Starting a 20g NPT

[oheresy]

In the next few months I'll be starting a NPT. I plan on using miracle grow organic soil and Seachem flourite. I'd like some suggestions for plants and lighting. I'd like to use no more than 1.5 watts per gallon. I do plan on light dry fert dosing but no co2 injection.

This will end up being an RCS tank. I'd like to have a carpet plant. What are good low light hardy plants that can be used as carpets? I'd like to grow the carpet out emersed at first then go submersed.

Also, what other low light plants would you suggest for a tank of this size?

I also plan on using a fluval 205 which I will be adding to my 26g bow front tank to seed.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[DaBub]

What is NPT?

Doesn't Miricle grow have ammonia?

 

[Brian20]

NPT is Natural planted tank from "El Natural" style.








the idea is cool, I suggest for lighting spiral bulbs 6500k (Daylight) they comes in diferents watts and lumens. The ammonia not is a problem for plants (they eats it) and you going to do dry start so it will be good for some mineralising. I reccomend easy plants, sagitarias, egeria densa, vallisneria, moss, anubias, ferns, Echinodorus, etc. to make a carpet with low light maybe with Marsilea minuta. Its so low light that I cant help you alot with making a carpet in this low lighting.

 

[Philosophos]

NPT = Natural Planted Tank

Miracle Gro organic choice potting mix probably has some NH4 to it, but ADA AS does too for that matter. It's a popular substrate for NPT's.

If you want a good plant for simple carpeting, there's a few options. Glosso is popular, some kinds of marsillea such as minuta or quadrifolia, staurogyne is touchy to move but seems fairly undemanding otherwise and mats of moss attached to mesh also work.

In a 20 gal low tech you can throw in plenty of plants. If you're just starting, you'll want to keep it to the simplest of them. Aquatic plant central has a plant database that labels a pile of beginner level plants, and the Tropica catalog is also a good read through. Just remember that simple doesn't have to mean going with the absolute most common plants; there are some nice, less common and undemanding plants if you look for them.

-Philosophos

 

[Tug]

Also, what other low light plants would you suggest for a tank of this size?

Hi oheresy,
Maybe some Monosolenium tenerum.
You might find AQUAPAGE.eu - Aquarium plants - has a nice plant data base as well. They also have an interesting calculator based on luminaries that's an interesting idea.

 

[Biollante]

Experience?

Hi,

How much experience do you have?

How much Time do you want to put into the tank?

How exotic do you want to go?

I am a nosy kind of evil plant monster, what I am trying to ask is what do you want? What do you imagine?

I happen to know DaBub has a rather exotic NPT, not to mention beautiful, though I think she refers to it as low-tech.

Biollante

 

[oheresy]

I have a 26g bow front high tech. I've been running it with a medium amount of success. It has a string algae problem right now that I'm starting to get a handle on.

For this new 20g however, I'm looking for low maintenance as it will be in my bedroom. I have pressurized co2 on the other tank, but don't want it on this new one. I want it to look really nice. I'll research the plants mentioned above to see what I'd like.

 

[oheresy]

If I want to go with 1.5 watts per gallon, am I correct in thinking 13 watts total is what I would need? Or if I went 2 watts per gallon, 40 watts total?

Also, can anyone recommend a good cfl hood/fixture?

 

[oheresy]

I have a Single GLO Life-Glo T5 HO 24W 6700K laying around. Would that be a good light for this 20g NPT?

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

I think the light will be fine. You can always replace it if you want.

If it were me, I would try it and see how it goes....

 

[oheresy]

I'm also planning on having some sort of floating plant in this tank. I have duckweed in my 26g high tech tank, but it grows super fast, I don't want to deal with it.

I was thinking about red root floaters (Phyllanthus fluitans). Will this be ok with the low amount of light?

 

[Biollante]

Bunch O Plants

I'm also planning on having some sort of floating plant in this tank. I have duckweed in my 26g high tech tank, but it grows super fast, I don't want to deal with it.

I was thinking about red root floaters (Phyllanthus fluitans). Will this be ok with the low amount of light?

Hi,

Phyllanthus fluitans is definitely a wonderful plant; I think more open water than a 20-gallon tank and most certainly high light.

Unless you are just looking for a challenge or are picky about authenticity, something that is different and easy is Rotala rotundifolia.

Just let them float or tie them off where you wish, as they grow little shoots will start upward and dangly little roots will develop; become great hiding places for babies and such. They are quite easy to control and are generally cheap.

There are all kinds of combinations and possibilities.

Biollante