# Old Newbie's NPT Journal



## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Well, I thought it's about time I start a journal as my experience with NPTs is getting under way. As I read a few of the journals I began to feel very, very old! I bet I have OldFishLady beat by a mile... but she's an expert and I know nothing... but what the heck. I can be the grandmother of the group and you're only as young as you feel, right? 

Last night I was very discouraged... for one think I over did it as usual and bit off more than I can chew! Instead of doing 1 tank I'm doing at least 3 and have ordered wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too many plants. I guess I didn't understand how they came and have enough to plant Sea Land! Anyway I started with a 10 gal. last night... was having a hard time... ripped out the plants threw them in a bucket and had decided to cut my loses and take everything back!!! Grrrrr! I was in a foul mood! Had a good night sleep, felt better, and watched some vids on YouTube and reread OFL's sticky. I have so many healthy, beautiful plants so I've decided to try a few of the smaller tanks. Was again a bit discouraged this evening when I realized I had wayyyyyyyyyy too much sand cap, but I regrouped and fixed the situation... I think! Tonight the tanks are filled with water and are pretty clear. Will drain and refill tomorrow and then plant. Must remember to set the heaters and filters first though.

Until then...


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Once you get one going and plants thriving-you will find your way and tweak them as you go. I have found with my soil based tanks-that each one can be different-Even with identical setups side-by-side-sometimes one species of plants just won't do well-but another will. I have used all kinds of different soils and caps of different types of sands, gravel and at different levels and have started them differently all together and haven't been able to tell that much difference regarding plant growth per se.

The more you setup and gain experience you will find that these systems are not all that difficult. Its not really an exact science in some regards...

One thing you will find....once you get one going, you will want or need to setup more tanks due to the massive plant growth or at least that is what happened to me...lol.....

Look forward to seeing pics and hearing more about your soil based tanks....Don't get discouraged.....


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

I'm trying very hard not to get discouraged... another stumbling block today. Was already to go with my 2.5 tanks. Heaters fine, but with the substrate the filter doesn't fit. I bought the TOM Mini Elite and it's too long! Wondering if I need a filter for the 2.5? Anyway tomorrow I will concentrate on the 5.5 and perhaps take the 2 - 2.5 tanks back to Petco. Hope the shrimp and plants hang on...


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

You will get the hang of it! Just take a deep breath, walk away for a bit, and come back to it later.
I wanted to try an NPT too, (and ordered wayyyyyyyy too many plants like you did too!) decided I'd do my 26 first and then decided I'd try the 10, but things have gotten pretty hectic for me the past couple of weeks so it's on hold till after christmas. For now all the plants I can fit are planted into gravel and the rest are floating in an unused tank.
Goodluck!!


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Thanks aemaki09! Makes me feel so much better to know I'm not alone!  Many of the plants are floating in a 5.5g and the others floating in asst' buckets all over the place! lol! Do you add any ferts to them? I keep rotating my lights so they get at least a little added light. Thanks again... I needed the encouragement! Good luck to you too! :wink:


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Yeah so far I've been using seachem flourish once a week. 
I've got some bad algea problems right now though so I've got to either cut that or the light. 

I would love for you to keep this thread updated as your tank comes a long! I think it'd be really helpful to see what you as a beginner go through so that I know what to expect/avoid when I do mine after christmas. Seems like just about everyone else on here that has any type of NPT thread seems to be pretty experienced with them.


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

I'll be happy to unless I totally give up... I'm not a quitter though, so I plan on hangin' in there. Tonight I bought a water test kit at Petco... decided I'd try it out on one of my Betta temp tanks. Broke a test tube trying to get the top off and cut my finger! Sheeesh! I have zero aquarium experience and am a bit OCD.:lol: I know if anyone were to ask me right now for any tips I would suggest *ONE* 5.5 gallon (at least a filter will fit!), 1" - 1.25" dirt, 3/4" cap. *1* bunch of Cabomba, *1* bunch Ludwigia Repens, *1* bunch Hygrophila deformis, *1* bronze cryptocoryne, *3* sags* OR* 3 chain sword, *1* Dwarf Red Lily, some duckweed, some frogbit, 10 red cherry shrimp, and try to get some MTS from your LFS (mine sells a dozen for a $1.) Not the 3 bunches of this, 3 bunches of that, etc., etc., etc! LOL I have some beautiful asst' red Amazon swords... they're gorgeous, but they are huge... I had no idea!!! 

Well, anyway I hope to get the 5.5 planted tomorrow. If I'm successful I may even post some pics!


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Goodluck
Looking forward to pictures!


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I don't use filters in my soil based tanks 10gal and under-sometime I will add a filter for a few weeks to a month when I first start them up. 

I just setup a 10gal 2-3 weeks ago without a filter and so far it is fine. The young Bettas I put in it grew so fast I removed them and replaced them with some 3 week old Betta fry and they are doing just fine too. The RCS and young BN pleco are also fine and the plants thriving....No filter used....

I think the 2.5gal will be fine without a filter.


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

That is great news! Happy to hear that. 
Thanks Again!


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Today I set-up one of the 2.5 gal. tanks! Yay!!! The water is pretty clear. Sure will be glad when it fills in a bit. Patience right?  I did 2 water changes... will do 1 more tomorrow, then move it to it's permanent spot, refill, turn on the heater and light. Then on Friday add the shrimp and some snails. From what I've been reading I'm afraid the Betta will eat the shrimp, they're really small so I'll make this a shrimp tank. I'll be planting another one tomorrow and this will be for one of my beautiful Bettas. Will try to get some Amano shrimp from the LFS... they seem to be larger. Anyway... here's a pic. Hopefully enough plants. I planted several stems of:

Cabomba caroliana 
Ludwigia repens
Heteranthera "stargrass"
Rotala indicia
2 Pennywort
1 Sagittaria Subulata (I think) 
1 Red Dwarf Lily
1 Hygrophila pinnatifida

Once I refill tomorrow I'll add duckweed and frogbit... maybe some water lettuce. I've got it all! LOL!!! Any constructive critism and advice is welcome!


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Nice job!
It looks great, it will fill in before you know it!

When I first got my Red Cherry shrimp and the yellow color morph-I setup 2 different shrimp tanks and once they reproduced and thriving-I started to add some to the other tanks. I started with a dozen maybe 5-7 years ago and now I have hundreds-not counting the hundreds I have sold. They reproduce pretty fast and if you have really good cover-especially moss-more will survive when kept with fish.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

That looks great! Nice job!!


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Thank you both so much! It was fun! One problem this evening. I went to check on the tank and it seemed quite warm... like a sauna. I was using a 12" reptile hood with a CFL 6500K, but it covers the entire top and I think it was holding in too much heat so I took it off and am now using a clamp on gooseneck. Not aesthetically pleasing, but it will have to do for now.

I am really enjoying the shrimp... they are fun to watch. I have one pretty good sized female so hopefully babies soon. There are a few that are teeny tiny as well... and my plant holding tank has become a nursery... I think I see several minuscule MTS!!! 

Hope to get a 5.5 planted soon!

Thanks again!:wave:


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Very nice tank!


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Thanks DQ... appreciate you stopping by!

Here's an update on the tank... doing pretty well! Definitely new growth... more than I realized when I compare the 2 tank pics. Red Cherry Shrimp are doing great! I have quite a range in sizes and both females and males. Wonder when I'll have babies? As far as I can tell the larger females aren't carrying any eggs yet. This has been a fun experience... extra plants are hanging in there. One thing with the 2.5 gal. is, it is small! Trying to get in there and clean up is not easy now that the plants are growing. I can't imagine trying to fit a Betta in there. Not much room to swim! Need to get the 5 gal and 10 gal tanks planted and add the Bettas to those.


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

P.S. Forgot to mention that the Hygrophila Pinnatifida seemed to rot off at the substrate... don't know if it will come back or if that's it. I really like that plant, but that's been the only fatality. The Dwarf Red Lily seems to be doing well with lots of new leaves. Can't really see it, but it's there in the front towards the left.


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Learned a lot this evening from YouTube. Found out that my RCS pictured above had a "saddle". That same shrimp does have eggs and is actually laboring and having babies as I type! Just think... little Christmas shrimplets!:-D Several other of the females have saddles too although they're quite a bit smaller... hmmm

One thing about my Red Cherry Shrimp... from what I've read if I add them to my NPT Betta tanks they might become a snack. Don't think I can do that now... I've become quite attached to them. Wonder if just MTS are enough. Just finished planting a 5.5 gal. tonight and I think I really like it. I'll post pics in a few days.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

If you have a lot of cover for the shrimp..like moss-some of the offspring will survive, however, those tiny shrimplets are enjoyed by Betta....In my tanks-even with adult Betta-I will still have a pretty good RCS population, however, I do keep a couple of shrimp only tanks too-but I do sometimes use them for a few small/young Betta and it has never seemed to hurt the population.

Look forward to more pics....


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