soil? Or should it be potting?

Do you think I'll have best results going NPT, or just doing a fluorite type sub, and using flourish excel etc...?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

It will be interesting to see how the new lights do. Some of the people who complained about the old ones replaced them with LEDs.

Most people use MGOC potting mix. I am not sure how much difference there is betweent the two, but the ingredients and analysis are on the bag. I would choose the one with less fertilzers (composted manure in these products), and lower NPK numbers. It helps a lot to mineralize the soil, or at least soak and drain it several times.

Now that last question. . .I am biased, LOL! I think that if you want a low maintenance tank, you will have the best results using Walstad's method. Do use the filter that comes with the tank, and load it with biomedia, like small lava rock if possible. (I don't know what the design of the filter is like.)

I have a 3.5 gallon nano Walstad tank which almost never requires anything on my part.


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## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

Thanks for the info, Michael.

Do you notice any smells from your nano? 

I'll have a look for the mgoc potting soil.


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## frroK (May 9, 2011)

To avoid your substrate from going anaerobic, which is the sulfur smell from gas pockets , I would choose a fine gravel cap. 2-3mm and fairly uniform. And don't go deeper than 1.5 inches of soil and cap. I made the mistake of using Eco complete in my 10g, which has various size particles ranging from 1-6mm. And I have gas pockets that developed. In my 3.5 gallon i used Caribsea peace gravel which is mostly 2mm in size and I did not have the same issue. My plants suffered for awhile but are finally starting to establish themselves. Good luck.


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## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

Ok, so should I go with .5" soil and 1" gravel, or do 3/4" & 3/4"? What would be the reasoning for choosing one way over the other?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

The nano has no odor.

.5"/1" or .75"/.75" will both work. In fact, when you are putting the layers in, it is hard to get them very uniform. You are likely to wind up with areas of both in the tank.


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## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

Michael said:


> The nano has no odor.
> 
> .5"/1" or .75"/.75" will both work. In fact, when you are putting the layers in, it is hard to get them very uniform. You are likely to wind up with areas of both in the tank.


Yes, I suppose. I'm sure the book will answer this, but in case it doesn't, should the soil be loosely placed or compacted to obtain the desired depth?

Also... This what I want? http://alturl.com/2nhhq


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## frroK (May 9, 2011)

ryguy76 said:


> Also... This what I want? http://alturl.com/2nhhq


That's it! 
I'm not really sure whether it matters if the soil is loose when you put in in. It will compact a little anyway when you add your cap. I would wet it a little before you add cap. But be careful not too much to create a puddle.


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## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

frroK said:


> That's it!
> I'm not really sure whether it matters if the soil is loose when you put in in. It will compact a little anyway when you add your cap. I would wet it a little before you add cap. But be careful not too much to create a puddle.


Perfect. Just bought a bag today... Now I just need my tank.  Any specific gravel recommendations for the cap?

How many plants should I start with to achieve a "heavily planted" tank for a 6g tank? I'd like to do all my scaping at the start....


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Any inert gravel with a size range from 1/16" to 1/8" will work. Usually there are inexpensive "natural" gravels available in aquarium stores.

A working definition of "heavily planted" is that when looking down on the tank from above, 75% of the gravel surface is covered with foliage.


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## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

Michael said:


> A working definition of "heavily planted" is that when looking down on the tank from above, 75% of the gravel surface is covered with foliage.


Understood. Just wondering what that would equate to (ballpark #) in a 6g tank. I'm in a small town, and will have to order plants online. Just not sure how to go about a plant order volume-wise...

thanks,
ry


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## ryguy76 (Nov 19, 2011)

I spoke to my LFS today and they're thinking 15 plants should do it to start. Sound about right in a 6g tank? They can order them in for me, so I wanna get the order in the ballpark.

Also, I bought a piece of wood from my lfs today that was in the lizard section. The owner was told by the Hagen rep that it was safe for aquariums but needed to get soaked to stay submerged. I'm just wondering about rot over time because it seems like it's more of a "bush" wood then a hardwood. It has hollow smaller branches off the main branch. I'll include a pic so you can see and hopefully identify the type of african wood it is and let me know whether it's safe or not (ie: eventual rotting) I think it may be grapewood.


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

ryguy76 said:


> I'm getting the newely released edge with the upgraded led lights. I'm not sure how much better they are than the original halogens, but I imagine it's a step in the right direction.
> 
> Can I use mgoc garden soil? Or should it be potting?
> 
> Do you think I'll have best results going NPT, or just doing a fluorite type sub, and using flourish excel etc...?


I've been diving into walstads book, according to what she says... if your tap water is soft you'd want to use garden soil, if your tap water is a bit more hard, potting soil would be the latter.

if your water is soft and your using potting clay they are said to be deficient in hardwater nutrients. you would possibly need to add Ca, Mg, and K.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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