# How I start a NPT



## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

The first step is gathering up the stuff you need,mainly organic soil, I use miracle grow organic gardening soil, it's about 5 dollars a bag, and of course you will need to decide on what to use as a cap to hold down the soil. You can use playsand/poolfilter sand, or quickcrete has a sand that is pretty course, you will need to wash it to get the fine silt out or spend a few hours filling and draining the tank. (to wash it you basically put it in a bucket put a hose down in the bottom of the sand turn it on and let it run till the water comes out clear, the playsand or poolfilter sand you won't need too.

When you got those things ready you still need to plan out the layout of the tank, decide on a center piece and what type(s) of hardscapes you will use like rocks/driftwood/ornaments and the like.when doing the soil you need to keep in mind that you want it to slope up towards the back of the tank and have a flatspot in the front and center.








You really can't see so well in the pic but the soil is slightly higher in the back and around the edges the soil should be around 2 inches in the thinnest areas and go to up to 3 in the thicker areas, you don't need to break out a ruler it does not need to be precise. you should lightly pack it down, the miracle grow soil is full of organic stuff that will decompose and feed the plants.








This is a step I add, in a betta tank it is not really required, This tank will not be for bettas, it will have a variety of fish and some are known for digging to prevent this I use craft cloth, the stuff we all use for our DIY tank dividers.







I put a thin thin layer of the playsand over the craft cloth to act as a filter to keep the soil down where I want it to stay it is maybe 1/8 or 1/4 inch thick or so again you do not need to be precise.







Now it's time to add the gravel you just put about an inch or so or gravel in this gravel seems to be giving the illusion of being thinner than it is but you just maintain the slope of the soil/sand and you are good to go.







Water added notice it's crystal clear I put in a plant and some of my hardscape used filter media out of other tanks did my water conditioner to get this tanks cycle started Will add plants and the rest of hard scape in about a week as well as the fish that will call this 46 gal bowfront home will add pics of that process........if it wasn't for the tiny bubbles on the glass you would think it was empty. It took us about 35 minutes or so to get this done.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Shouldn't you plant it before you flood?


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## blu the betta (Dec 31, 2012)

i need to try this!!!


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Isn't the mesh going to make it harder for roots to grow?
Also, I agree with aokashi about planting before you fill it all the way up.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

Don't need to plant before I fill with the cap being mostly gravel there will be no kicking up dust, and I do not mind getting my arm wet and if you really want you can always take some water out, I put in more plants than you see in that pic, I wanted to get the cycle going more than anything else and I am still planning out my live stock and have a few pieces of hardscape to buy and a few kinds of plants I need to buy for all of my tanks, trying to get it all done with one trip, I live 30 miles from petco/petsmart and all the good pet stores to buy stuff so it's not like running around the corner


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

OrangeAugust said:


> Isn't the mesh going to make it harder for roots to grow?
> Also, I agree with aokashi about planting before you fill it all the way up.


No the root will grow through it and around it and help them anchor themselves down, if you have fish types that like to dig this is the best way I have found to keep them out of the soil and keep the plants planted


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

Ok now it's time for the pics of the tank stocked and planted








There is a Male king betta in there and no I don't really want to go through the fish list of what is in there, guppies, mollys, barney the 7 inch pleco, 3 kinds of rainbow fish, and some albino corys lol








This tank is on my bedroom it's what I watch when I can't sleep great stress reliever.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Your betta is extremely beautiful, but your tank does seem a tad overstocked.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

Bombalurina said:


> Your betta is extremely beautiful, but your tank does seem a tad overstocked.


I am probably right on the edge as far as stocking is concerned, the plants will help.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Nice fish...
the aluminium plants are non aquatic...


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

aokashi said:


> Nice fish...
> the aluminium plants are non aquatic...


Blah that is the second variegated plant I have bought that was sold as an aquarium plant, and sadly isn't one.......I would love to find one to add some color like this.I had a feeling it was not an aquatic plant but yeah I want something that looks like this, I guess I will have some more house plants.....again.....


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Variegation is kinda rate in aquatic plants, always be scrptical if you see a variegated plant being sold as aquatic...
The only variegated aq plant I know of is lindernia rotundifolia and a variegated water wisteria. the variegation in the water wisteria is caused by a virus, lol.


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...CD27364-4764-0000045AC5CEDF87_zpsb5e6aa95.jpg


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

I will see if I can get some of that it is interesting enough looking, leaves kind of look like little watermelons.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

it's a small plant though ^_^


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