Wanting A Low Tech (wastad method) 10G Tank

[Snpype2live]

Okay so for a while now I have been wanting to do an all natural tank. Well a few days ago someone I know was throwing out a 10 gallon tank. So not being someone who wants the tank to go to waste, I offered him 10$ for the tank and he said "Take it". Well I took it home and started digging through my old aquarium junk I have compiled and found: 1 Incandescent Hood, 1 Tetra 5-15 gallon auto set heater (keeps water at pretty constant 75 degrees F), 1 Aquaclear 50 filter (cleaned sponge , removed carbon cause I heard Walsad methods don't need carbon packs, and bought new Bio media), 2 10 watt 6500k light spectrum Lights of America bulbs. I scrubbed the tank with Distilled white viniger to remove calcium build up. I took some blue painters tape and made a background out of it. Washed out some pool filter sand (new of course) and put it on the bottom for substrate right now. Filled and leak checked it. Hooked up heater, filter, light, and well that's where I am at right now.
Well I guess I will start from the top down, so my first question is: Will these 2 10 watt 6500k light spectrum Lights of America bulbs 600 lumens grow Java Fern, Moneywort, Dwarf Sag, Red ludwigia? Or should I use the bulbs that I just bought they are Ge 13 watt (60 watt incandesent bulb replacements) 6500k 825 lumens bulbs?

Second will the Aquaclear 50 with just the sponge filter and bio-max be good for my tank since the activated carbon strips the dissolved organic carbon out of water? Will it be to much flow or just enough ??

Third for the substrate I'm thinking about a super thin layer of un fired clay (like from hobby lobby), layer of Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting soil grading from .5" to 1" front to back, capped with about .5" of pool filter sand. Will this be Okay to grow the plants listed above.

Forth I don't want to have to use liquid fertilizers constantly, but I am thinking about running a Diy Co2 system once a week for a period of time and maybe dosing with sea-chem excel and flourish once a week. Would this be okay and if so how long to run co2 for ?

Fifth for livestock in this tank I want to do 2 Bolivian Rams ( 1 male 1 female), 8 Panda corys, 1 Bristle nose pleco, and about 6 Crystal red shrimp. Will these work together and with the plants ?

The first pic is with Lights of America. The second GE bulbs

[tiggity]

Originally Posted by Snpype2live

Okay so for a while now I have been wanting to do an all natural tank. Well a few days ago someone I know was throwing out a 10 gallon tank. So not being someone who wants the tank to go to waste, I offered him 10$ for the tank and he said "Take it". Well I took it home and started digging through my old aquarium junk I have compiled and found: 1 Incandescent Hood, 1 Tetra 5-15 gallon auto set heater (keeps water at pretty constant 75 degrees F), 1 Aquaclear 50 filter (cleaned sponge , removed carbon cause I heard Walsad methods don't need carbon packs, and bought new Bio media), 2 10 watt 6500k light spectrum Lights of America bulbs. I scrubbed the tank with Distilled white viniger to remove calcium build up. I took some blue painters tape and made a background out of it. Washed out some pool filter sand (new of course) and put it on the bottom for substrate right now. Filled and leak checked it. Hooked up heater, filter, light, and well that's where I am at right now.
Well I guess I will start from the top down, so my first question is: Will these 2 10 watt 6500k light spectrum Lights of America bulbs 600 lumens grow Java Fern, Moneywort, Dwarf Sag, Red ludwigia? Or should I use the bulbs that I just bought they are Ge 13 watt (60 watt incandesent bulb replacements) 6500k 825 lumens bulbs?

Second will the Aquaclear 50 with just the sponge filter and bio-max be good for my tank since the activated carbon strips the dissolved organic carbon out of water? Will it be to much flow or just enough ??

Third for the substrate I'm thinking about a super thin layer of un fired clay (like from hobby lobby), layer of Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting soil grading from .5" to 1" front to back, capped with about .5" of pool filter sand. Will this be Okay to grow the plants listed above.

Forth I don't want to have to use liquid fertilizers constantly, but I am thinking about running a Diy Co2 system once a week for a period of time and maybe dosing with sea-chem excel and flourish once a week. Would this be okay and if so how long to run co2 for ?

Fifth for livestock in this tank I want to do 2 Bolivian Rams ( 1 male 1 female), 8 Panda corys, 1 Bristle nose pleco, and about 6 Crystal red shrimp. Will these work together and with the plants ?

The first pic is with Lights of America. The second GE bulbs

Get the book, it's a good read and informative. With the Walstad type tank, and you are relying on the benefits of the soil, fish food and mulm to provide the tank with nutrients and CO2.

I'll be redoing my 10gallon soon to follow this style.

Get the book

[Snpype2live]

Hmm i dont have anymoney for a book right now have any other ways to read it maybe?? also how do you edit user name i put one to many p's in my snype2live user name

[Snpype2live]

this is a drawing of how i want this tank to look the rocks i want to be zebra rocks the forground plant is dwarf sag the one in middle of rocks red ludwiggia, the plant behind rocks java fern and the plants on either side of java fern is moneywort

[TonyK]

Go to your local library to see if they have it. If they don't, have them get it from another library. It's called a Interlibrary Loan.

Originally Posted by Snpype2live

Hmm i dont have anymoney for a book right now have any other ways to read it maybe??

[PaulG]

Like the design!

[tiggity]

Originally Posted by Snpype2live

Hmm i dont have anymoney for a book right now have any other ways to read it maybe?? also how do you edit user name i put one to many p's in my snype2live user name

I remember someone on youtube doing a series of it explaining what was covered in the book.

[manzpants92]

Odd. I just got a ten gallon from petco for the dollar gallon sale and just ordered Walstad book. Looks like we'll be in the same boat

[Snpype2live]

awesome

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice drawing

[Snpype2live]

thnx