# New El Natural 10gallon set up



## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Hi all :wave: 

I have decided to convert my 10 gallon to a El Natural set up and as I'am new to this forum and this set up,could ypu all please advice me the step by step process of the set up?
Please let me know about:

1)How to prepare the bottom layer.
2)The ingredients used to make it.
3)A list of fast growing plants.
4)Frequency of water changes.
5)How long would the bottom layer last supplying nutrients to the plants?

Thanks in advance,
Ravi


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## littleguy (Jan 6, 2005)

If you haven't read Diana Walstad's "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" I'd start there. Easily the best money you'll ever spend in the hobby, especially if you're going the el natural route.

Have you read the stickies?


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

plantblr said:


> Hi all :wave:
> 
> I have decided to convert my 10 gallon to a El Natural set up and as I'am new to this forum and this set up,could ypu all please advice me the step by step process of the set up?
> Please let me know about:
> ...


Welcome to APC Ravi,

First off read the stickies at the top of the forum, there are good procedures there, Then come back with unanswered questions.

Brian


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## dymndgyrl (Jan 22, 2007)

In my spare time (which maybe I have too much of!) I went back and started reading all the posts in this forum from the very beginning - I think it starts on page 48.

Very informative, alot of questions get answered and there are many posts from Diana Walstad herself. If you can't get a hold of the book, this is the next best thing!


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Hey Littleguy,thank you very much.I did go thhrough the thread suggested its very useful with the step by step process...really good!!!!!!.

Thanks,
Ravi


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Thank you bpimm,

Will surely come back with any unanswered questions with the confidence that my questions will surely be answered by the Pros here in this forum.

Thanks,
Ravi


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

bpimm said:


> Welcome to APC Ravi,
> 
> First off read the stickies at the top of the forum, there are good procedures there, Then come back with unanswered questions.
> 
> Brian


Hi

Any idea as to how long would the the bottom layer of potting soil last as a nutrient supplier to the plants,how often does it need to be changed?

Regards,
Ravi


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

If I remember right Diana says in her book that she has one that has been going for about 7 years. The fish food replenishes the nutrients that the plants use.

In the past I have had one running for over two years.

Brian


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## TeutonJon78 (Nov 10, 2004)

Yes, according to the book, the soil shouldn't run out. The concept of adding some extra fish food to feed the plants takes care of that.

If you didn't have fish in the tank, the soil would run out. Diana has a chart in her book about how long various nutrients last in the soil. The wonderous fish mulm will help replenish the supply of those nutrients, especially if you use a high quality fish food.

As for changing the substrate....I can't image how messy that would be.


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Thank you bpimm & TeutonJon78,

This perfectly clears my doubt,you guys have been really quick.

Thanks once again.


Thanks,
Ravi


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Hi all,

Returing after a long break....Thanks for all your inputs,at last I setup my tank two weeks back.Below is the description of the set up.Sorry,as I have a problem with my camera,will attach a pic of my setup soon.
I collected dark Red soil from the outskirts of a forest near my house,washed it thrice till there were no floating elements(twigs,bark,plant roots etc..)in it.I dried it on my terrace till it felt like a semi baked cake,then crushed it with both my hands and layered it on the bottom of my aquarium 1" thick and covered it with 1.5" gravel.Filled it with 2" of water and added plants & driftwood to it and later filled it completely with water slowly.To my surprise the water was crystal clear but still I dint want to risk it,so left my tank with the filter running for a day and added my fish the next day.They all are seeming to enjoy the new setup.Plants added are a Red water Lilly,Amazon,2 Green water Lillies,7 giant Vallesneria's,4 Java ferns attached to a beautiful driftwood and a few Bronze cryptocornes.Fish in are a pair of Green sword tail,Red platy,Buenos Aires Tetra(Albino),1 Blue crown tailed Betta and a Red tail shark.Planning to add more plants &fish this weekend and at last a power head filter for water movement and a cool daylight 10Watts Philips bulb on for 10 hrs.

Any advices and suggestions?Please do...........

Many thanks,
Ravi


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## TeutonJon78 (Nov 10, 2004)

How much clay is in the soil? it sounds like there might be a lot, or at least a lot of iron to make it dark red like that. The lighting does sound a bit on the low side. How much sun will the tank be getting?


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

There is no clay contenet at all in the soil.Yes....as you said this is very rich in iron and there is no direct sunlight for the tank at all.Maybe very little when the windows in the hall are opened during the day.But the plants seem to be doing well already.I find all the plants sprouting new leaves already.


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Hi

Can you please tell how many litres/gallons water can go into a 24"+12"+12" tank?


Regards,
Ravi


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

plantblr said:


> Hi
> 
> Can you please tell how many litres/gallons water can go into a 24"+12"+12" tank?
> 
> ...


24*12*12/231=Gallons

14.96 Gallons - substrate and freeboard

Brian


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Thank you very much bpimm,

How many watts bulb is to be used for a tank sized 24*12*12?


Thanks
Ravi


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

plantblr said:


> Thank you very much bpimm,
> 
> How many watts bulb is to be used for a tank sized 24*12*12?
> 
> ...


Could someone please answer my question ASAP as a new tank needs to be set up.

Regards,
Ravi


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## 01krisp10 (Feb 18, 2007)

I would shoot for, depending on the amount of sunlight you are getting, between 1.5-3 watts a gallon. So your tank is 15 gallons I assume from the the measurements, so I would get a 25 watt bulb? Maybe 2x - 15watts for a little extra light? Hope that helps.


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Hi all,

Its hardly been 2 months that I set up my tank to the El natural style with a layer of Laterite which was dark red in color which means it was rich in iron.The plants were really doing well.But from the past 10 days I have been observing that the leaves of many plants are turning Yellow.This happens only if there is shortage in Iron supply,right?Even the light is not a problem as it is 2WPG.

Please advice.


Regards,
Ravi


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## TeutonJon78 (Nov 10, 2004)

Yellowing leaves can also point to other deficiencies. Look in one of the fertilizing forums and they will have a list of symptoms and related causes.

I think too much iron also causes yellowing, but don't quote me on that.


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Thank you John

Can you suggest any remedy for this other than adding any commercial ferts as they are very rarely available in & around my place.


Regards,
Ravi


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Help plzzzzz.................Emergency

Please give me some ideas and advices.


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## TeutonJon78 (Nov 10, 2004)

Sorry, the only way to fix deciencies is with ferts. Or in the NPT style, more fish food. 

If you have a petsmart or petco, they usually have "Flourish with Iron". If you think it's too low, that would help. if it's too high, not sure how to fix that other than substrate or water changes depending on where the iron is at.


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Thanks Jon

Am very much sure that there is no shortage of iron content.Ohhhhh...sorry forgot to update you on another major observation.This problem of yellowing leaves is only in the stemmed plants.The other plants are doing fine.


Regards,
Ravi


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

Do you do frequent water changes? Tapwater can contain various minerals and stuff, depending on the source of the water; I have no idea whether your tapwater contains what your plants currently need, but I'd guess that water changes are unlikely to hurt and could possibly help.


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Yes Natalie,I do a 50% water change every 2 weeks.But as I said all my other plants that are amazon swords,crypts,tiger lotus(Red),water lilly are doing fine.Only my stemmed plants have this problem of Yellow leaves.

Thanks
Ravi


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## fuzzyletters (Jan 20, 2007)

teutonjon, from what i've read so far in ecology of the planted aquarium you're right about the iron EXCESS potentially causing yellowing or browning of some plants... it sounds like this might be the problem considering the short span of time that the tank's been around. the book mentions crypts specifically, but...

how fast are the stemmed plants growing in comparison to the other plants? ms. walstad says that slower growing plants might have more trouble with metal excesses i think. i don't actually have a tank set up yet, so someone else might wanna take over here but i thought i should say something :S


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Hi all.I'am coming back after a long time.

My tank had a very good growth of all plants.But from the past 2 months or so,I have been observing that the growth is sort of stunted & the density of the plants is going down.I had a very good growth of different crypts to the right of my tank.It looked like a crypt forest.But now I dont see that density.My Java fern had grown really well.But now I see the leaves are turning brown & dying away.My water changes has been once in 2 months or so.

Any solution for this?

Thanks in advance,
Ravi.


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Hi all,

Any inputs pls?


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## plantblr (Feb 27, 2007)

Any inputs plsssssssssssssss


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## brenmuk (Oct 7, 2008)

Java ferrn going brown and the stunted growth sounds like a need for CO2 - is there much surface agitation?
You need to strike a balance with nutrients going into your tank (food/ferts) with nutrient demand which is dictated by light and plant biomass. So try reducing water changes/ increasing feeding/ reduce light intensity and prune plants. 
Also try to encourage emmersed growth as this greatly improves the tanks overall health/productivity.

This site is good for plant problems:-
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/plant-problems.htm


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