First tank - 20Gal Dirt

Nothing special looking, just hoping to keep some plants alive. I've done 2 50% water changes today and the water has been fairly clear.

laid down a dusting of peat moss, about .75 inches of organic choice potting soil, a bunch of chunks of red clay, and topped it with sand.

2x Anubias Lanceolata

2x red crypt

4x java fern

2x mondo

2x moneywort wisteria

2x anubias nana

6x black phantom tetras

=================3/12/12==================================================

Dropped some driftwood in! Tried to stick some little sprouts of java fern into the cracks of the driftwood. We'll see what happens. Also trimmed and replanted the wisteria (not moneywort) in the back.

Added 2 T5HO 24w bulbs. Only 2 days on the tank and the wisteria in the back is throwing out roots like crazy. Hopefully everything else follows.

also new:

3x Amano Shrimp

2x Platys

=================3/24/12==================================================

Nothing new.

Wisteria seems to be doing well. Snails are popping up like crazy.

=================5/1/12==================================================

Wisteria still exploding and the Crypts are doing great. Java fern all but died out and is slowly respawning all over the tank. Had some algae problems but a big water change and stopping the Flourish dose cleared it up.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Jango on March 6, 2012 at 6:26am

I prefer clay soil to clay chunks.

worm castings over organic choice.

And for capping - something bigger than sand but smaller than gravel...

Except for the cap layer, its all free.

I think I read somewhere that plants have a tougher time leeching iron from clay chunks than from clay soil... seems like common sense, but I can't say if it's true or not. As far as Organic Choice goes, I've heard nothing but good things about it. But worm castings are nature's gift to plants and, to be totally honest, it irks me to pay any amount of money for freakin' dirt. Sand supposedly doesn't allow the soil to breathe and permits the build-up of poisonous gasses. Again I can't speak with any scientific authority but a lot of people are turning away from sand. Having said all this, I think you have an excellent substrate.

I don't have a cap layer yet but I'm looking for something rounded, high CEC, somewhat nutritious, bigger than sand and smaller than gravel. There are bags of clay pellets for sale in automobile garages that are used to absorb oil slicks in driveways. I'll check it out, but the concern is they may disintegrate over time. I know this is what happens with clay kitty litter; so I'll buy some and find out. Pool sand might be an option.

I like your style - "just hoping to keep some plants alive" That's my philosophy. I give the plants generous water changes, good light, (sun if possible) and good substrate. No Co2, dosing, filters, or special privledges. If the plants like me, I like them - and so far I've made a lot of friends. My design is pretty much the same as yours too. I use my tank over-winter potted plants and fish for addition to my outdoor pond in the spring - so no special design necessary. Come May it will be bare and then I'll empty it out to do some serious aqua-scaping. I have no doubt the plants will thrive in their natural setting.

I like your selection of plants. The slow growth of the Crypts bores me but they are beautiful; so I keep them anyway. The Moneywort grows wild where I am; so of course I have that too. I prefer stuff that can overwinter like Moneywart, Lilies, Jungle Val, Hornwart etc. But when I empty my tank this May I'll add tropicals - some Anubias would be nice. I've already got some M. Lace and Apons growing like crazy. So some of these will go outside for the summer and some will stay inside. It will be interesting to compare the pool raised Apons with the tank raised.

Keep me posted Ryan