# New (and first) NPT!



## Tonksy (Apr 6, 2013)

About three weeks ago now I started my first NPT 
The scape is awful I know. xD

I have Moneywort (bacopa), Anubias Nana, and Amazon sword.
I wanted duckweed, but my LPS didn't carry any.

I'd been planning a NPT for about 2 months and finally just went and got the stuff. The substrate is an iron-enriched gravel/soil I found at petsmart capped with some extra gravel I had lying around instead of sand. It's actually working pretty well, I was a bit skeptical of it.

So far, the Moneywort and Anubias are doing great, the Anubias was secured to larger rocks and sunk to the bottom (I plan on rescaping once I find a good piece of driftwood.) and the Moneywort is half planted/half floating. The Amazon sword was planted at the back. It's all grown quite a bit since the picture! 

As of right now this is a guppy tank (two of the little buggers live in there right now) I'm hoping to add a few more guppies or switch them out with a [new] Betta. 
(My betta, Pongo, lives with guppies and loves them, so he wouldn't mind a couple more in his house. ;P)



The only problem I'm having is with the Amazon sword. One of the plants' (the middle one's) leaves are starting to brown. Is it just the plant doing the usual "die off and come back" as it grows accustomed to the water or something else?


----------



## Agility4fun (Nov 16, 2012)

Looking good!!


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

^_^ you might want more stem plants~
but it's looking good~ id the substrate leeching tannins?

if the lighting's orange you will need to look for a 6500k bulb


----------



## Tonksy (Apr 6, 2013)

aokashi said:


> ^_^ you might want more stem plants~
> but it's looking good~ id the substrate leeching tannins?
> 
> if the lighting's orange you will need to look for a 6500k bulb


I've been looking into more plants. It's just hard since the stores around here don't sell too many (or healthy ones.) Any that you would suggest? I may have to order some online... [and I really want some duckweed]

The substrate is doing fine, the water is all crystal clear now and at the right parameters.  The guppies are loving it.


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

how is that light?


----------



## Tonksy (Apr 6, 2013)

aokashi said:


> how is that light?


The plants seem to do well with it, but it is the generic light found in this tank set: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11459461&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

I'm thinking about replacing it with an Aqueon 50/50 Flourescent.


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

i dont think the plants will grow with the current bulb ^_^
if it's one of those screw in bulbs you can easily grab a 6500k one from home depot or something


----------



## Tonksy (Apr 6, 2013)

aokashi said:


> i dont think the plants will grow with the current bulb ^_^
> if it's one of those screw in bulbs you can easily grab a 6500k one from home depot or something


I've seen some pretty good plant growth, actually. My bacopa's gotten taller and the Anubias' stems have gotten a bit longer (I think there's even a new shoot forming.) 
The amazon sword is suffering though, it's started browning. :-?


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

yeah.. plants need blue light to grow, red light to flower.... so the conditions right no is not optimum^_^
especially since ur running a NPT.... technically the sword should be flourishing with a soil subtrate. it's kind of odd if it's not doing well...
with incorrect lighting, u'll also get unwanted algae.....


----------



## Tonksy (Apr 6, 2013)

aokashi said:


> yeah.. plants need blue light to grow, red light to flower.... so the conditions right no is not optimum^_^
> especially since ur running a NPT.... technically the sword should be flourishing with a soil subtrate. it's kind of odd if it's not doing well...
> with incorrect lighting, u'll also get unwanted algae.....


It's just the sword in the middle that is browning. The other two are doing just fine and have grown taller.
I already planned on replacing my lighting.


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

ok 

be sure to test your nitrates !


----------



## Tonksy (Apr 6, 2013)

aokashi said:


> ok
> 
> be sure to test your nitrates !


I'm going to petsmart today to grab new strips (apparently someone was funny and put water in the container so all of them are ruined! :| )

Do you think the filter could have something to do with it? I baffled the filter and the current hits that one amazon sword plant.


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I have no idea XD there could be so many factors right now~ I would recommend the liquid test as that will last many time longer than test strips.
good luck and happy plant keeping ^_^


----------

