Getting back into planted tanks!!!

[Manu8__too]

So I'm about to get started tearing this tank down so I can clean it up, and get started on mineralizing some topsoil for it. I'll move the filter onto my 45 gallon long to keep the bacteria alive in it, it'll be set back up in 2 weeks because minerlizing topsoil takes some time...

I'll get started on the first soak of the topsoil today, let it sit over night, drain the water and soak it again over night, then lay it out to dry and repeat this process 3 more times then do the same for the next half of the topsoil. I want a 3" depth of minerlized topsoil capped with 1/2" of Flourite natural plant substrate.

I have a few different pieces of driftwood I want to see how each of them look in the tank, then I'll make my final selection of the best looking piece for the tank. So off we got to start draining the tank....

>_<

Looking forward to seeing it! However, my understanding is that if you use a quality soil (i.e. Organic Choice Miracle Grow), there is no need to soak the soil prior to capping it and/or filling the tank up with water. It should also be heavy in mineral content straight from the bag. To save money, you could always cap the soil with PFS (2-3"). You should use Manzanita branches as your primary wood source. I always see people selling pre-treated pieces on EBAY that are stunning. I will definitely be using in my next tank. Keep us posted!

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

The thing with using miracle gro organic choice, or with any "dirted" tanks is that if you add the dirt directly to the tank and cap it then it takes time to break down and release the nutrients into the water; Whereas with mineralized topsoil by soaking and drying repeatedly brings out the nutrients to immediately be available to the plants. Thus why you see mineralized topsoil tanks looking lush with healthy plants...

Another thing is adding directly to the tank and capping it you end up with anaerobic gas pockets that can kill your plants and fish, these pockets are the result of Hydrogen Sulfide that occurs when decaying matter is present in the aquarium; Ie the breakdown of the soil and detritus matter, so by mineralizing it through multiple soak and dry sessions eliminates all of the wood, and excess debris from the soil. But it also eliminates the carbon present in the soil so if someones doing a mineralized topsoil tank it's always good to have a some sort of co2 system ready once you fill the tank.

Plus I've always gotten better growth with mineralized topsoil than I have with miracle gro....

 

[Manu8__too]

The thing with using miracle gro organic choice, or with any "dirted" tanks is that if you add the dirt directly to the tank and cap it then it takes time to break down and release the nutrients into the water; Whereas with mineralized topsoil by soaking and drying repeatedly brings out the nutrients to immediately be available to the plants. Thus why you see mineralized topsoil tanks looking lush with healthy plants...

Another thing is adding directly to the tank and capping it you end up with anaerobic gas pockets that can kill your plants and fish, these pockets are the result of Hydrogen Sulfide that occurs when decaying matter is present in the aquarium; Ie the breakdown of the soil and detritus matter, so by mineralizing it through multiple soak and dry sessions eliminates all of the wood, and excess debris from the soil. But it also eliminates the carbon present in the soil so if someones doing a mineralized topsoil tank it's always good to have a some sort of co2 system ready once you fill the tank.

Plus I've always gotten better growth with mineralized topsoil than I have with miracle gro....

Gotcha. I prefer a general substrate myself, but know that a lot of people have success with dirted tanks (especially those who don't run Co2). Would love to see some pics once it's up and running.

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Well today I spent the morning sifting through the dirt/flourite mix in the tank from last time it was planted so it took then entire morning and now I'm beat lol. Hopefully after a good nap, I'll have the energy to clear out the mud from the tank and get it drained. Turns out I have enough flourite (5 gallon bucket 3/4 full / so around 45lbs) that I'll use to set up the tank using just flourite, so no need to mineralize any topsoil now!

Once I finally get the tank drained and cleaned up I can get started on the driftwood for the tank... I have quite a few pieces of driftwood, one that spands the entire bottom of the tank, a couple stump pieces, and then multiple branch pieces; So I'll drain the tank, clean it up, and start laying out the driftwood, and see what looks best inside the tank.

I also have around 2,000 Osmocote+ Root Tabs that I've made over the last 6 months, and still have the following ferts...

2lbs Plantex CSM+B (with added Iron Chelate 13% EDTA - Fe)
1lb Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)
1lb Mono-Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4)
3/4 Bag of Muriate of Potash (substitute for Potassium Sulfate)
1lb Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
3lbs Red Clay Powder (substitute for Iron Fe)

I also have a 30 piece plastic storage container set, so I can measure out my dry ferts and put them in the storage set so I can dose the tank daily with the correct amount of ferts.

Storage set - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036C0RT8/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'll follow Classic EI dosing again...
Mon-Weds-Fri - Macro Nutrients (NPK)
Tues-Thurs-Sat - Micro Nutrients (csm+b etc...)
Sun - 50% water change

I also have around 3,000 Aquarium Plant seeds, I used some of them in a container with only water too see if they started growing, and sure enough they did so I tossed them away but once the tank is set back up I'll do the same thing getting them started in a container of just water and then I'll transplant them into the tank as they grow.

So it'll be a bit of a slow process with everything!!!

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

So I went ahead and decided on the driftwood I want to use, but now I'm thinking of going with a different scape... Kind of like this, how the left side of the tank is planted, and the right side has sand...

But using branches and driftwood like this...

I just need to track down some egg crate.

 

[Manu8__too]

So I went ahead and decided on the driftwood I want to use, but now I'm thinking of going with a different scape... Kind of like this, how the left side of the tank is planted, and the right side has sand...

But using branches and driftwood like this...

I just need to track down some egg crate.

Nice!

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Sorry I haven't been around lately to get the tank drained, and stuff... My mom ended up with severe pneumonia and almost died, so family is more important than a fish tank... But she's doing good, and might be released tomorrow!!!!

So now I can get back to the issue at hand, which is finish draining, cleaning, and setting this tank back up!!!

 

[Manu8__too]

Sorry I haven't been around lately to get the tank drained, and stuff... My mom ended up with severe pneumonia and almost died, so family is more important than a fish tank... But she's doing good, and might be released tomorrow!!!!

So now I can get back to the issue at hand, which is finish draining, cleaning, and setting this tank back up!!!

Glad she's ok. I've had pneumonia twice over the past two years. Not fun at all, and very scary.

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Thanks! She's home now and doing so much better!!!

This weekend I plan to get this tank drained, and cleaned out! Still deciding on the driftwood layout... I may just use the first layout I had planned because it'll be so much easier because I have the pieces in place on some acrylic, whereas if I go with the layout that involves sand then it won't be setup until this spring when I'll be able to driftwood hunting for more pieces to get that look.

So with the first driftwood layout I have everything I need right now to set the tank back up... I'll just go with the first layout, and then in a couple of months once it warms up I can go driftwood hunting for the 2nd layout.

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Well I finally got the tank drained, and "scaped"... It's a basic scape for now until I can go driftwood hunting this spring, and then I plan to go with the scape 2 idea!!! But I need to trim down some of the driftwood pieces because a couple of them are sticking out of the top of the tank, and my glass canopy tops won't close. I know, I know, I could go with an open top planted tank, but here's why that won't happen...

I have multiple sclerosis, and it has left me disabled... So I don't feel like filling up the water line every 3-4 days. I live on the 6th floor of my building so during the day it gets around 80* in my apartment, and so because heat rises I get all of the floors beneath me rising heat. So all of my tanks have glass canopy tops on them to slow down evaporation loss, so I normally fill the water line every week and half or so.

So tomorrow I'll trim down the driftwood so the glass tops close all the way, and I'll clean up the glass in and out of the tank because when I set up the scape the glass is all smudged up.... I went with Flourite natural planted substrate then I screened out of the dirt when I tore down the tank, it's about 3" deep so it should hold down any and all the plants I put in it but I'll be picking up an extra bag of flourite just in case >_<