# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Am I doing this right?



## kelliope (Apr 13, 2006)

I am fairly new to aquariums and very new to planted tanks.







I started adding plants when I took up the hobby again last year. I am using flourite and gravel mix. Is this a good substrate or should I be using a soil topped with gravel. Also, I've been reading about plants prefering ammonium to nitrates. Does this mean I should not be using a filter???

Here are pictures of my planted tanks:

Tank 1: 5 gallons - 1 Betta Splendens


















Tank 2: 5 gallons - 3 Cardinal Tetras 1 Neon Tetra 


















Tank 3: 50 - 60 gallons Outside Urn for 3 beloved Goldies










Tank 4: 30 Gallon Cube Tank - fairly new - 3 Male Guppies, 1 baby male guppy, 2 peppered cory cats - will be adding about 3 more male guppies and 3 platies





































Tank 5: 5 gallons - 3 Male Guppies










I have one tank (not shown) that I added a lot of flourite before I read about the amount. Now I have a lot of algae growing in there and some worms are on the glass in the algae. Yikes! Do you think this will level out? I added some Red Cherry Shrimp and some snails to help out with the algae.


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

Sure looks like you're doing something right!! Your tanks look great.









I don't think there's one right way to do things. Most people in the e!natural forum use Diana's method for natural planted tanks. Other people who frequent other part of this board tend to do things high tech (e.g. with high light, high tech substrate, CO2 and water ferts). I have a mix of tanks, some set up per Diana's method and others are regular tanks with your standard filters and potted plants. I'm trying kind of a mix of low and high tech in my goldie tank with plants potted in soil plus 3wpg and DIY CO2.

Critters that eat algae should help.


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## kelliope (Apr 13, 2006)

I'm just wondering about what you said on GAB about water changes. Would having the soil substrate help with processing waste to keep water changes down?


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

Yep. Setting up a tank using Diana's method makes weekly partial water changes a thing of the past. cuz instead of the biofilter bacteria converting ammonia to nitrAte, eating up KH and generating acids that lower pH, it's mainly plants converting ammonia to plant mass. There's also likely some denitrification happening in the soil. In my 125 that's fairly heavily stocked at 6 months nitrAte was still only 20 ppm with no partial water changes and the plants and fish were reproducing like crazy. I wouldn't do a natural planted tank for fish that move a lot of substrate, but other than that I've had great luck with them.


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## littleguy (Jan 6, 2005)

Your tanks look gorgeous! I especially like the hex.

What makes you ask? Is there a problem we're not seeing here (e.g. lots of algae scraping, lots of water changes, etc.). If you're happy with the maintenance routine, the aesthetics are great! I think one of the mottos of many folks here is if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Well put, littleguy! Yeah, I think your tanks look great, Kelliope! If nothings seems to be going wrong with them, then I wouldn't worry about it.

-ricardo


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## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

I agree too! Everything in your tanks looks healthy and happy, kelliope. What are those lovely ferns in the Betta's tank and the 5 gallon tank? Are they a species of _Bolbitis_?

From Alex.


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## kelliope (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks everybody! I am doing weekly water changes. Don't know if it is necessary - but I was just wondering if the soil/substrate made a difference in the frequency of water changes - or is it more a matter of the quantity and quality of the plants?

I bought the fern like plants pre-packaged from Petco. I am going back this week and will check out what the name of the plant is. The pre-packaged plants have the names printed on them which is quite helpful.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

> Originally posted by kelliope:
> Thanks everybody! I am doing weekly water changes. Don't know if it is necessary - but I was just wondering if the soil/substrate made a difference in the frequency of water changes - or is it more a matter of the quantity and quality of the plants?


With a soil substrate you shouldn't have to do many water changes at all (couple times a year). Now, that's not necessarily a hard and fast rule either... If you want to do fewer changes I'd start to reduce the frequency gradually and see if anything changes. If it does and gets worse you can just re-increase the frequency of water changes again until you get it to the point you're happy.

-ricardo


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## devadair (Jan 4, 2010)

I know this is a super old post but, do you have any more pictures of that Goldfish urn? How's it working out for you? I'm thinking about doing the same for mine.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Beautiful looking tanks. It would help to know how long they've been set up. In my opinion, fluorite/gravel is not a very good substrate for NPTs. There's just not enough organic matter to provide natural CO2. That said, if your plants do well long-term with this substrate, then theories don't matter.

Tank #5. The red feathery plant on the right. Is that _Myriophyllum tuberculatum_? If so, this is a very demanding plant. If you can get it to grow, my hat's off to you! Whatever it is, stem plants should not be planted in bunches like this. You need to spread it out a little.

Also, make sure that any ferns-- Java Fern, Bolbitis Fern-- don't have their roots/rhizomes buried in the substrate.


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## kelliope (Apr 13, 2006)

Wow, I just happened upon this old thread of mine tonight. 

Anyway, the goldfish urn is still doing fantastic. I am very sad to report that racoons killed my three beautiful goldfish. I was devastated. I found racoon prints along with a piece of tail from one of my beloved fish.

The goldfish urn is still up and running however with a rescued comet goldfish. He was near death when I got him (rescued from a horse water trough) now he is flourishing in his urn. I am considering getting him a friend. I have taken measures to protect the urn from racoons.

Diane, my tanks have been up and running since 2005/2006. They are all still doing well, though I am down to the goldfish urn, a 30 gallon planted and a 36 gallon planted. I no longer have the 5 gallon hexes up. I transferred the fish to the larger tanks.

I did not get that red feathery plant to take off. It did ok for a while but eventually started looking bad and I took it out.

My tanks have certainly morphed. I will try to post updates soon.


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