Streetwise Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 It was low from evaporation. I just top-off. That’s better! 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 ORD 😍 thank you. I was just curious if there as some benefit 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 7:25 PM, Guppysnail said: ORD 😍 thank you. I was just curious if there as some benefit 😁 Because I keep open tanks, I keep my water levels low to prevent jumpers from suiciding on me. I don't use lids because we are in the desert and I don't like bloody noses😅 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 Those are 2.5 gallon no-tech organic soil shrimp tanks next to cold-frosted windows. Neocaridina are so hardy! 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BETTA999 Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 you have beautiful aquariums 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 I dug out most of my sand from my oldest tank. I’ll check again tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how it clears up. The soil is from 2019. My plan is to clear out the checkerboard sand, remove the jungle val, and check the soil depth. Then I will make adjustments, cap with minimal gravel, and replant. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 20, 2022 Share Posted January 20, 2022 That’s some fantastic nerm glitter on your arm. 🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 @Guppysnail, my arm looks like a ginger root with that angle! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 Minimal gravel added. HoB added. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindabee53 Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 How long will it take to clear, or am I missing the point? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 @lindabee53, I am modifying my oldest organic soil tank. I moved all the fish and shrimp, staged the wood in a bucket, and pulled the jungle val. Then I removed about two gallons of sand. Tonight, I smoothed out the soil and added some gravel. I added water and an HoB, to go with the dual sponges. This should help clear up the water, so I can decide where to top-off the gravel. You are absolutely correct that I posted that photo to document how long it would take me to see the substrate! 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 Let me add some background. I setup this tank in 2019, and I had only skimmed the Diana Walstad book. I used a lot of soil, more than recommended. I started with a black sand cap, and then added some white sand for what I thought would be a cool look. It gradually mixed to look like digital camouflage. I added gravel to try to make it look better, but the cap depth just stalled all my plant growth. I had better growth in subsequent tanks, and I have been trying to move from sand to gravel with each newer tank. Why? Gravel allows the mulm to rejoin the soil. If I look at the side-view of some of my other tanks, I can see the layer that sand creates. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 On 1/22/2022 at 12:30 PM, Streetwise said: Let me add some background. I setup this tank in 2019, and I had only skimmed the Diana Walstad book. I used a lot of soil, more than recommended. I started with a black sand cap, and then added some white sand for what I thought would be a cool look. It gradually mixed to look like digital camouflage. I added gravel to try to make it look better, but the cap depth just stalled all my plant growth. I had better growth in subsequent tanks, and I have been trying to move from sand to gravel with each newer tank. Why? Gravel allows the mulm to rejoin the soil. If I look at the side-view of some of my other tanks, I can see the layer that sand creates. Thank you for sharing all of this. Too bad I didn't wait 6 more months to start my 10 gallon Walstad inspired tank, my "white river" and beach front have been thoroughly covered up as the blackworms and Malaysia trumpet snails excavate the gardens to their own liking. Of course, I am definitely *not* having the problem of the cap being too deep🤣😅😏 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 I want to try new shrimp. Maybe Sulawesi, maybe Caridina. I plan to add some Cryptocoryne Lucens, but I welcome other plant ideas. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 @Streetwise any mosses strike your fancy? Besides the fact that mosses keep shrimp really happy with microfauna, most mosses prefer the subdued lighting in a darkwater tank. Milfoil has a rather delicate look, and is a cool place for shrimplettes. It does grow fast, even in the lower light. Plan on a good trim each month. Trying to think of other tall, "delicate" looking plants to use as a backdrop to frame and showcase the hardscape, and also grow well with the shrimp's conditions that you want. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 Bolbitis (Bolbitis Heudelotii Difformis) may look cool in there as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 26, 2022 Author Share Posted January 26, 2022 @Torrey, there is some moss on the wood. I would like to try some that is more compact, and doesn’t Velcro with floating plants. @eatyourpeas, tempting! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 On 1/25/2022 at 6:58 PM, Streetwise said: @Torrey, there is some moss on the wood. I would like to try some that is more compact, and doesn’t Velcro with floating plants. @eatyourpeas, tempting! The Fissidens species are better behaved than most mosses and not too “snaggy”. They grow slower and stay much shorter. They are still a risk to scatter like any other moss, but less likely to take over. Hooker’s Moss (Physcometrium hookeri) and it’s relatives like Jade Lotus Moss (Jungermannia truncata) or Distichophyllum ‘Maibarae’ (only name I can find) would also be very cool. All 3 of these are faster growing than Fissidens, get taller, are more substantial, a bit more “grabby”, but still far more controllable than Java, Christmas, anchor, spiky, flame, or their relatives. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 I added water to the 20H. 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenFins Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 @Streetwise your aquariums blow me away everytime. I've tried the walstad method of aquariums for a very short period of time, maybe 2 months after the inahbits died. However during those 2 months I saw plant growth I've never seen before in any of my setups. The 10 gallon I currently have up and running I've considered turning into a 20 Long. The 20 Long I've considered setting up would have to include a deep substrate with soil. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 29, 2022 Author Share Posted January 29, 2022 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now