# Beginner with NPT: Converting 5 gallon to 10 gallon NPT



## Psylk87 (Apr 18, 2012)

I currently have a 5 gallon tank set up it has lots of live plants but is not an NPT tank. I am moving my betta boy into a new 10 gallon so I can use the 5 gallon as a shrimp tank so I have a few questions for those more experienced than me. 

First how do I go about situating the 10 gallon tank? Will my non soil based tank transfer to a soil based tank okay?

What if I dont have quite enough plants? Currently I have Water Sprite, Micro Sward(grassy stuff), Wisteria, Amazon Swords (or so I was told), and two plants I grew from bulbs from walmart. It is enough to fill out my 5 gallon nicely but I think it will be a bit bare in the 10 gallon. Will that be okay?

What is the best way to trim plants (with as little harm as possible) so they dont get too tall in the tank?

Can you do a NPT with a 5 gallon of only shrimp and no fish or is soemthing else a better choice? Also what plants will work best for a npt shrimp tank?

For the 10 gallon do I have to do snails or can I do something like corys instead for algea? 

Also when I go to move to my fish into the 10 gallon can I just used the already cycled water form his tank and then add fresh water? That way it wont have to re cycle?

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. 

I am new to NPT's and honeslty mostly live platned tanks in general and want to do this right. 

_For lighting I have a 10 watt 6500k light. _
_I bought the orange bag of organic miracle grow for soil. _
_Small rock for a cap for the ten gallon and most likely sand for a cap for the shrimp tank._


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

If you haven't already, read over this sticky, it should answer all of your questions-but don't hesitate to ask about what you don't understand.

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=114575

When starting a soil based tank-it is important to start out with enough of the right species of plants.

Since the beneficial bacteria are sticky and adhere to all the surface areas-very little are in the water column itself and using just the water from an established tank doesn't do much for the cycling process. When you add live plants and especially with soil-you will do the silent cycle. As long as you set it up correctly and with enough of the right species of plants-the nitrogen cycle shouldn't be an issue.


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## Psylk87 (Apr 18, 2012)

I have read that printed it out. I plan on moving everything form the current tank to the new tank. Filter, water, plants, gravel(for cap), and other oranaments. These are all comming from the established (5 gallon) tank so I am hoping it will offer minimum stress on everything. 

I am worried I wont have enough plants to start for the 10 gallon tho... Currently I some micro swords, amazon swords, Wisteria, Water sprite, and then two plants that started as bulbs that I am not entirely sure of what they are. Will this be enough to start or do I need more and what should I get? 

Also I cant seem to find an answer if only shrimp (no fish) will be enough to support a 5 gallon NPT? 
And would my Betta, 5 neons, and 4 pygmy cories be okay for the 10 gallon?

I am trying to read everything I can on it but some stuff seems a bit vague.

Any random tips would be much appreciated.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

You will need more stem plants and some floating plants (_see list in the sticky_) and I set my shrimp only and fish NPT's up the same way. Stocking looks good on the 10gal.


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