# Erik's 20 Gallon NPT



## HoldingWine (Oct 7, 2007)

I finally got around to setting up this tank. It is sort of an experiment to see how well I can grow plants in a "natural planted tank." So far it has been really fun and I hope to get a lot of enjoyment out of this little tank! My ultimate goal is to create a low-maintenance, but very nicely aquascaped aquarium.

*Specs...*
*Size:* 20 Gallon "High" Aquarium (24"W x 12"D x 16"H)
*Filtration:* HOB Aquaclear 100GPH
*Heating:* 100 watt Marineland "Stealth" heater
*Lighting:* 2X24W (24") T5HO bulbs. One, a 10,000K (bright white). The other is a common pinkish color "plant" grow bulb. I'll try to find the color temperature of it soon. This might seem overboard, but a number of factors led me to choose this lighting setup. First, I got a good deal on it.  Second, the reflectors are not all that efficient, so I believe it is probably closer to having 2 normal output fluorescents. Finally, I would like to grow higher light demanding plants in the future including a nice foreground plant that will stay small and spread.
*Substrate:* 1-1.5" potting soil (the cheap kind with nothing really in it). Topped with 1.5" of sandblasting sand/gravel (~2-4mm).
*Water:* Hard water with alkaline pH ~7.8.
*Flora:* Melon Sword (_Echinodorus osiris_), _Hygrophila polysperma_, Java Fern, _Cryptocoryne lutea_, and _Vallisneria_ 'Corkscrew'. Right now, I also have hornwort and duckweed floating on top to suck up excess nutrients. In the future, they will most likely be replaced with something else.
*Fauna:*
A pair of "Kribensis" cichlids (_Pelvicachromis pulcher_)
Snails
When I know the aquarium is stable, I will add 3 or 4 Otocinclus sp. and perhaps 2 SAE's.

Drained the aquarium, removed gravel, and added soil.









Topped soil with 1.5" of gravel.









Filled aquarium halfway with water.









Arranged and planted the plants.









Finished filling the aquarium with water. The tank will get a little light from the window directly to its left, but not enough for my liking to go with less artificial light than I have now.









Two happy kribs...

















I hope to update this semi-regularly. I am on the lookout for a foreground "carpet-like" plant, but all I could find locally was dwarf sag, which from what I've read (*cough* DataGuru) does not stay small at all. Microsword perhaps? Comments, suggestions, or questions?


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

HoldingWine said:


> I finally got around to setting up this tank. It is sort of an experiment to see how well I can grow plants in a "natural planted tank." So far it has been really fun and I hope to get a lot of enjoyment out of this little tank! My ultimate goal is to create a low-maintenance, but very nicely aquascaped aquarium.
> 
> *Specs...*
> *Size:* 20 Gallon "High" Aquarium (24"W x 12"D x 16"H)
> ...


Your tank is looking good. A bunch of Anubias Pygmy Nana plants on the bottom would look good.
Anubias Pygmy Nana. They stay the size of a 50 cent piece and you can attach them to rock or driftwood/w fishing line. Not too demanding re: light and water parameters so they should not be effected if shaded by taller plants. Also, leaves are too tough, so they are resistant to being munched on my snails or fish.

Here is a description of the plant:
http://www.aquariumplants.com/Petite_Nana_Anubias_Pygmy_Nana_p/an701.htm


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## HoldingWine (Oct 7, 2007)

Looks like a good plant. I was considering replacing the Java Fern with an Anubias sp. once the tank was more stable.


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

HoldingWine said:


> Looks like a good plant. I was considering replacing the Java Fern with an Anubias sp. once the tank was more stable.


Pelia (Monosolenium Tenerum) is also supposed to be an excellent low light ground cover plant, but some claim it can make a mess(torn pieces all over the place) in the tank until it gets fully established.

Here is more information on it:
http://www.tropica.dk/article_fullscreen.asp?type=aquaristic&id=564


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

So what media do you have in the AC filter?


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## HoldingWine (Oct 7, 2007)

Right now I have what came in the box; charcoal bag, sponge pre-filter, and the "bio-rocks". Later on I'll probably just change it to all sponges or something of the like. I just have the bio and charcoal media in right now to help clear up the water and suck up any excess ammonia.

The tank looks kinda the same right now. The hornwort is all over, of course. A mistake I made was to make the sand layer too thick. I couldn't really plant any of the plans in the soil so it might be a week or two before they can anchor down and suck up the nutrients in the soil.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

Homer_Simpson said:


> Also, leaves are too tough, so they are resistant to being munched on my snails or fish.


sorry i have to disagree i had a huge anubias plant and i placed an apple snail in there for sone day just o hold him till i got that tank i wanted hiim in done and i had 3 leaves out of 10 left they are NOT NOT NOT NOT resistant. sorry but i do like the nana i have them in my 20 high and they are quite cute for the tanks on the smaller side...what about that glosso stuff(sorry dont know the full name) it looks so nice when they get going im going to hunt some of it even if i have to order the damn stuff:boxing: good luck get us some new pics


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