Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
This is 14th month update. The fish are called Sparking or Pygmy gourami.
The tank is going through a rough time. A lot of the shrimp were eaten or partially eaten by the gouramis. Some shrimp are still breeding, but most of the little shrimplets aren’t making it to adulthood b/c of the gouramis. Also some of the dwarf hair grass is browning and algae has started to grow on them. Algae also started to grow on the guppy grass. The tank is losing balance. I think the main reason is the soil temperature. B/c it’s going through the winter months, and my house ambient temp is around 22~23°C (72~73°F), the bottom of the tank where the soil is, is cold to the touch. That means at that temperature, the bacteria in the soil is working much slower to break down the waste, and it’s not making CO2 fast enough for the plants. Also at the bottom where the grass is, the temps are too low for the grass to be growing fast. The plants toward the top of the tank are still growing fast. I really do think the soil temperature is quite important to the overall health of the tank. I guess during the winter months, I should feed the tank much less.
And of course, the baby gourami is a female! She wreaked havoc on this tank. It blew my mind. I really thought it was a male. I guess the female organ isn’t big enough to see until the gourami is a little bigger.
Maybe the last two gouramis will get along in the future.
13th month youtube.com/watch?v=ftcTO_Wzujg
12 months update youtube.com/watch?v=2VuDVhCpJyA
11 months update youtube.com/watch?v=PsUkQGY8vR0
10 months update youtube.com/watch?v=T8ZAWAVwlSU
9 months update youtube.com/watch?v=Im9lDTRTAOk
8 months update youtube.com/watch?v=OLh-4Tzc-2M
7 months update youtube.com/watch?v=pyftwc1NLyU
6 months update youtube.com/watch?v=Rpi4CcHQHTg
5 months update youtube.com/watch?v=dU5izzyxqeA
4 months update youtube.com/watch?v=FtdkRe6VjSs
3 months update: youtube.com/watch?v=xut0YAvE8eQ
2 months update: youtube.com/watch?v=BBGcPGQvO9Y
The setup video: youtube.com/watch?v=ZvmGJuquuLE
NO filter, NO CO2, NO Ferts Planted Tank Series:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2155euLw9DN6EU2zBTlDj8-q572aZv7w
This is a Walstad Method tank. The credit goes to Diana Walstad for publishing the organic soil substrate method.
Check out her book in the link below if interested.
The book I read to make this aquarium:
Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad(Hard cover) amzn.to/2tB4xiZ
Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad(digital) amzn.to/2svT0Sy
4.6 gallon low iron rimless tank amzn.to/2yKTWST
5.4 gallon low iron rimless tank amzn.to/2y5YZeO
50W heater amzn.to/2tAQOsy
Heater cover so plants won't get burned amzn.to/2sw42ap
Tiny thermometer amzn.to/2tAwFmg
Magnetic thermometer amzn.to/2LRCrXd
(I'm using the tiny thermometer with a small rubber band to hold it in its place.)
Mini round shape magnet scrubber amzn.to/2zx6k8D
Miracle gro organic choice potting mix amzn.to/2tyHm9g
2~3mm gravel 20lb bag amzn.to/2gJ5tOl
2~3mm gravel 5lb bag amzn.to/2y3e3ih
Aquarium scissors amzn.to/2BXY1GW
Aquarium Tweezers amzn.to/2EWyAZe
TetraMin Flakes (gourami and shrimp food) amzn.to/2Gouypo
Shrimps:
Amano Shrimp amzn.to/2PdYOY6
Blue velvet Shrimp amzn.to/2Oaw7yT
Cherry Shrimp amzn.to/2yfoU64
Chocolate Shrimp amzn.to/2P83jDv
Yellow Shrimp amzn.to/2OA2Ehr
CRS amzn.to/2IIOntq
Sunkist Shrimp amzn.to/2PcLQtS
Ghost Shrimp amzn.to/2ydKms1
Nerite snails amzn.to/2IF9sF8
The Best Growing Plants in this tank:
1. Ceratophyllum demersum (hornwort) amzn.to/2srT6HY
2. Duckweed amzn.to/2sl3G4p
3. Azolla imbricate (mosquito fern) amzn.to/2LapS8z
4. Najas Guadalupensis (guppy grass) amzn.to/2LLN8L8
5. Bacopa caroliniana amzn.to/2LIPFpj
6. Ludwigia Sp. Mini Super Red amzn.to/2J0SAfu
The rest:
Hemianthus glomeratus (pearl grass) amzn.to/2LIIPA5
Egeria densa (Anachris) amzn.to/2LJCUuO
Didiplis diandra amzn.to/2LJj4j2
Rotala rotundifolia (indica) amzn.to/2JbzLFF
Dwarf hairgrass amzn.to/2sjG2W1
Music:
Erik Satie
Gymnopedie no.1
Gymnopedie no.2
Gymnopedie no.3
Gnossienne 2: played by Fenixian soundcloud.com/fenixian/gnossienne-n-2
This is 14th month update. The fish are called Sparking or Pygmy gourami.
The tank is going through a rough time. A lot of the shrimp were eaten or partially eaten by the gouramis. Some shrimp are still breeding, but most of the little shrimplets aren’t making it to adulthood b/c of the gouramis. Also some of the dwarf hair grass is browning and algae has started to grow on them. Algae also started to grow on the guppy grass. The tank is losing balance. I think the main reason is the soil temperature. B/c it’s going through the winter months, and my house ambient temp is around 22~23°C (72~73°F), the bottom of the tank where the soil is, is cold to the touch. That means at that temperature, the bacteria in the soil is working much slower to break down the waste, and it’s not making CO2 fast enough for the plants. Also at the bottom where the grass is, the temps are too low for the grass to be growing fast. The plants toward the top of the tank are still growing fast. I really do think the soil temperature is quite important to the overall health of the tank. I guess during the winter months, I should feed the tank much less.
And of course, the baby gourami is a female! She wreaked havoc on this tank. It blew my mind. I really thought it was a male. I guess the female organ isn’t big enough to see until the gourami is a little bigger.
Maybe the last two gouramis will get along in the future.
13th month youtube.com/watch?v=ftcTO_Wzujg
12 months update youtube.com/watch?v=2VuDVhCpJyA
11 months update youtube.com/watch?v=PsUkQGY8vR0
10 months update youtube.com/watch?v=T8ZAWAVwlSU
9 months update youtube.com/watch?v=Im9lDTRTAOk
8 months update youtube.com/watch?v=OLh-4Tzc-2M
7 months update youtube.com/watch?v=pyftwc1NLyU
6 months update youtube.com/watch?v=Rpi4CcHQHTg
5 months update youtube.com/watch?v=dU5izzyxqeA
4 months update youtube.com/watch?v=FtdkRe6VjSs
3 months update: youtube.com/watch?v=xut0YAvE8eQ
2 months update: youtube.com/watch?v=BBGcPGQvO9Y
The setup video: youtube.com/watch?v=ZvmGJuquuLE
NO filter, NO CO2, NO Ferts Planted Tank Series:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2155euLw9DN6EU2zBTlDj8-q572aZv7w
This is a Walstad Method tank. The credit goes to Diana Walstad for publishing the organic soil substrate method.
Check out her book in the link below if interested.
The book I read to make this aquarium:
Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad(Hard cover) amzn.to/2tB4xiZ
Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad(digital) amzn.to/2svT0Sy
4.6 gallon low iron rimless tank amzn.to/2yKTWST
5.4 gallon low iron rimless tank amzn.to/2y5YZeO
50W heater amzn.to/2tAQOsy
Heater cover so plants won't get burned amzn.to/2sw42ap
Tiny thermometer amzn.to/2tAwFmg
Magnetic thermometer amzn.to/2LRCrXd
(I'm using the tiny thermometer with a small rubber band to hold it in its place.)
Mini round shape magnet scrubber amzn.to/2zx6k8D
Miracle gro organic choice potting mix amzn.to/2tyHm9g
2~3mm gravel 20lb bag amzn.to/2gJ5tOl
2~3mm gravel 5lb bag amzn.to/2y3e3ih
Aquarium scissors amzn.to/2BXY1GW
Aquarium Tweezers amzn.to/2EWyAZe
TetraMin Flakes (gourami and shrimp food) amzn.to/2Gouypo
Shrimps:
Amano Shrimp amzn.to/2PdYOY6
Blue velvet Shrimp amzn.to/2Oaw7yT
Cherry Shrimp amzn.to/2yfoU64
Chocolate Shrimp amzn.to/2P83jDv
Yellow Shrimp amzn.to/2OA2Ehr
CRS amzn.to/2IIOntq
Sunkist Shrimp amzn.to/2PcLQtS
Ghost Shrimp amzn.to/2ydKms1
Nerite snails amzn.to/2IF9sF8
The Best Growing Plants in this tank:
1. Ceratophyllum demersum (hornwort) amzn.to/2srT6HY
2. Duckweed amzn.to/2sl3G4p
3. Azolla imbricate (mosquito fern) amzn.to/2LapS8z
4. Najas Guadalupensis (guppy grass) amzn.to/2LLN8L8
5. Bacopa caroliniana amzn.to/2LIPFpj
6. Ludwigia Sp. Mini Super Red amzn.to/2J0SAfu
The rest:
Hemianthus glomeratus (pearl grass) amzn.to/2LIIPA5
Egeria densa (Anachris) amzn.to/2LJCUuO
Didiplis diandra amzn.to/2LJj4j2
Rotala rotundifolia (indica) amzn.to/2JbzLFF
Dwarf hairgrass amzn.to/2sjG2W1
Music:
Erik Satie
Gymnopedie no.1
Gymnopedie no.2
Gymnopedie no.3
Gnossienne 2: played by Fenixian soundcloud.com/fenixian/gnossienne-n-2
