Has anybody tried setting up a tank similar to what is suggested in the book
'Ecology of a Planted Aquarium"? In that book the author recommends using a
layer of top soil covered with small gravel.

I have read the book and tried it with a 37 gallon tank, dirt didn't do it
for me, it smelled and I had troubles, I did a total breakdown and used peat
instead under the gravel with quilting batting over the peat then the
gravel, everything else I followed and seems great now I also have a 46 bow
set up the same way. For plants I have amazon sword, java moss, 2 types of
hygrophielia, sags, oinion plants, moneywort, red lugwiga, water wisteria,
Valis, bulbs of some plants in the water lilly family, willow moss, bacopa
all seem to be doing fine I have to trim once a week.

Kay

Has anybody tried setting up a tank similar to what is suggested in the book
'Ecology of a Planted Aquarium"? In that book the author recommends using a
layer of top soil covered with small gravel.

There's a guy who posts hear named Mike who has some beautiful Walstead-type
tanks. See his page he

http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net/plant/lotech.html

His tanks are gorgeous, and very low-maintenance.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Thanks for this post.. I have been looking for a low-maintainence approach
to setting up a 40 gallon acryllic tank I have. This could be just the
ticket!

LeighMo wrote in message
...
Has anybody tried setting up a tank similar to what is suggested in the
book
'Ecology of a Planted Aquarium"? In that book the author recommends
using a
layer of top soil covered with small gravel.

There's a guy who posts hear named Mike who has some beautiful
Walstead-type
tanks. See his page he

http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net/plant/lotech.html

His tanks are gorgeous, and very low-maintenance.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Kay,

willow moss, what is it?

"Kay" wrote in message
newsf2Q9.563955$NH2.37774@sccrnsc01...
I have read the book and tried it with a 37 gallon tank, dirt didn't do it
for me, it smelled and I had troubles, I did a total breakdown and used
peat
instead under the gravel with quilting batting over the peat then the
gravel, everything else I followed and seems great now I also have a 46
bow
set up the same way. For plants I have amazon sword, java moss, 2 types of
hygrophielia, sags, oinion plants, moneywort, red lugwiga, water wisteria,
Valis, bulbs of some plants in the water lilly family, willow moss, bacopa
all seem to be doing fine I have to trim once a week.

Kay

I got it from http://www.aquatic-store.com It looks like java moss but
darker.
Kay

"Haywire" wrote in message
able.rogers.com...
Kay,

willow moss, what is it?

"Kay" wrote in message
newsf2Q9.563955$NH2.37774@sccrnsc01...
I have read the book and tried it with a 37 gallon tank, dirt didn't do
it
for me, it smelled and I had troubles, I did a total breakdown and used
peat
instead under the gravel with quilting batting over the peat then the
gravel, everything else I followed and seems great now I also have a 46
bow
set up the same way. For plants I have amazon sword, java moss, 2 types
of
hygrophielia, sags, oinion plants, moneywort, red lugwiga, water
wisteria,
Valis, bulbs of some plants in the water lilly family, willow moss,
bacopa
all seem to be doing fine I have to trim once a week.

Kay

In article of2Q9.563955$NH2.37774@sccrnsc01,
Kay wrote:
I have read the book and tried it with a 37 gallon tank, dirt didn't do it
for me, it smelled and I had troubles, I did a total breakdown and used peat
instead under the gravel with quilting batting over the peat then the
gravel, everything else I followed and seems great now I also have a 46 bow
set up the same way. For plants I have amazon sword, java moss, 2 types of
hygrophielia, sags, oinion plants, moneywort, red lugwiga, water wisteria,
Valis, bulbs of some plants in the water lilly family, willow moss, bacopa
all seem to be doing fine I have to trim once a week.

Works for me. I put manure, clay and steel wool at the bottom
of my tanks, then seal that with 4-5 inches of fine beach sand.

3 inches of sand didn't work; the stuff does stink, and you have
to containit somehow. After about the first year it settles
down and if you distubr the sand the worst thing you'll get it
a bit of clousidness from the clay (whcih a diatom filter
can remove in 15 minutes).

The pure iron raises eyebrows "but it's not usable in that form (rust)"
but, keep in mind under anaerobic conditions ferric oxide is reduced
to ferrous oxide and is usable. Crypts I pull out of this tank
have roots that look like the ones i the Dupla book. White for the
first few inches then rusty colored.


--
Richard Sexton | Mercedes Parts: http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
W108, W126 Mercedes Classifieds: http://ads.mbz.org
** new -- Watch list: http://watches.list.mbz.org

Richard,
Wow that is very interesting indeed!

Kay
"Richard J. Sexton (At work)" wrote in message
...
In article of2Q9.563955$NH2.37774@sccrnsc01,
Kay wrote:
I have read the book and tried it with a 37 gallon tank, dirt didn't do
it
for me, it smelled and I had troubles, I did a total breakdown and used
peat
instead under the gravel with quilting batting over the peat then the
gravel, everything else I followed and seems great now I also have a 46
bow
set up the same way. For plants I have amazon sword, java moss, 2 types
of
hygrophielia, sags, oinion plants, moneywort, red lugwiga, water
wisteria,
Valis, bulbs of some plants in the water lilly family, willow moss,
bacopa
all seem to be doing fine I have to trim once a week.

Works for me. I put manure, clay and steel wool at the bottom
of my tanks, then seal that with 4-5 inches of fine beach sand.

3 inches of sand didn't work; the stuff does stink, and you have
to containit somehow. After about the first year it settles
down and if you distubr the sand the worst thing you'll get it
a bit of clousidness from the clay (whcih a diatom filter
can remove in 15 minutes).

The pure iron raises eyebrows "but it's not usable in that form (rust)"
but, keep in mind under anaerobic conditions ferric oxide is reduced
to ferrous oxide and is usable. Crypts I pull out of this tank
have roots that look like the ones i the Dupla book. White for the
first few inches then rusty colored.


--
Richard Sexton | Mercedes Parts: http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
W108, W126 Mercedes Classifieds: http://ads.mbz.org
** new -- Watch list: http://watches.list.mbz.org