# My first attempt on NPT



## longlywalker (Nov 7, 2005)

I converted my 160 L "high tech" tank to a "low tech" soil tank( with 6 L potting soil) 16 weeks ago.
Lighting:2 39 W T5 HO (840 + 865) with reflectors.

This picture was taken at 13th week, one week after pruning and 70% water change:









This picture was taken today, at 16th week:









Surprisingly, not only Rotala macrandra, but also Pogostemon stellatus and pogostemon helferi are growing well.

I put 3 stems of Ludwigia glandulosa into the tank 2 weeks ago, so far they are doing well.









Comments and tips are welcome.

Erich


----------



## Angie (Dec 4, 2005)

Wow very nice.


----------



## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

It looks great! 
How many wpg is that?
Is it getting any sunlight?
How are you liking it?


----------



## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Without a doubt, a beautiful NPT!

-ricardo


----------



## longlywalker (Nov 7, 2005)

DataGuru said:


> It looks great!
> How many wpg is that?
> Is it getting any sunlight?
> How are you liking it?


Well, it's only about 1.85 wpg, but with "U" bent polished aluminum reflectors. The tank is not getting any sunlight.

This tank was a trasition from "high tech" tank, at the beginning I was not sure what would ensue after discontinuing CO2 supply and fertilizers. I placed 6 L of potting soil into the substrate gradually. The substrate is now about 3 inches deep, and it's bubbling all the time. That worries me. So I poke the substrate every other day.

The "system" is working so far so good, but I don't know how long will it continue and how do I keep it going.

Betty, your aquarium page and Diana's book helped me a lot. I have to say thanks to you.

Erich


----------



## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

Cool. 

Sounds like that potting soild may have quite a bit of organics in it. If it helps, my 125 was a bubble factory for months and it doesn't appear to affect the fish as long as they don't get a mouthful.


----------



## Minipol (Jul 4, 2006)

I like the setup and especially the red plants. Very nice !


----------



## CherylH (Jul 22, 2004)

When you say "gradually" do you mean you put the soil in without taking out the old substrate? If so, what method did you used to get the soil under the old substrate?


----------



## longlywalker (Nov 7, 2005)

CherylH said:


> When you say "gradually" do you mean you put the soil in without taking out the old substrate? If so, what method did you used to get the soil under the old substrate?


I wet the potting soil with a little water and made it into numerous (actually more 150) mud balls, and I placed these mud balls in the refrigerator. The hard iced balls were pressed directly into the substrate 2 hours later wihout disturbing the tank water. But I did not care whether the iced mud balls was placed exactly on the bottom layer. In this way, the 6 L potting soil was put into the substrate. The work was accomplished in 4 weeks, because I only had time for my tank on weekends. That was what I mean "gradually". No, I did not take out any old substrate from the beginning, maybe it was not a good idea.


----------



## CherylH (Jul 22, 2004)

That seems to be the concensus from the searching I've done on adding soil to an existing substrate. You're getting beautiful growth in yours, so it must be effective.


----------



## snowy (Jun 6, 2006)

The tank looks great! I would say it was a good idea and has worked our very well.


----------



## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

longlywalker said:


> I wet the potting soil with a little water and made it into numerous (actually more 150) mud balls, and I placed these mud balls in the refrigerator. The hard iced balls were pressed directly into the substrate 2 hours later wihout disturbing the tank water. But I did not care whether the iced mud balls was placed exactly on the bottom layer.


Soil ice cubes! Here's a new one for the NPT folks.

Your tank is lovely. The bubbling is good. The stem plants seem to be loving all that CO2.

I think that your poking the substrate was a very good idea. Introducing a little oxygenated water would keep plant roots from getting inhibited by severely anaerobic conditions. Excellent!


----------



## longlywalker (Nov 7, 2005)

dwalstad said:


> Soil ice cubes! Here's a new one for the NPT folks.
> 
> Your tank is lovely. The bubbling is good. The stem plants seem to be loving all that CO2.
> 
> I think that your poking the substrate was a very good idea. Introducing a little oxygenated water would keep plant roots from getting inhibited by severely anaerobic conditions. Excellent!


Thanks, I have learned quite a lot from your book and in this forum. However, when I decided to give NPT a trial, I did not expect that red stem plants and soft water fishes would also have survived for more than 16 weeks!

Tank water:
pH: 7.3 - 7.7
KH: 8.5 dKH
GH: 11 dGH

Here are some pictures of so-called sensitive species:

Dicrossus maculatus:









Apistogramma bitaeniata tefe:









Nannostomus mortenthaleri:









Erich


----------



## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Very nice!
Having softwater critters in hardwater tanks is another shot at the aquarium hobby's Conventional Wisdom.

Hardwater might affect the sex ratios and egg hatching of softwater fish. However, for the home aquarium, softwater plants and fish should do fine in moderately hardwater like yours. I found that softwater plants like Ludwigia repens grow much better in hardwater than softwater (my book, page 117). In many instances, plant species that come from softwater survive in these difficult environments, because they have adapted best to the nutrient-depleted conditions. Given a chance in hardwater with plentiful calcium, potassium, and magnesium, they thrive!


----------

