55 Gallon Soil High Light Planted Tank

[Kevin2k11]

Welcome to my 55G tank thread...

Opps need to fix the title to 55 Gallon Soil High Light Planted Tank..

I had good success with soil in the past with my 33GLong.. So I am testing it on a 55.. however.. I am not sure how long the nutrients will last.. since I am doing Walstad method with high lights.. and CO2...

2 x 6500k 54 HO T5
Pressurized Co2 1.5-2bps
Miracle's Choice Organic Potting soil mix (the orange bag) Capped with playsand and black fluorite.
5ML Iron Dose every week
Osmocote tablets mixed in soil with red clay chunks.

Thinking of doing EI dosing when my tank matures a bit more..

However an issue within the first couple months is.... anaerobic gas in the substrate... No matter how much I stir.. I keep getting it... It's killed off couple of my fish already to, I've found .. gotta do a water change right after stiring or i risk fish death.. within few hours.. (certain parts of my tank I don't have plants with real heavy roots like crypts or tiger lotuses so I have to constantly stir those areas...)

Ok when I first setup my tank I noticed.. a slight unleveling of my tank.. so far nothing has happened and nothing has been done.. but I might get some wood shims...

When the water cleared up :

Bought a few plants got a bit too much...

Ignore the sponge..

Current tank :

A bit messy not sure how to scape it lol

Plant list:
Hygrophila difformis
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'
Green/Brown Crpyts.
Sunset Hygro
Hygrophila polysperma
Dwarf Hairgrass
Dwarf Sag
Blyxia
Glosso
Red Tiger Lotus
Rotala rotundifolia
Pellia
Riccia fluitans
Ludwigia arcuata
Ludwigia broadleaf (palastrus)
Amazon Sword
Jungle Val
Water Lettuce
Bacopa Australis
Samolus Parviflorus
Ammania Gracilis
Pogostemon H
Narrow Leaf Java Fern
3 Unknown plants..

I guess that's all for now

Thanks for looking

 

[Vince G.]

Beautiful Tank!!!! I've been thinking about doing this for a while (I've got a 20G in the basement that needs a life). So it took a couple of months for all of the organics to finish breaking down? Do you still have any substantial gas release/anerobic pockets?

 

[Kevin2k11]

Beautiful Tank!!!! I've been thinking about doing this for a while (I've got a 20G in the basement that needs a life). So it took a couple of months for all of the organics to finish breaking down? Do you still have any substantial gas release/anerobic pockets?

Thanks..

Yes its been setup for 1-2 weeks now.. I believe it does take a couple months for things to settle down.. I have alot of anerobic gas when I push down on the substrate every week or stir it.. smells like rotten eggs yuck.. and is dangerous to the livestock.. so I do immediate 50% wc.. right after..

 

[tbonedeluxe]

I have a 55g also.You are off to a very good start.
I love your selection of plants! Use a syphon on the gravel when doing your water changes.
This may help you tremendously. It will help alleviate gas pockets.

 

[JAY973]

Love what you are doing with the tank looks good. I've been tempted to try this myself but haven't researched the information in depth so I'll remain sideline and follow how it works out for you.

 

[kingearwig]

I used soil that had been under a piece of plywood for like 3 years. I sifted all the large organic material out. I just set up my tank too but I think that my soil is pretty well mineralized, maybe I am wrong.

 

[Robert H]

The only thing Walstad about what you are doing is the fact you are using soil, other than that, nothing about what you are doing is at all according to Walstad. You should listen in to this internet radio show discussion about soil in the planted aquarium Great looking plants and a beautiful tank. Nice job.

 

[Kevin2k11]

I have a 55g also.You are off to a very good start.
I love your selection of plants! Use a syphon on the gravel when doing your water changes.
This may help you tremendously. It will help alleviate gas pockets.

For sure.. that's what I've been doing also putting some crypts all over the tank.. to get a root system going... since im doing a jungle look i don't care if things are all over lol

And Robert I guess its not the walstad method lol

 

[Kevin2k11]

Small update..

Things are growing.. I want to crank my CO2 but I need to refill it soon so keeping the BPS low atm..

I have the airstone running.. this is at night.. when co2 is off

Nerite snail.. been living with assassin(s) for over 2years (from my old tank) they get along great lol

SAE

Albino Cory

Panda Cory

I have a few cardinal tetras.. but they ALWAYS hide

 

[Rbishop]

Looks great!