# my 1G npt



## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

I am experimenting with npts. This is my second take, and this time I am going to document what I did, so I can refer to it later. I am also going to monitor and record water params and inhabitants' health. If all goes smoothly, this will be a very dry journal. :thumbsup: It probably will not go smoothly. ;-)

After deciding that using beach sand was maybe not a good idea I ripped out my little experiment and planted it again with gravel. Wow, what a difference! Gravel was sooo much easier to work with, and it held the soil in place so well, and it looks so much better too! 

Here's how I did it:
1. Put about 1 or 1.5 inches of dirt on the bottom of tank.
2. Sprinkled gravel around the edge.
3. Planted it up - buried roots gently in exposed soil and didn't worry too much about where they went. So just quickly anchored them in the soil.
4. Sprinkled more gravel on exposed areas. It fell nicely all over and covered the roots.
5. Up until now everything was dry. I put the kitchen sink sprayer on very gentle and filled the tank up. Absolutely NO dirt kicked up! 

Plants: centerpiece - red sword, background - hygro difformis, front - anubias.

Here's the picture minutes after it was done. Give or take the bubbles, that water is pretty darn clear.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Just to compare, this is what my 1st attempt looked like before it got ripped up.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Reading from this morning, i.e. about 10 hours after it's been set up:
ph: 7.5
ammonia: 0.25 < x < 0.5
nitrite: 0


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

I'm interested how it will turn out and subscribed to your thread.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Thanks Netti!  Today I put in a bladder snail, or at least I think he is a bladder snail. He seems to be enjoying it so far, exploring everything. The plants are covered in bubbles on the tops and bottoms and stems. Not sure if those are fresh water bubbles or "pearling".

For the record the soil is Miracle Grow Organic Choice Garden Soil, 0.1 - 0.05 - 0.1.

I attached this LED light from amazon, and it's on a timer - 5 hours on, 4 hours off, 5 hours on again.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Today's params:

ph slightly up: 7.6
ammonia slightly down: <= 0.25, so the plants are doing their job.
nitrite: 0

I changed about 3 cups of water. I don't think I had to based on the params, but the instructions say to change it every 2 days for week 1, so I am obeying. 

We lost the snail. Spent half an hour looking for him, thinking maybe he climbed out. Eventually found him - he was sitting inside a curled up leaf. We named him Houdini. Houdini poops a lot.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I'll follow it, too! Good luck with Houdini and the plants!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

No changes in params today, but I thought I'd share a funny. My 3 year old came over to see the FishShrimp and found a Turtle.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

Lol...that's cute. 

Reminds me of my younger sister when she was little. She came running back into the house screaming "there's a crocodile in the garden". It was only a salamander sunning itself on a rock.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Aaww, little kids are awesome. LOL


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Hahaha! My daughter named all the guppy fry "Shrimpy" because I used our shrimp tank as a grow out.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

LOL Shrimpy - nice one! 

Well, so far this is a fairly tedious exercise. I test the water, params are the same. I change the water, params are the same. Ammonia is < 0.25 but not 0, nitrite = 0. Today is going to be my 3rd water change (3 cups or so), and then I think I'll slow down.

Houdini is loving it in there, he is very active and does a fantastic job of keeping everything sparkling clean. He also laid a bunch of eggs. Anubias is pearling like crazy. Red sword sends up a bubble like every 1 or 2 seconds from this one spot at the base. It's really cool to watch, looks like the plant is snorkling or something. Wisteria is a little slow, I don't think it's done anything yet except for maybe grow some roots.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Ok, I have good news and I have bad news. I'll start with bad news.

Joey, our betta, has finished his salt treatment, so I put him into the npt. First, last night I changed some water in npt and put in my little heater. It warmed the tank up to 80F by this morning. This morning I turned up Joey's hospital heater to 80F. It took all day, and it got up to 79F. Tonight I transferred Joey to the npt, but I didn't acclimate him because I figured the temperature was so close. Was that bad? I can't believe I keep making the same mistake! Anyway, now he is twitching. I tested the water again, and everything is the same as it always is with this npt: ph = 7.6 (same as my tap), ammonia <= 0.25, nitrite = 0, nitrate = 0. I added some prime, just in case, but he is still twitching. Is it temperature shock? What do I do?

The good news is that he is still himself when he is not twitching. He is exploring and pokes at the snail. His tail is a bit clamped though, but otherwise he is ok. The poor snail's happy days are over with Joey on the prowl. 

I was wrong about wisteria, it has grown a lot, but was bent because I guess it was trying to stay under water. I actually clipped the top off, because it was too tall for the tank. Hoping that this will encourage it to branch out.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Well, Joey seems to be feeling better this morning. I did see his head twitch a little, but it's a lot less than last night, and he is still energetic and eating. I am guessing that changing his temp from 74F to 80F in 12 hours was too steep - it seems that recommended amount is no more than 2-3F in 24 hours.

He is getting used to the snail. Before he would pick at it ferociously, now he just stares at it with suspicion. He is checking out his gravel too, to make sure it's not crawling. :lol: Poor little Houdini is sucked up to one spot on the glass, not moving around much at all. I really hope they will be able to co-exist, I miss my little energetic snail.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

Oh wow, I'm glad he is getting back to his normal self. What a scare !!!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

I know, I am still worried about him now that I watched him all day. He is still twitching sometimes, one was so violent he actually jumped out and landed back in the water. But from everything I've been reading, it's to do with temperature change or chemistry and I know my chemistry is ok, at least what I can test is. I think the worst thing I can do is change things again on him, so I have to hold on and wait. I'll do another 25% change tonight though I think, just in case it's something that I can't test. Shucks, I didn't realize that the overall temp change counts too, I thought it was just the drastic sudden one!

The tank's water got visible brown-ish tinge to it over the last 24 hours too. I think it's just new tank algae though. Poor Houdini is being preyed upon, so he hasn't been cleaning it up. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will get used to each other and that Joey will settle.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

I hope he will adjust OK. Yes, better are small but frequent water changes. Keep testing too, just so you have peace of mind!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Still twitching! I think I'll be starting another thread, because this is really concerning. I'll do a bunch of 25% water changes every 12 hours, just in case. I am also wondering if the snail could have been carrying parasites? Anyways, topic for another thread.

On the positive note, he is absolutely loving it in that tank. He is constantly patrolling and is working on a bubble nest. Some of Houdini's eggs hatched. The little "turtles" are too hard to see now, but when they grow up a bit I am sure Joey will be very busy hunting them down. If it wasn't for the twitching issue, I would say this tank is definitely a success so far.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

I once had a Sulawesi snail that brought leeches into my tank, that was gross. But I think you should be fine with a little bladder/pond snail.

The twitching is a concern, almost makes me want to suggest to put him back in his small tank, to see if the twitching goes away. Is he rubbing himself on things, like his skin is irritated?


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

No, they seem to happen spontaneously enough to surprise him, and they don't look on purpose. The small ones look like a hiccup or a sneeze, the bigger ones look like when he is jumping but they are not controlled and are all over the place. Scary actually. After that he pauses for a few moments, then just goes back to what he was doing. I am starting another thread in a moment, I'll post the link here.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

Yes, another thread is a good idea...it sounds neurological!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Yeah, right? So either the water temp or the soil is leaching something, what do you think? Here is the thread: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=664490


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

Looks like everyone else is just as stumped!

I was thinking, sometimes in densely packed substrate there can be gas pockets that form and slowly release toxins into the tank. I believe it is mainly in sand substrate, and people are told to sporadically work their hands through the sand to release possibly formed gas pockets. Do you sometimes see any bubbles coming up from the substrate?


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

I've been poking it with a wooden skewer every time I change water, so every other day or so. It's supposed to prevent it from getting anaerobic in the absence of burrowing snails. Every time I poke some bubbles do come up. However since I planted the tank, the water never did penetrate a 100% into the soil. I could see air pockets on the sides of the tank from the beginning. I actually poked it all over just today and watched Joey carefully, and his episodes did not seem to increase. And now I am seeing roots through the sides, so the roots are supposed to help with that too.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Ok, so as I am reporting on Joey's progress in the other thread, I transferred him out for now. Poor Houdini came out of hiding right away, and he looks like he was munched on! He is missing one of his antlers and his mouth seems to be gone??? My husband said: "You know Joey, you are a social guy. It doesn't help to eat your neighbours." Aaww, poor little Houdini, I hope he recovers. When he does, I'll put him in the other tank with guppies. It's one thing to eat a whole baby snail in one bite, but I don't like seeing a bigger snail injured like that.

Params are the same and wisteria is sending out a bunch of new buds. Red sword is doing super well, each new leaf is looking redder and healthier than the one before. One thing I really enjoy about this tank is how stable it seems to be with parameters and how good it is for plants. Even if it had no inhabitants whatsoever, I'd still keep it for plant propagation/backup.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

So apparently OldFishLady instructions are missing a step - soil mineralization, which is basically soaking and drying the soil a bunch of times. Soaking is supposed to get rid of toxins/fertilizers, drying is for oxygenation and good bacteria growth. I am going to try that, will report back when I've got the soil ready.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

How to mineralize (write-up): http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/2...eralized-soil-substrate-mts-aaron-talbot.html

How to mineralize (visual): http://visual.ly/how-mineralized-soil-substrate

Fishless cycling: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/2...garden-soil-fish-twitching-2.html#post8992073

1G shrimp tanks: http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf

Quick update: Houdini recovered, baby snails are growing, plants are still doing great. Ammonia is registering between 0.25 and 0.5 and nitrites are just a hint above 0. I am going to keep cycling this tank while I get the soil prepared as described above. In a month's time I'll have tested 2 methods with this soil. The reason I am sticking with this soil is because there is no consensus out there for whether it's appropriate to use and far be it for me to use something that's tried and true.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

Wow, I think this makes it pretty clear that your problems with the shrimp and the twitching of your betta were caused by fertilizers in the soil!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Yes I agree, but I still don't quite understand it. Wouldn't fertilizers show up as ammonia on the test? Nobody seems to be able to answer that question. So if the answer is "not necessarily", then yes I guess it was the cow manure in garden soil. Assuming that it is in fact cow manure, because I have not been able to find ingredients. Which is suspicious to begin with. So maybe they've added some garbage that they don't want to disclose. LOL

Anyway, these are the scenarios I am testing:
a) using the soil right out of the bag - proven doesn't work
b) using the soil right out of the bag and allowing it to naturally mature over time
c) mineralizing the soil
d) mineralizing the soil and doing fishless cycling


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm very interested in the results! So the snails are doing fine but shrimp and fish are having problems with the soil.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Yep. Weird, right? Also, the shrimp was fine in week 1, then started having issues slowly, then eventually died at right about 2 week mark.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

So the tank is 2.5 weeks old and there are some new developments.

1. There is an increase in nitrites (=0.25). I did a 25% water change yesterday.
2. I think Houdini died. He is not stinky, but he is just lying there on the bottom upside-down.
3. There are all kinds of other life in there - white long wiggly worms (I think they are detritus worms, which are fine by me), white slug-looking things and tiny white round things that jump like fleas. Eww, I am seriously grossed out. Are any of these a concern?

Here are some pictures. First 2 show plant growth (the prunned wisteria is bushing out nicely), the last one is 2 slug-looking guys I happened to catch in one shot.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

You might be able to find your critters here http://www.planetinverts.com/what_is_that_bug_in_my_aquarium.html


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Thanks Netti, that's a really good link! I am guessing planaria. I started another dedicated thread, let's see what people say I should do about it.

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=667586


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Ok, it's been a while and lots of things have happened:
1. The tank cycled. It's showing 0 accross the board, even for nitrates, so I am guessing the plants are sucking them up. Overall I would say the cycling went very smoothly. I just left the tank be for the past few weeks, and had no snail casualties. Check.

2. Baby snails have grown and are still doing fine. I have removed some and put in other tanks where they grew faster, probably due to more food. I haven't fed this tank at all ever. Check.

3. The decision on planaria was that they are ugly but helpful, so I kept them. I see them here and there but they are not exploding. I haven't seen detritus worms in a while, and I am now used to the little flea-like jumping things, so check.

4. Joey is finishing his treatment for parasites. He looks much better, and is no longer twitching. Just a recap, he started twitching when I put him in this tank and I blamed it on the soil. He felt better in a soil-less qt tank for a while then started twitching again. I figured it was parasites and likely not the soil's fault, though I still don't know why the twitching seemed so sudden and extreme in the soil tank. Anyways, check.

5. The new batch of soil will be ready by weekend. Big check!

Ok, so now it's your guys turn. I am basically at the crossroads of keeping this tank for more experiments or disassembling it and planting with mineralized soil. Are you guys curious for me to try anything with this tank to see how it does? Do you want me to put in a ghost shrimp or one of my guppies, or maybe raise ammonia artificially? Whatever you guys want to try, let me know.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Hmm, I really like this tank with its microcritters. It's really up to you if you want to try the mineralized soil in a new 1 gallon container or reuse this one.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Hey Sadist, you actually like the bugs??? Ok, tell me why, I want to like them too! 

Personally, I want to try this tank with a fish before I rip it apart (maybe I will keep it permanently then), but I don't know how to test it for fish safety. I don't want to put Joey through any more stress. Any ideas what I can do to feel more at ease about it?


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Hrrmm. I like the idea of fish eating the micro things. It seems like they'd eat those things when they can't catch bigger things like bloodworms. They're also part of a healthy ecosystem. Besides mineral usage, it's almost a closed system.

Hmm, testing it with fish. That's a rough one -- guppies are social, so just one will be stressed and probably continually glass surf. I think it's too small for 2. Maybe some shrimp again? Or guppy fry. Our store usually has fry in the female tank.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Yeah, smaller fish and fry eat those things don't they. I have this feeling that Joey is too big to eat them and I wonder if it was them that irritated him initially.

I'll try it with shrimp I think. I haven't seen fry at my 2 local stores. I could also get a small "guinea-fish" like danio glo fish or neon tetra or endler. That would look really cute. Eventually I have to try it on Joey though.

Hey, what if I give Joey a couple more weeks to recover, then put him in a jar and slowly add water from this tank to see how he reacts? Last time he started twitching within minutes, so it's a quick test.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

Olgamc I think you are playing roulette with your friend Joey. He hasn't been well and is just starting on medications, I reaaalllllly don't think its a good idea to experiment with his twitching any more. Some friendly advice, I wouldn't want to see you lose your friend.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

LittleStar, I know, I just don't know what to do. He needs to be in a nice stable home, which I am not able to provide in a qt tank. So I need to decide between a planted tank and an aquaponic. I like the planted tank idea because bettas like to be in a heavily planted environment, and many many people have bettas in successful dirt based tanks.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

Given what you like, then I'd go with a new system for your friend with sand in it and a couple of easy to maintain plants that are new and have never been in an aquarium before, prepackaged deals. Try not to bring in any jiggars of any kind as your friend needs all the help he can get in healing right now.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Yep, I can certainly do what everyone else does. Unfortunately I will need to leave him with my mom or a neighbour for most of the summer. They will not do what everyone else does, and I will come back to a dead fish. Or to a new fish. My mom will probably just replace him and not tell me. So, I need him in a super low maintenance, self-sustaining, stable environment. Dirted tanks are just that, followed by aquaponics.

I am trying to go as gently on him as I can, which is why I am talking through the strategy of how to test this tank for fish safety BEFORE I put him in. It'll probably take another 2 - 4 weeks, by which time he will be well past the parasite treatment (which is ending today). I just don't know if I have another choice. I do not want him in a regular tank. If I leave him, he will die.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

Hmmm well you do have the option of a bare bottom tank. That is all I've ever had and it doesn't get any easier maintenance than that. You can check my aquarium logs below for ideas there. Anyone can maintain a bare bottom tank for someone on vacation with ease, and we are only talking about one fish.

Whatever you decide just make sure the situation is clean and cycled and the water is as stable as it can be before putting your friend in his new home.

Good luck : )


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Yeah, I like bare bottoms a lot, they just look so much cleaner than any substrate. Anyways, I talked it over with my husband, we are going to go with an aquaponic for Joey. We are terrible decision makers, change our mind all the time, but I think the consensus at this point is to get a 10g with a divider and put both Joey and the guppies in it. Have it bare bottom, some wood and anubias/java ferns (low light, no fertz), and grow bed on top. Grow bed acts both as a filter and the plants suck up nitrates. Apparently if you add compost worms to the grow bed they will "eat" fish poop and decomposing plant matter. They also sometimes fall through to the tank and make a yummy snack for fish. So in theory sounds great, and then I'll only have 1 tank to maintain, and it's super easy for a helper too.

But first I have to get Joey fixed up, and just as I thought he was done his meds, he is swimming funny again! Should I do another round of general cure, what do you guys think?


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

I think that sounds perfect! : )

Now all you have to do is: STICK with your decision! lol
But do make sure Joey is well so he won't transfer any Kooties to your Guppies.
Depending on how many Guppies you have I'd try to give Joey at least a 3G share of space.

Have fun!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Yeah, I saw some flashing in the guppy tank so I treated them at the same time as I treated Joey. So both tanks should be de-bugged by now, except Joey is acting up. I don't know with that fish, he is like a child. The more attention I give him the more he misbehaves.

I'll keep going with the little npt though. I might replant it with mineralized soil, but otherwise I think it looks nice and will make a perfect little home for some snails and shrimp.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Ok, went to the store and got a 10g before we changed our mind. Should I be starting another journal? 

I also got some shrimp to test out the npt.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

Oh yeah the 10G experience calls for a new journal - have fun!


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm looking forward to it! Are you going to test out that baking and mineralizing and all that stuff with the soil first?


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

My first 10 gallon. It looks awfully large! Anyway, separate journal coming up.  Thanks guys! 

Sadist, I am going to put one guinea-shrimp into the tank the way it is right now. It's about a month or more old and cycled, and I want to see if the soil is ok to use right out of the bag, given enough time to cycle. I want to test the mineralized soil as well, so I might plant the guppies old 5 gallon with it. I don't want to end up with a lot of tanks though, my husband will shoot me!


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

*Tell Me About It!*

Re: "I don't want to end up with a lot of tanks though, my husband will shoot me!" 

DITTO! It is soooo hard to be "into fish" and not end up with multiple tanks or at least a tank much larger than you ever thought you'd have in your house. I would like to hear a success story of someone who managed to have just one small aquarium in their house for more than 6 months without upgrading and how they managed to do that. This hobby is so addictive. We had one 5G, then two 5Gs, then three 5G, and that upgraded so currently we have:
1 TenG Long
1 TenG Tall
1 5G
We're hoping to integrate this into one 20L only, but its not possible unless we give away some fish first. Once you have them, you can't just undo it. You get attached, that's the main reason.

:roll:


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

The thing is, I am not into fish! Or at least I thought I wasn't. Growing up, my parents always had these horrible algae-covered tanks and these cute little fish that always died. I don't like dead fish. The tank sat on our kitchen table, and every time we had fish for dinner I hated eating fish in front of fish. Joey was a present, and I told my mom, please don't give Sam a fish, I don't want a fish, I don't want any pets, no, no, no. Well, she did. So I had to take care of him, treat him for ich, give him a bigger tank. I just wanted him happy. Lo and behold, now I am attached to him, and I have plants and stuff that I really like. Grrr. LOL


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

*Yeah But*

That is quite an interesting story! - Well then, do you mean to tell me that if you didn't have Joey you could refrain from getting another fish :?:


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

If I never had Joey, absolutely! Never wanted to see a fish in my life. But now...no. In fact I have to seriously resist the urge when I walk past those sad little bettas in their cold little cups. Argh, I can't believe she (my mom) did that to me! She can't even believe it either, she keeps apologizing. She had no idea that her innocent little present was going to throw me into 3 months of non-stop obsession with no end in sight. She seriously just thought that the fish would sit there and look pretty for a couple of months, and then die and that would be the end. In her defence, my mom is a really good person, just clueless. And she is taking way better care of her fish since I started telling her how.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

*Its Your Karma!*

Kindof ironic that you ended up teaching her how to take better care of her fish!
Perhaps karmic!

Uh - I can't take the Betta section in my LFS. I just walk right past it, gave up trying to complain... fish in cups dead, not enough water in the cup, half of them with dropsy. It's beyond horrific. I'd make it illegal to sell them from cups if I could. If the "staff" are busy they just forget all about feeding or cleaning their cups, so sad for those fish. :vomit:

"Sir, this fish is dead" - I hand him the cup.
He says, "No, see, he's still moving look"
"That's because the water is rocking because I'm handing you the cup".


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Ugh! 

My petsmart is actually pretty good. They only have a few fish out at a time, and they are all in decent shape. Stressed and cold yes, but no fin rot or anything. I heard the staff there trying to convince people that they need a heated 5g tank for a betta. My big al's is hit and miss. They have this cool stand where each betta is in a tiny little cup, but all the cups are plumbed together. There is a little dripper that circulates the water for them. I've seen individual bettas happily zooming around in plant tanks, that's pretty cool. Their fry tank is just awful, dead fish everywhere. And they have another wall of just individual little glass cups that's also pretty sad. And sometimes they put an unfortunate fish into one of those tiny "betta" tanks, to show off the tank. The problem is it's on a different floor from the rest of the fish, so people don't look there for fish, and it's much colder than their fish floor.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

Anything less than this should be illegal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Boryn8iS68

I understand a cup to go home with, or for shipping, but not for daily living. From my view cups on a rack are purely disgusting regardless of how many water changes they do or don't get, but most contain fish that have become sick.

May it end, one day.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

LittleStar, yes nice set-up indeed, and beautiful fish! 

Here is the aquaponic link: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=674625


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

That's an amazing DIY system you did. How did you come up with that and what are you gong to do with it, grow something? LOL This is nuts! (in a good way)...


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

We bought 5 ghost shrimp. I set up a 5 g control tank with cycled gravel and lots of plants. One shrimp died in transition, 2 went into control tank and 2 into npt. So far so good. It's fun to watch them in the npt, they are active and munching on whatever soil they can find!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Man down in npt. :-( The other shrimp is fine, active and everything. Ammonia and nitrite is 0.

In control tank both guys molted and seem to be ok. The tank decided to cycle, ammonia is almost at 1. Not much of a control, but hey Prime is working great!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Npt - the remaining guy molted! 

Control tank is laughable. Ammonia = 1.5, Nitrite = 0.75. I wonder if a snail died in there or something. It's really hard to tell, they blend with the gravel so much. The two shrimps are fine though!


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Keep us updated!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Hey Sadist, thanks for asking! Well, the shrimp is still ticking. I am not sure how much longer he will last. I read that it's hard to keep them past their first molt. He's been trying to molt, I think, I found him bent over double a few times. 

The snail population control seems to have kicked in. I have fed the shrimp a couple of times with a flake of fish food, but I haven't fed the snails. It seems that they are disappearing. I don't see any big ones and their numbers seem to be more reasonable. I haven't seen any ammonia though, so it seems that the tank's ecosystem is able to handle snail die-offs.

So at this point I am just leaving the tank alone. When it needs a top-up, so every couple of weeks I guess, I dip out a cup and top it up with however much it needs. That's it! There are no algae issues and plants are thriving. The water is a little brownish, looks like tannins. I am guessing it's from a few wood chips that were in the soil.

So the bottom line is that I would consider this a fishless success. If you are setting up a shrimp bowl, this is definitely the way to go.

The so-called "control" tank is weird. Last time I checked, ammonia was 0 but nitrites were at 1 or 2, and yet the 2 shrimps are still ok!


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

So how much Prime are you using in the "control" tank?

Great data point. Thanks


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Hallyx, for the 5 gallon tank I put in 10 drops of Prime every time I change the water, so I dose for the whole tank. I've been changing 25% to 50%, and I've been aiming for every 2 days but it doesn't always happen. This time I honestly don't even remember when I changed it last. I am pretty sure I did it on the weekend, so it's been about 4 days. I'll go change it now come to think of it!


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Wow!


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