Post by kazzy on Jan 5, 2011 23:34:10 GMT -6
Well, after reading several different methods of creating a self sustaining environment in a tank I think I've got a plan for mine. Here goes:
Since this will be trial and error I've decided to do it in a small (10g) tank just so it's easier to remove everything and start again should something go wrong. So here's my 'ingredients' list:
10 Gallon Tank
Soil (probably clay then some organic potting soil)
Bucket
Sand (gravel works too)
Fast growing plants (will add slow growers later mainly so I can get the plants rooting faster through the soil to help with any bubbles forming)
Peat moss
Spray Bottle
Glass top
Lighting (of course)
Heater (off course)
Water (well, duh...) from one of my established tanks
Bunch of blood worms and MTS
So, here's what I'm basically going to do. I'm going to collect some clay soil (which I know we have plenty here. also, clay is nutrient rich but releases nutrients slowly) and put it in a bucket after breaking it up and pulling out rocks and such. Fill the bucket with water just to the surface of the soil, stir, and then remove any plant matter, etc. that floats to the top. Let dry, then do it all over again.
Meanwhile I'll have the tank all cleaned and purdy while soaking some peat moss. Once the the peat moss has soaked up a good amount of water I'll place it on the bottom of the tank with a small amount of water from one of my established tanks(just to keep the moss wet). Once the clay has dried out again I'll put a very thin layer (just an inch) over the moss and then add a very thin layer of the organic potting soil (just an inch, maybe less). Add more water (again, from one of my established tanks) VERY slowly (place plate into tank and pour what over that) and just so it covers the soil.
Now that the first few layers of the substrate are in I'll add my blood worms and wait for them so burrow into the soil (just FYI, these will be replenished every so often if they don't manage to breed on their own, and they will be food to anything that catches them as well as help keep any pockets of anaerobic bacteria from forming as they will 'stir' the soil).
After the blood worms have all borrowed I'll add an inch of sand, again adding water just the cover the sand. Now I plant my fast rooting plants, as well as add any decor I don't plan on attaching other plants to (they will be added later). I'll spray the edges of the tank with dechlorinated water and place the glass lid on and the lights.
I'll let this sit like this for probably a week or two (depending on how the plants are rooting), continuing to spray the inside of the tank to keep it nice and humid.
Once the roots have grown decently and everything looks nice and healthy I'll add my slow growing plants, rest of the decor, and fill the rest of the water up and add the heater and MTS. For about another week I'll just keep track of the parameters and add a tiny bit of fish food to the tank every other day (by tiny I mean like maybe 1 flake, or 1 pellet).
Once the parameters look good and everything seems to be staying consistent I'll add either 1 fish or 1 shrimp (depending on what I plan to keep in it, which will probably just be shrimp). I will continue to only feed a tiny tiny bit
every other day and continue to test the water. If everything still looks consistent for a week I'll add about 4-5 more shrimp/fish (again, depending), feed a little bit more, and watch for another week.
If everything continues to look good for that week I'll begin to gradually add more shrimp/fish and up the food (GRADUALLY!) until I feel that it is fully stocked.
I won't be doing any water changes on this, and won't run a filter. All I'll have to do is prune the plants, feed everyone (not the plants, don't plan on using fertilizers), and top off the water.
Since it will be heavily planted, the plants will be able to take care of the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. And since the tank will be heavily stocked the livestock will be able to feed the plants. I'll just have to very closely monitor how much the plants need from the livestock, what the can take from the water, and what they can add. Same goes for the livestock.
Once I can get this set up I'll post here how everything is going, including daily param readings and probably pictures to show the 'step by step'. Let me know what you think of this!
P.S. - This idea came from two separate planted tank models by two different people on two different message forums for fish. I just combined them in a way and added a few things from myself (like using the water from established tank).
Since this will be trial and error I've decided to do it in a small (10g) tank just so it's easier to remove everything and start again should something go wrong. So here's my 'ingredients' list:
10 Gallon Tank
Soil (probably clay then some organic potting soil)
Bucket
Sand (gravel works too)
Fast growing plants (will add slow growers later mainly so I can get the plants rooting faster through the soil to help with any bubbles forming)
Peat moss
Spray Bottle
Glass top
Lighting (of course)
Heater (off course)
Water (well, duh...) from one of my established tanks
Bunch of blood worms and MTS
So, here's what I'm basically going to do. I'm going to collect some clay soil (which I know we have plenty here. also, clay is nutrient rich but releases nutrients slowly) and put it in a bucket after breaking it up and pulling out rocks and such. Fill the bucket with water just to the surface of the soil, stir, and then remove any plant matter, etc. that floats to the top. Let dry, then do it all over again.
Meanwhile I'll have the tank all cleaned and purdy while soaking some peat moss. Once the the peat moss has soaked up a good amount of water I'll place it on the bottom of the tank with a small amount of water from one of my established tanks(just to keep the moss wet). Once the clay has dried out again I'll put a very thin layer (just an inch) over the moss and then add a very thin layer of the organic potting soil (just an inch, maybe less). Add more water (again, from one of my established tanks) VERY slowly (place plate into tank and pour what over that) and just so it covers the soil.
Now that the first few layers of the substrate are in I'll add my blood worms and wait for them so burrow into the soil (just FYI, these will be replenished every so often if they don't manage to breed on their own, and they will be food to anything that catches them as well as help keep any pockets of anaerobic bacteria from forming as they will 'stir' the soil).
After the blood worms have all borrowed I'll add an inch of sand, again adding water just the cover the sand. Now I plant my fast rooting plants, as well as add any decor I don't plan on attaching other plants to (they will be added later). I'll spray the edges of the tank with dechlorinated water and place the glass lid on and the lights.
I'll let this sit like this for probably a week or two (depending on how the plants are rooting), continuing to spray the inside of the tank to keep it nice and humid.
Once the roots have grown decently and everything looks nice and healthy I'll add my slow growing plants, rest of the decor, and fill the rest of the water up and add the heater and MTS. For about another week I'll just keep track of the parameters and add a tiny bit of fish food to the tank every other day (by tiny I mean like maybe 1 flake, or 1 pellet).
Once the parameters look good and everything seems to be staying consistent I'll add either 1 fish or 1 shrimp (depending on what I plan to keep in it, which will probably just be shrimp). I will continue to only feed a tiny tiny bit
every other day and continue to test the water. If everything still looks consistent for a week I'll add about 4-5 more shrimp/fish (again, depending), feed a little bit more, and watch for another week.
If everything continues to look good for that week I'll begin to gradually add more shrimp/fish and up the food (GRADUALLY!) until I feel that it is fully stocked.
I won't be doing any water changes on this, and won't run a filter. All I'll have to do is prune the plants, feed everyone (not the plants, don't plan on using fertilizers), and top off the water.
Since it will be heavily planted, the plants will be able to take care of the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. And since the tank will be heavily stocked the livestock will be able to feed the plants. I'll just have to very closely monitor how much the plants need from the livestock, what the can take from the water, and what they can add. Same goes for the livestock.
Once I can get this set up I'll post here how everything is going, including daily param readings and probably pictures to show the 'step by step'. Let me know what you think of this!
P.S. - This idea came from two separate planted tank models by two different people on two different message forums for fish. I just combined them in a way and added a few things from myself (like using the water from established tank).
