# el natural 40g



## Brooklyngal (Jul 24, 2011)

so I think I may tear down my 40g and set it up as an el natural setup; I want a lush jungle of a tank but I dont want to have to deal with CO2, and a dirt tank seems like the best way for me to attain this.

I have a small 10g dirt tank setup in my room which is probably around 6 months old and which I actually like quite a bit. I'm planning a re-scape soon, since I've figured out which plants grow best in it. I quite like the dirt setup, and have found it pretty easy to keep going.

for my 40g, I have a tentative plan; I just want to be sure that what I'm planning will work alright...

I'm planning an inch to an inch and a half of miracle grow organic choice potting soil; it will be washed in a 5g bucket filled 1/3 full of potting soil, which will then be swirled around and left to soak for a night; the process will be 2-3 times for each bucket.

the cap I'm not so sure about... I'm thinking I might order a 50lb bag of black diamond blasting sand 30/60 grit off amazon.com; its only like 7.99, so even if shipping is expensive it'll be less money than if I use eco-complete or any other similar substrate, and I can't find it in my area anyways. I've heard that works well, and it seems like its a nice color.

for lighting, I'm thinking I'll keep my two bulb T5HO 24" fixture centered over the tank, and might add 2 or 4 small screw-in florescent bulbs to add light to the sides of the tank, which right now are darker than I'd like for them to be.

for stocking, I'm thinking something like:
8 cherry barbs (have 3; planning 2m/5f)
10 harlequin rasboras (have 2)
1m platy (have)
3 bolivian rams (have 1)
6-8 cories
3-4 angels
maybe a male bristlenose pleco

would that stocking work for a heavily planted NPT tank? it seems heavy to me, but its just a rough outline of the fish I'd like to end up with.

also- is it okay not to start out with the full stock? I'm worried about introducing disease if I add everything at once.

anything I've overlooked? anything I'm planning that wont work?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Your plans sound good. The angels are likely to out-grow the tank, but you could start with juveniles and see how it goes. There is usually a market for mature angel fish, so you could find them another home if they get too big.

Your 24" T5 HO will work fine with just one or two spiral compact fluorescents. I suggest 23w or 26w "daylight" tubes from GE or Sylvania. The color temperature on these is 6500K. From measurements with our club PAR meter, I think you will get about the same light under one of these as you do under your T5s. SCFs work much better if they are mounted vertically rather than horizontally.

It is not just OK, but actually a good idea to start with just a few fish and gradually build up to the full population.

Show us pictures!


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## Brooklyngal (Jul 24, 2011)

great! I'd heard most people said to start with the full populaion in NPT, which I never really understood; I did that in my 10g and ran into huge problems.

ETA: I re-checked to see how much the black diamond was; with shipping the cheapest I could find it was for around $40, which isnt worth the $10 savings over using something like eco.

so... what's a good cap to use? I'd like it to be black, I've found colors show best against that... any suggestions?


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## frroK (May 9, 2011)

Brooklyngal said:


> great! I'd heard most people said to start with the full populaion in NPT, which I never really understood; I did that in my 10g and ran into huge problems.
> 
> ETA: I re-checked to see how much the black diamond was; with shipping the cheapest I could find it was for around $40, which isnt worth the $10 savings over using something like eco.
> 
> so... what's a good cap to use? I'd like it to be black, I've found colors show best against that... any suggestions?


I think I may have found a place that sells blasting sand, Grainger. they sell industrial supplies. According to their website they sell 20/40 grit Black beauty blasting sand, but 80lbs of it for $30. I am planning on going to one this week to check it out. I'll let you know, there is one in brooklyn.

I have eco-complete in my 10g NPT as cap and I wouldn't use it again.


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## Brooklyngal (Jul 24, 2011)

why wouldnt you use the eco again as a cap? too light to hold down plants/soil?


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## frroK (May 9, 2011)

Brooklyngal said:


> why wouldnt you use the eco again as a cap? too light to hold down plants/soil?


Yes. Too light and the fact that the grain size is too varied. It goes from 1-6mm. Which means that the smaller grains settle below the larger ones and I believe compacted the soil layer underneath. I am experiencing anaerobic pockets in my substrate right now. Bubbles of sulfur are being released. And I think my plants are suffering because of it. I have another tank set up with Carib sea peace gravel which is mostly uniform in size, about 2mm and I don't have this issue at all and the plants are growing great. Also with miracle grow organic choice substrate.


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## Brooklyngal (Jul 24, 2011)

I'm starting to lose ope in finding a good cap substrate for anything less than a fortune. I found some black diamond sand online, but its the wrong grit (30-60, which I'm worried is too fine) and is like $40 shipped. try as I might, I couldnt find anything local.

I can't find any pool filter sand or pro turf league anywhere near me.

is there anything else that might work that isnt too expensive?

I like in the middle of NYC and can't find any pool supply stores or anything like that which carry what I need.


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## frroK (May 9, 2011)

Brooklyngal said:


> I'm starting to lose ope in finding a good cap substrate for anything less than a fortune. I found some black diamond sand online, but its the wrong grit (30-60, which I'm worried is too fine) and is like $40 shipped. try as I might, I couldnt find anything local.
> 
> I can't find any pool filter sand or pro turf league anywhere near me.
> 
> ...


Well today is your lucky day. I've been doing some crazy research searching for a dealer for black beauty blasting sand. It's the same stuff as black diamond. Coal slag. People have used it with success in their tanks, including nPT. Well I found found two places that sell the stuff in 100lb bags. One place in long island called Velvetop and another.... right here in Brooklyn! The place is called gt rentals. They sell it as well. 100lbs for... $20!! I'm planning on going this week to pick up a bag. 100lbs is alot but I am now obsessed with planted tanks and I'm sure I will find a use for all of it. So here ya go and you can thank me later. 

By the way, I thought I saw pool filter sand at home depot but I could be wrong.


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## Brooklyngal (Jul 24, 2011)

wow, that's great knews! I was close to giving in and getting natural grain gravel (which IME does tend to wash out the color of most fish a bit).

do you remember which home depot? or even in which burrow?

also- does anyone know how sharp coral slag tends to be? I'm planning to have either cories or kuhli loaches, so substrate sharpness is a concern...


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## frroK (May 9, 2011)

It might have been the home depot at erskine of the belt parkway. Here is a link to it on home depot, they def carry it. . You may have to call a few stores to see if they have it in stock. http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...zVoice-_-RLP-_-202314677-_-x&locStoreNum=1950

As far as the sharpness of the coal slag. I don't have first hand knowledge but according to my research enough people have had a good experience with it that had cories. So I would advise you to look that up first before you decide.


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## indy6724 (Nov 27, 2011)

This sounds like its gonna be a great project to follow. I also have a dirted 10 and am thinking about up grading.


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