Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 I have had good success with organic pond soil. I got it from Amazon. Best plant growth I have had and its a really nice mix. I think reusing substrate is never a bad idea. More and more I avoid sand. Next big tank I do (fingers crossed the boss says yes) I am going to do pond soil capped with black diamond medium grade. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted December 28, 2021 Author Share Posted December 28, 2021 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted December 28, 2021 Author Share Posted December 28, 2021 I finally got a couple of photos of one of the earthworms that has been living in this tank for over a year: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 🤯 They can live underwater?? I've always thought they could drown because they come out of the ground outside when it rains too much! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted December 28, 2021 Author Share Posted December 28, 2021 @xXInkedPhoenixX, I had the same assumption. I think that they rise to the surface in clay or sand, but in a rich substrate, decomposition provides oxygen. These worms came with the soil. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 Wow! That’s so impressive! Hmm if I ever try Walstad again, I’ll have to throw an earthworm in there. Maybe it’s like a canary in the coal mine—if you don’t have enough oxygen, it won’t make it! 🤔 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 On 12/27/2021 at 10:11 PM, Hobbit said: Wow! That’s so impressive! Hmm if I ever try Walstad again, I’ll have to throw an earthworm in there. Maybe it’s like a canary in the coal mine—if you don’t have enough oxygen, it won’t make it! 🤔 Red wiggler species is your best bet for earthworm survival in a tank. I used to do a lot of worm composting and someone posted on a worm composting forum (which I can’t find anymore, sadly) that they had used some worm castings in the dirt they used in their tank (Walstad inspired) and they eventually found worms in the tank. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted December 31, 2021 Author Share Posted December 31, 2021 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 They are looking very nice! 😍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkG Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 Cool! I believe decomposing matter consumes oxygen rather than the opposite though? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atitagain Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 On 12/30/2021 at 8:02 PM, Streetwise said: All your plants look like their doing great. Filling in real nice. I also like the two plants in pots on the left side, what kind are those ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 On 12/21/2021 at 3:55 PM, Streetwise said: The Askoll 20 tank soil may still be viable, but sand has choked it out from properly recycling mulm and fish waste. Do you have any Malaysian trumpet snails in your Askoll? (Sorry, I can't remember off the top of my head) The MTS are mixing the sand into the soil in my 10 gallon, and appear to be mixing mulm into the sand (slowly) on the left side of my spouse's tank. Just a thought... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 1, 2022 Author Share Posted January 1, 2022 @Atitagain, those are rubber plants. With their waxy coating, cuttings grow great at the top of an aquarium! @Torrey, that is an interesting idea. I’ve been too busy this week being lazy to tackle it yet. I’m thinking about removing the Jungle Vallisneria, and I want to get my hands in the substrate to really evaluate. This it what it looks like now, with the wood just dropped in to keep it wet: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 I squeezed out three sponges back into the tank yesterday. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillC Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I adore this tank. It's one of my favorites to follow. What size sponge filters are you running? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Your fish have really gained a lot of color in there. They must be happy the squeezed sponge yummies probably help too 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 @WillC, The nanos are my favorites, as they provide flow and hide well. I sometimes use an HoB for fun and flow. @Guppysnail, cheers! I squeezed out the medium pre-filter and the the two AC30 sponges in the SF-500. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 @Guppysnail, the white clouds were my small tub fish in 2020, but they have moved to a better home in my living room. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 On 1/8/2022 at 4:18 PM, Streetwise said: I squeezed out three sponges back into the tank yesterday. This tank looks like a beautiful nasturtium garden with all those great colors!😍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillC Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 @Streetwise I am running 3 mediums on my 40b with the nano usb pumps. I'd love to go lidless but I find the splashback from the air bubbles hits the surface and send water out of the tank. I've been wondering if nanos being 2 inches shorter might help with the discharge problem. I'll have to add one to my next order and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 On 1/8/2022 at 6:18 PM, Streetwise said: I squeezed out three sponges back into the tank yesterday. That staircase compliments this tank so nicely. Or is is the other way around. Anyway, every time I see this tank I like it more. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I am out of reactions for the day, so 🤩🤩🤩 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Those tannins look perfect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 That looks stunning. I hope you don’t mind me asking. Is the water just low from evaporation or is there a benefit to not filling the entire way or just a preference? I always fill mine so I can’t see the water line but I have seen quite a few folks on here with lower water lines. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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