Calling all experienced Native enthusiasts!  We've got a potential convert expressing interest, and I'm hoping some you can post your thoughts on tank size, inhabitant diversity and substrates.  You all had some wonderful advice for me when I first got interested, and I'd like to share that forward.

I was going to go find and link to the threads from when you all first helped me get involved with natives, but the computer I'm using takes for freaking ever and  I can't sit at the desk that long at the moment.

I'm very excited to share my passion for my Natives.  Not to mention having someone to help Susan and I with the Darter Dance.

I'm one that is definitely interested in setting up a native tank.I'm not going to jump into this like I did reefing when I first started.I want to do it right the first time this go round.So please lets see some of your native setups.Thanks alot.

Lee

train9138 said :

I'm one that is definitely interested in setting up a native tank.I'm not going to jump into this like I did reefing when I first started.I want to do it right the first time this go round.So please lets see some of your native setups.Thanks alot.

Lee

My tank is 75gm with a Penguin HOB, a single airstone in  a corner, and a pump with spray bar.   I don't remember what size pump I have, but the fish I have in there really do seem to prefer having that flow.  They play in the current. I dont have a heater in that tank.    

Current inhabitants: Johnny Darters, Greenside Darters, Redside Dace, Red Belly Dace, Mud Minnows, a Sucker of some sort; assorted minnows, and two non-native bristelnose plecos(my other tanks don't have enough algae to sustain them so they're in the native tank).

The substrate is about 3-4 inches of plain, organic topsoil I got from Lowe's for I think $1 for a #50 bag, topped with play sand I got from Menards on sale for $2 for a #50 bag.  I have a scattering of rocks and slate on the bottom, and used rocks collected over the years and from 10 Mile over by Kroger to make some rock formations for territories and visual interest.  I have one piece of slate-mounted driftwood in there that's pretty much obscured by java moss and java fern, and a fake mangrove root.

The plants are a variety: val, java fern, jave moss, a couple of crypts, giant hygro and I think that's it at the moment. 

The only drawback I find with the sand is the color-- the natives are not as bright against the pale sand as they are on darker substrate. Plus, most of them came from habitats that were more rocky/pebbly than sandy.  To remedy that, once I'm able to mess with my tanks again I am going to add the natural pebble gravel that came with the tank on top of the sand, and scatter some larger rocks back on top of that-- to get closer to the environments they came from.

The tank is an unholy mess at the moment so I'm not going to post pix-- hasn't been properly cleaned for a couple months, so it looks atrocious.  BUT the water parameters have stayed good.  I love this substrate/plant combo- -very forgiving.

So you have regular old topsoil in there?Is this mandatory in these tanks for nutrients or something?I'd really like to see what this looks like.I am thinking my native tank is going to be heavily planted will this cause problems for any of these fish?Thanks for all the help so far.

Lee

Topsoil is something that I've been working with for several years in tropical as well as native tanks.  It's great for low-tech planted tanks.  I usually use an inch or two of it and then cover it with sand.  I either buy the cheapest bagged topsoil I can find, or I go get some soil from the woods at my parent's house.  You don't want to use soil with any fertilizers or additives to it.  Just dirt with some, but not too much, organic material in it.

The only difference between keeping natives vs. tropical fish is the natives are cool water fish, so you don't use a heater.  I'm saving up for chillers for my two largest native tanks.  If you have stream fish, a powerhead is nice, too.  The fish enjoy swimming in the current and it's fun to watch them.

Right now, I have natives in several of my tanks.  They are in a 100 gallon, a 65, a 30, a 20, and some 10 gallon tanks.  I love the natives.  I love going out to collect them and see their habitats.  The little kid in me loves to play in the river.

Here are some of the threads with pictures of my 100 gallon tank.  I love that tank.

100 Gallon Native Stream Tank

Giant Hygrophlilia grows emersed

Giant Hygro emersed part 2, with flowers!

Hi Lee,

Susan mentioned to me that there was someone interested in natives poking about... Both she and Mary will be great leaders for you, and I'm sure our paths will cross in the field before too long. 

I have galleries that show some of the stuff they're talking about here:

http://www.farmertodd.com/aquaria.asp

If you scroll down a bit, I have a link to an article from the North American Native Fishes Association journal American Currents about setting up this type of aquarium.  I need to do some kind of append to it because I've learned a lot since, but it's a good basic startup and that's what M&S have been doing as well.

Then you'll see lot of picture available, the best galleries are on the left side below the brief set of pictures. 

You'll also see some of the variety across the eastern United States under this link:

http://www.farmertodd.com/fishes.asp

Good luck!

Todd

farmertodd said :

If you scroll down a bit, I have a link to an article from the North American Native Fishes Association journal American Currents about setting up this type of aquarium.  I need to do some kind of append to it because I've learned a lot since, but it's a good basic startup and that's what M&S have been doing as well.

Yep, Todd, you should post an addendum!  I'd like to see it for future reference not only for myself, but  I have a brother and friend who want to set up native tanks in the not-too-distant future, and I'd like to give them the best info possible to work from.

(Lee, Todd's the one who got me hooked on natives)

I like the substrate I've got going on so well I changed over both of my tropical tanks to a topsoil/sand substrate.  For me it's mainly about biofiltration and ease of maintenance, but have to admit I just plain like how it looks too.

thanks for the link Todd,I am very appreciative of all the help I'm getting so far.Thank you all.

Lee

farmertodd said :

Hi Lee,

Susan mentioned to me that there was someone interested in natives poking about... Both she and Mary will be great leaders for you, and I'm sure our paths will cross in the field before too long. 

I have galleries that show some of the stuff they're talking about here:

http://www.farmertodd.com/aquaria.asp

If you scroll down a bit, I have a link to an article from the North American Native Fishes Association journal American Currents about setting up this type of aquarium.  I need to do some kind of append to it because I've learned a lot since, but it's a good basic startup and that's what M&S have been doing as well.

Then you'll see lot of picture available, the best galleries are on the left side below the brief set of pictures. 

You'll also see some of the variety across the eastern United States under this link:

http://www.farmertodd.com/fishes.asp

Good luck!

Todd

I like your website..  Not bad..