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Guide to Setting Up a Soil Substrate Planted Aquarium- Part 2

63K views 122 replies 9 participants last post by  SinCrisis 
#1 ·
Soil Substrates- Part 2
In her book, Ecology of the Planted Aquarium: A Practical Manual and Scientific Treatise for the Home Aquarist, Diana Walstad says the goal is to set up an ecosystem where "plants and fish balance each other's needs". In this type of tank, the plants are the water purifiers and filters. Rather than converting ammonia to nitrate, plants convert ammonia to plant mass, so there's no buildup of nitrate and pH doesn't drop over time. Plants also remove heavy metals from the water. Fish food, mulm and micronutrients from the soil feed the plants. Fish and bacteria produce carbon dioxide for the plants and the plants help produce oxygen for the fish. Only moderate lighting combined with sunlight is needed. A Walstad-type natural planted tank is low maintenance requiring only pruning of plants and infrequent partial water changes...
This topic explained how to set up a soil-substrate aquarium, and the risks/benefits of doing so. Part 1
This topic will show how I put it together, and will be an aquarium log.
Neccesary components:
Organic Choice potting soil
Aquarium substrate as a topping (sand or aquarium gravel. Nothing too big.)http://www.jlaquatics.com/images/substrate/estes/ultrareef_black.jpg
Lighting fixture (I use 20-23 watts of cool white over my 10 gallons, and 15 watts over my 5 gallon. Indirect sunlight isn't your enemy with this type of setup.)
Plants
Fish
Water


Optional components:
Powerhead driven sponge, Internal or canister filter (No airstones or splashing!)
Mineralised topsoil (10% or less of soil mixture)
Laterite, Flourite, or 100% natural clay ground up (10% or less of soil mixture if using clay, can use more if using laterite or flourite)
Liquid fertilisers

Step 1. Get a clean aquarium.


Step 2. (OPTIONAL) Add clay/laterite to the very back, or wherever your heavy feeders will be.

Step 3. Add Organic Choice potting soil to desired depth. (A maximum of 2 inches- less is better for most smaller tanks.)


Step 4. (OPTIONAL) Add thin layer of mineralised topsoil...

Wait- I want more soil...


Step 5. Add sand/gravel.


Step 6. (Optional) Hide edges.... (This technique only works with sand)
Using a card (credit card works, I used my library card), go between the glass and the substrate. When you pull the card out, sand will fill it in.



Step 7. Fill with water, slowly. I place my hand on the bottom of the tank and gently pour it in my hand. As the water level rises, you can keep your hand a few inches under the surface and pour faster... You'll know if you pour too fast- soil will float up where you disturbed the layers.


Step 8. Plant your plants. Like any other tank, pay attention to the plants needs... If a plant needs bright light, place it under the light. etc.

Front-


Side


Other side


Whole display-
 
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#2 ·
I like the way you went step by step. I do have one question up top you said you need liquid fert is that correct? Should I be doseing florish in this tank as well as my others? I do have some floating water lettuce that may need it.
 
#3 · (Edited)
It's in the optional category. I never have, but some do. I'd try it without it and dose if needed. Nutrients will leach out of the substrate to feed stem plants and floaters.


Water Parameters:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite (Didn't test)
Nitrate (Didn't test)
GH- 9 (I added chalk to bring this up.)
KH- 1.5

KH and GH should, ideally, both be over 7.

Everything is good so far... Guppies have exploded in population already though... I transfered 2 females to the tank.. I can see about 15-20 fry now hanging out above the cabomba. Apparently I need to bring the KH a little bit, but I'm not going to worry.
 
#9 ·
Can you explain this mineralizing top soil thing one more time for the slow kids in the class? Is this only from top soil from your yard? If you buy top soil instead is it still required? I feel like you've answered this, but for some reason it's not sinking in.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Think I need help...

Hello Everyone!
I decided to give a substrate planted tank a try with a 15 gallon tank. This tank is going to be used to recuperate a mistreated common goldfish this winter, so that next spring he can be released into a goldfish pond. I at first thought this would be rather straight forward, but I made the mistake of going shopping on too little sleep, and now I'm second guessing some of my decisions. I'd appreciate some input.

What I have:
15 Gallon tank with canopy and light strip on the way. I intend to use the light that comes with the strip. If I need to get a new bulb, I am having trouble finding an 18" bulb over 15 watts, so suggestions are welcome. As it stands, I intended to go with low light plants... more on that later, I guess. I can't have an open top tank with another form of light, because I have cats who would just loooove to swim with the fishes. I also have a heater, therm, test kits, etc. Normal fish gear.

For substrate I have:
CaribSea Midnight Black Floramax Premium Aquarium Substrate at PETCO
I actually bought this thinking it was flourite gravel, because it was next to the flourite.
PETCO Black Aquarium Gravel at PETCO
When I got this home, I began to think it was too big, but it has been the only dark gravel I have found. I can get tan, fine gravel. Should I ignore aesthetics and get the finer gravel?
I also have OC potting soil and store bought top soil I am mineralizing...assuming mineralizing is wetting it and letting it dry repeatedly.

For filtration/circulation, I intend to get:
the 20i
Tetra Whisper In-tank Filters at PETCO
do I need to do anything to the cartridge it comes with?

For plants, I planned on low light:
Low light plants package
and since my tank has strongly alkaline water I planned on some drift wood such as this:
Malaysian driftwood covered in Riccia Fluitans, sale, buy, information

I am uncertain about how much root structure the plants in that package have, but I intend to get MTS. However, nowhere local has MTS, so if anyone knows a good online resource for them or a seller on ebay who sells them, I'd appreciate it.

Assuming this goes as planned, will partial water changes effect the tank adversely? A goldfish, even one, is a very dirty fish, and I know this is not an adequate permanent home, which is why it's only temporary (He's about 3-4" now, living in a betta bowl where he has lived his whole life, and he will be in the new tank alone, as it is a smaller tank. I did not do this to him; I'm just trying to help him, and it's too cold, and I feel he is too weak to be released directly into the pond as he is.) Anyway, that is the reason for the question. If I am forced to do weakly partial changes to help the plants keep up with his waste, will this counter mind what I am trying to accomplish with the ecosystem? Ultimately, when the goldfish is re-homed, I want to have a neon tetra based community tank in the 15 gallon.

If you tell me that I am foolish to try a substrate planted tank for a wintered goldfish, I will bin the whole idea and just try to set him up a rush job tank to get him through the winter. Please, corrections and advice are welcome. I'm pretty new to fish and plant in general.

I don't want to derail the thread, so if people are more comfortable PMing me, I look forward to hearing from them.
 
#12 ·
Hello Everyone!
I decided to give a substrate planted tank a try with a 15 gallon tank. This tank is going to be used to recuperate a mistreated common goldfish this winter, so that next spring he can be released into a goldfish pond. I at first thought this would be rather straight forward, but I made the mistake of going shopping on too little sleep, and now I'm second guessing some of my decisions. I'd appreciate some input.

What I have:
15 Gallon tank with canopy and light strip on the way. I intend to use the light that comes with the strip. If I need to get a new bulb, I am having trouble finding an 18" bulb over 15 watts, so suggestions are welcome. As it stands, I intended to go with low light plants... more on that later, I guess. I can't have an open top tank with another form of light, because I have cats who would just loooove to swim with the fishes. I also have a heater, therm, test kits, etc. Normal fish gear.

For substrate I have:
CaribSea Midnight Black Floramax Premium Aquarium Substrate at PETCO
I actually bought this thinking it was flourite gravel, because it was next to the flourite.
PETCO Black Aquarium Gravel at PETCO
When I got this home, I began to think it was too big, but it has been the only dark gravel I have found. I can get tan, fine gravel. Should I ignore aesthetics and get the finer gravel?
I also have OC potting soil and store bought top soil I am mineralizing...assuming mineralizing is wetting it and letting it dry repeatedly.

For filtration/circulation, I intend to get:
the 20i
Tetra Whisper In-tank Filters at PETCO
do I need to do anything to the cartridge it comes with?

For plants, I planned on low light:
Low light plants package
and since my tank has strongly alkaline water I planned on some drift wood such as this:
Malaysian driftwood covered in Riccia Fluitans, sale, buy, information

I am uncertain about how much root structure the plants in that package have, but I intend to get MTS. However, nowhere local has MTS, so if anyone knows a good online resource for them or a seller on ebay who sells them, I'd appreciate it.

Assuming this goes as planned, will partial water changes effect the tank adversely? A goldfish, even one, is a very dirty fish, and I know this is not an adequate permanent home, which is why it's only temporary (He's about 3-4" now, living in a betta bowl where he has lived his whole life, and he will be in the new tank alone, as it is a smaller tank. I did not do this to him; I'm just trying to help him, and it's too cold, and I feel he is too weak to be released directly into the pond as he is.) Anyway, that is the reason for the question. If I am forced to do weakly partial changes to help the plants keep up with his waste, will this counter mind what I am trying to accomplish with the ecosystem? Ultimately, when the goldfish is re-homed, I want to have a neon tetra based community tank in the 15 gallon.

If you tell me that I am foolish to try a substrate planted tank for a wintered goldfish, I will bin the whole idea and just try to set him up a rush job tank to get him through the winter. Please, corrections and advice are welcome. I'm pretty new to fish and plant in general.

I don't want to derail the thread, so if people are more comfortable PMing me, I look forward to hearing from them.
With that floramax, it should replace mineralised topsoil.. (My local soil is rich in iron, and floramax has iron in it.) Don't worry about wattage so much. Just buy the best bulb you can, and place the tank where it gets some indirect filtered sunlight. (Next to a window works, and keep the blinds closed)

Unfortunately, I would not go with that plant package... Goldfish much prefer an unheated aquarium. You can plant the tank with plants that the goldfish might tolerate, and when you get rid of him just add more.

Plants that might work are:
Anubias
Anarchis (Elodea/Egeria)
Hornwort
Duckweed (Might survive, great for using up the excess ammonia)
Java Fern
Java Moss
Vallisneria
Echinodorus (Blehiri Compact or Augustifolia var Vesuvious should work)

I'd go to sweetaquatics.com and buy the plants- they will throw in some MTS if you ask.
When you set up the tank, don't use more than an inch of Organic Choice potting soil at its deepest point, and then the floramax on top. (Don't want the goldie to sit on top of too much soil if he eats every plant you throw in.)

To be honest, your best idea would be to try the plants if you want, with just the floramax substrate. When you get rid of the goldie, convert it to soil.
 
#11 ·
Hi Caliban the items you have are not for a soilbased substrate you should ask the Moderators to move your post to the plant section.
 
#19 ·
Yes read it and read it again it then reread it right before you set it up to make sure you don't forget anything don't do like I did and mess up the first time. Be sure to soak the soil and put enough gravel on the top and pour the water real real slow also. If you don't you will have a muddy mess trust me I learned that the hard way. LOL
 
#20 ·
my 10 gallon with rcs thats npt already has berried females!i noticed it about 4 days ago,im so excited because these will be the first thing i have ever bred in an aquarium,in the 5 gallon im planning endlers and its also an npt iwagumi stetup.give me a little time and i should have some pics of both tanks up.
 
#21 ·
heres my 10 gallon NPT:
Freshwater aquarium Aquarium decor Aquarium Feeder fish Aquarium lighting


and a couple of my 5 NPT Iwagumi input wanted!:
Aquarium Organism Rock Glass Pyramid

Aquarium Rock

Glass

Yellow Rock Aquarium Freshwater aquarium Glass

Aquarium Freshwater aquarium Aquarium decor Organism Rock






I started these when i first saw Reds first forum post on how to do it and i dont think i will ever do anything other than NPT again
 
#22 · (Edited)
heres my 10 gallon NPT:
View attachment 18593

and a couple of my 5 NPT Iwagumi input wanted!:
View attachment 18594
View attachment 18595
View attachment 18596
View attachment 18597
View attachment 18598





I started these when i first saw Reds first forum post on how to do it and i dont think i will ever do anything other than NPT again
Some moss and a small randomly-placed anubias nana var petite would look nice on the rock and would 'soften' it's appearence. Large-leaved plants in the foreground can do wonders for adding depth. (google "forced perspective")


How much light do you have on that tank? If it's a good bit, you could try some dwarf baby tears on the substrate and allow it to cover the foreground.
Hairgrass is popular in Iwagumi-style tanks, but Echinodorus var Vesuvius would look nice in my opinion-
Just pull out the large ones when it propogates and you'll have a number of small plants that look almost like a cross between twisted val and dwarf hairgrass. (You could also grow the vesuvius in another tank and transplant the small runners that form when they are a couple inches tall)

The iwagumi tank doesn't lend itself too much to soil- Personally, I'd do lots of waterchanges for the first few months to get rid of surplus nutrients.

For color, you could use a few stems of Rotala Rotundifolia or cabomba furcata. Ooh, I just saw the floating plants (azolla? duckweed?). They'll be perfect to absorb nutrients for now, along with the stem plants I mentioned. In a month or so, you can fish the floating plants out and try baby tears.
 
#23 ·
hey Red thanks for the info,

i acualy have some glossostigma in the foreground and some hairgrass in the back.
i also have sone hornwort and some anarchis? in the back.yes that is duckweed to obsorb nutrients.


i would love some anubias nana but i think my mother is tired of the pet store,although i do need some more tropical food......


and i have some java moss on the filter floss covering the intake to the filter to see if it will attatch itself.

28w over the tank but its like 8 inches off the surface.

i would love some DBT but they dont carry it anywhere around me
 
#26 ·
There's something I forgot to mention (and forgot to implement in my own tanks)

If you have soft water, you need something to add a few points of Kh.
After testing my own tanks, chalk increases GH.
GH is the level of calcium and magnesium, so if you have snails or inverts, chalk is still okay.

To raise the KH and GH slowly over time, you can add small (tiny!) amounts of these to the tank, either mixed in the substrate or simply placed on top in an out of the way place. (Filter basket is ideal if you filter the tank)

Crushed Coral
Dolomite
Limestone

I'm using agricultural limestone, and will most my results.
 
#30 ·
If you have a good LFS they will have the test kit either for sale or they can test it for you like mine did.
 
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