PattysAquatics

@Streetwise Is there an upside of gravel over sand? thanks on the soil tip. May have to go commercial but will definitely take that into account when choosing

@Hobbitthats a lot of tips , I appreciate it. I know there are so many different ways to do this style of tank so it’s good to hear others experiences. I’m hoping a 20 long will allow me to go filterless but can always get a nano sponge filter if I need to. And don’t want to introduce MTS to this tank but they are in all my tanks and find there way eventually. Fertilizer wise I guess I was going to see how I did the soil and take it from there. @Streetwise i looked at your thread with your tanks and think they are awesome. I was going to use the black blasting sand to cap the soil, how much do you suggest to cap it? and what type of soil do you use?

@Seattle_Aquarist Thanks for the help,I appreciate it. It was frustrating because everything was going so good and boom. This forum and all the experience is an incredible tool to learn more of this hobby or lifestyle 😁. I love it.

So to start I am in the research part of wanting to start a Walstad method tank. And anyone with experience in these type of tanks I would love any experienced tips or advice. From what Im reading and watching on YouTube some say just simple soil can lose it’s nutrients in around a year and seen a YouTube video where someone added a lot of different supplements to the soil for it to last for years. So Im leaning towards that but any advice is appreciated. Also I would like to try the no filter part. Anyone try this with fish and not have issues? I plan on doing this in a 20long and stocking with different crypts and root plants and having shrimp and some kind of fish but don’t know what yet. Just know if im not using a filter it should be under stocked. Also question about snails… are Malaysian trumpet snails a bad idea with these tanks? Seeing as how they live in the substrate and could release dirt into the water column? I have them in all my tanks (it’s a love hate relationship lol) they always seem to get in all my tanks. Like I said before any experienced advice or tips are greatly appreciated

I think it’s on the right path now so to speak. Lol I started adding the Easy Iron and upped my light intensity but I think the combo of the 2 was too much because I started getting algae starting on my plants. So I cut the intensity back to my normal point. I also hadn’t added root tabs to the Dwarf sag or Val themselves ever so I got some from the CoOp and put them all through those plants . Now I’m still adding iron but not a full dose just a few pumps a week and things seem to start looking better. All the yellow leaves are dying off and don’t see any new ones starting and new growth looks normal.

The top pump part broke off. I have it loose on top so I can pump it out but it doesn’t pump the accurate amount

Anyone know if the CoOp sells replacement pumps for the easy green? Mine broke on the last 2 bottles and have them on there but are not squirting out the correct dosage. I have a bottle of Easy Iron I rarely use but not sure if I should swap them out.

I just took this. I would say PH is 7.0-7.2

I have easy iron but don’t use it. I could try that.

So I have a bunch of dwarf sag and some Val mixed in growing for around a year now and had been awesome but just noticed a lot of it is starting to turn yellow. I don’t know if this is a nitrogen deficiency or something else. I have a 75 gallon and I use easy green fertilizer with 8 pumps on Saturdays and 4 on Wednesdays . Usually do water changes every other week and nitrates are around 50 according to the Coop test strips when I check before water changes. I also have the fluval plant light and the lights are on 10 hours a day that ramp up to a max of 80%. Any ideas or suggestions? Ps best pictures I could get at the time just finished a water change so there is a lot of air bubbles

Sweet thank you

Question, I have a tank with an apisto pair that the heater may be going so I put my old spare on and that one I don’t think is turning off. I have a tank with just cherry shrimp do they need a heater in a heated house? I think without a heater the water temp would be in the high 60’s. If so I can put that one on the apisto tank till I can get another

I’ve never removed them. Most stay one but some will come off I’m assuming if they rub against something when moving around

Yeah mine lay them all over my other snails. Other nerites, mystery snails when I had them, and rabbit snails .

They were at the surface two weeks ago but trimmed them down a bit. This flower bud is at the surface I just brought it down to get a better picture. And yes I will definitely post a pic if they flower.

This hair like algae popped up in my pea puffer tank about a week ago and has started taking off. Anyone know what type it is ?

When I was feeding my fish tonight I noticed these stem like things with what look like buds on them intertwined with my dwarf sag. I thought maybe it was a stray root from pothos on the back of the tank but after further investigation it goes down to the base of the plant and there are a few of them. Anyone have any idea what it is? Does this plant flower?

I got 7 pea puffers in a 29 gallon and was curious on peoples opinion on sexing of a few. The picture with the one in is the tank boss so thinking male and the other picture I’m thinking are female but not sure.

Parameters are good, 0 nitrites and ammonia and around 10 nitrates. She seems to eat fine and no I haven’t.

Not sure if it’s bloat or what but my female Congo tetra in my community tank has gotten BIG. Only one in the tank like this. Any ideas?

20 high and not sure on age definitely sub adult

I got a pair of young Apistogramma Hongsloi reds shipped yesterday and have noticed the female chases the male around a lot. Is this normal behavior? I don’t think it’s a breeding thing yet since I just got them but not sure. It doesn’t seem to actually nip at him just chase. Any ideas?

Anyone know what kind of snail this is?

I’m going to be setting up a 20 gallon and need some ideas of what to stock it with. I already have a community, swordtail, guppy and pea puffer tanks and don’t know what to stock it with. Please help

So I had 5 Cory’s I got 2 years ago I put in a planted 75 gallon tank about 8 months ago and now 3 are missing. The tank is pretty heavily planted in the back but can still see for the most part everything. And only 2 come out when I feed the tank. What the heck happened to them? Now I have all small tetras to Congo tetras and Bosemani Rainbows so they didn’t eat them. Only logical thing I can think of is they died and my colony of Malaysian trumpet snails ate them but you would think I would have seen some carcass at some point. I’m perplexed at this