# 5 gallon betta



## nitasher (Oct 18, 2009)

Hello,

I'm new and I'm trying to figure out how to set up a NPT for one of my son's. Truthfully this is the first in a series of tanks that we will be settin up. The two oldest boys want betta's and the two youngest boys want tropicals. So I'm starting with one 5 gallon and hoping to get cuttings to plant the other 5 gallon. Then use both of those tanks to plant up a 29 gallon tropical. 

People may call me cheap, I call it frugal!

So, as to my questions...

I cannot find any of the soils suggested. What type of a mix am I looking for? 1/3 organic matter, 2/3 soil (clay, silt, sand) or more like 1/8 organic matter, 7/8 soil?

Has anyone ever had goldie in a NPT? 

Does the tank cycle at some point or do the plants take care of all the ammonia and it will never spike? Should I add gravel from a cycled tank to seed the NPT?

Our plan is to add some cherry shrimp after the plants begin to fill in. Should they be quarintined before adding?

Oh, I'm sure I have more questions, just can't think of them right now. I'm almost 7 month pregnant (another reason for low maintainace) and have been suffering from pregnacy brain since the begining. :twitch:

Thanks for any help you can offer.
Anita


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Hello, Anita! Welcome to APC. 

I just switched form high-tech to NPT and used Miracle Gro Organic Choice. It looks to me like well-aged mulch. You can use an organic topsoil (something without added fertilizer) as well. You can also use soil from your yard, but you have to be careful about recent pesticide use. The key is to have high organic content (composted, not fresh green leaves), as this will be the base for CO2 production.

I also recommend mixing in a small amount of used aquarium substrate to seed in some bacteria, but it is not mandatory. It just helps get things going.

You can add fish right away if you start off heavily planted as the plants clean the water quite effectively.

-Dave


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## nitasher (Oct 18, 2009)

Thank-you for the welcome, Dave!

I'll look for soil that is about 1/2 soil 1/2 composted organics.

Do you know if shrimp are carriers for fish diseases? Do I need to QT them or no?

We have the tank set-up to check the water temp. It doesn't get warmer than 72* but might get down to 70* at night. Is this warm enough for plants and the betta?

I should just buy the book!

Thanks again! Up till a week ago I didn't even know there was such a thing as NPT, but it seems so perfect for us. 

Anita


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I've never QT'd shrimp, but I'm not certain if they carry fish diseases. Your temp sounds okay, I don't have a heater on my tanks but they normally stay around 77 or 79.

 Yep, the book is an invaluable wealth of information.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Your temperatures (70-72F) sounds fine for Bettas and most aquarium plants. 

I've been using pure Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Soil/Garden Soil covered with either sand or gravel. You can add a little ordinary topsoil to the very bottom; just don't mix the two soils.

Because invertebrates and fish are so fundamentally different, I suspect the need to quarantine shrimp is much less than that of quarantining new fish.


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## nitasher (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks so much to both of you. My son is releaved to hear the tank is warm enough. We could add a heater, but that is more plugs than I want to use. Less power=happy husband!  Thanks for the info on the shrimp, too.

I've been looking for the Miracle Grow Organic Soil but have had no luck. We are going to a larger city tomorrow looking for aquarium plants, so maybe we can look for the soil too. 

Any idea where I could find swimming pool filter gravel? I think it would be less expensive than aquarium gravel.

Thanks again.

Anita


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

nitasher said:


> Th I've been looking for the Miracle Grow Organic Soil but have had no luck.
> 
> Any idea where I could find swimming pool filter gravel?


"Play Sand" at Home Depot is even less expensive than swimming pool filter sand, and so far, is working fine in my tanks. I tested the "Play Sand" for carbonates (with acid), and it appears to be unreactive, so it should be fine.

I found MGOC Potting Mix at Wal-Mart, ACE Hardware, Home Depot, and Lowes.


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## nitasher (Oct 18, 2009)

Still a no go on the MGOS. Wrong time of year I'm being told. Same with the aquarium plants. There is a very limited supply around me and too cold to use the mail. Can't even get duck weed, if you can believe that! Or hornwort!

I'm not discoraged though. I'll still set it up using less variety and swich it up in the spring. I have found some java fern, ($6.99) java moss, ($6.99) chain sword, ($9.99 small pot) and a few more. VERY expensive. I found some Anubias Nana but the smallest was $20.00 and very small. Going to go look again on Friday.

Thank-you for the advice with the sand. We're going to use it instead of gravel.

Anita


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## only120xs (Oct 15, 2009)

I really wish I had heard the "pool filter gravel isn't necessary" advice two weeks ago. Sand would have been $5 instead of $18.


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## Astex (Jun 10, 2009)

For great plants, check out the For Sale section of the forum. I am now completely spoiled on getting plants from other hobbyists. Great quality, variety, and even better prices with s/h.

Be careful with the duckweed, it gets into everything and never goes away!


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## nitasher (Oct 18, 2009)

I picked up some play sand today and I found a plant supplier (1hr 15 min away) who has a large selection of very healthy looking plants for much less $$$ than any where else I've looked or called. Thanks for the idea of where to get plants, Astex. Unfortunately, it's getting quite cool here and I don't think plant would make the trip. Maybe in the spring. 

I'll take a picture of the tank when it's set up.

Any idea if I could use crushed/ground egg shell instead of oyster shells? Maybe sea shells crushed up?

Anita


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I've heard of people using crushed egg shells. You just need to make sure all the "skin" is off the shells.


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## nitasher (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks Tex Gal! Totally forgot while setting up the tanks so I didn't add anything. Guess I'll add some crushed shell to the sand.

Anita


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Why do you want to add calcium? Do you have soft water?


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## nitasher (Oct 18, 2009)

No, my water is quiet hard but I want it to prevent any PH crashes. A lady I know had a tank once (same city/same water I'm using) who didn't do a water change for about 8 weeks. (Filters, no live plants, waaaaay over stocked) Her PH crashed as did her bio filter. 

I'm not planning to do alot of water changes so I want to buffer for the "just in case." Maybe my info is wrong?

Anita


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