First Planted Tank - 29 gallon

[Batboi3000]

Update on my tank. Added a bit more telanthera, added some broad leaf ludwigia, and an amazon sword. Had to prune some stuff down and replant a bit since some of the stems only were half covered with leaves from some initial melting. Put in more pool sand too for a thicker layer. Most stuff seems to be growing okay, some faster than others. Im not sure Im diggin the java fern or bolbitus, which is pretty small so far on the driftwood to the right. Let me know what you think! Thanks for looking!







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[Fat Homer]

I would personally move the tall plant in the middle off to the left back corner for a cleaner look...

Otherwise, its not looking too bad...


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[Batboi3000]

Just a thought i had this morning. I am running a bubbler on this tank, and not a Co2 but O2. Should i pull it? Are the amount of plants in here going to make enough oxygen for the tank that i dont need more oxygen from the bubbler? I noticed my big amazon sword looks like it is getting a little thin. Thoughts?...

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[Batboi3000]

Here's some pics I took this afternoon after moving just a couple plants around.

 

[pudgeking]

Tank looks nice! Btw, as I understand it, a bubbler doesn't directly increase oxygen levels in the water, but it increases water circulation which increases gas exchange, which is usually a good thing. It's up to you if you want to pull it I'd say, definitely isn't necessary and probably doesn't make much of a difference.

 

[Batboi3000]

I got a new light bulb after melting a bunch of stuff. I'm running a 65w 6700k Coralife Compact Fluorescent bulb. I tried moving the 12,000k bulb that I did have to center it more on the tank... That was a bad idea I guess. A lot of my plants started turning to crap. I'm trying to run this bulb for about 10 hours a day from around 10am to 8pm, but I'm wondering if that is still too much. My Amazon sword seems to be in maintenance mod and is still kind of melting a bit. The room the tank is in gets a bit of morning sun, and I don't know how much that effects it. Just yesterday I bought 3 little marbled veil angel fish that are barely bigger than a quarter fins and all. They seem to be doing well so far. I think part of why the plants aren't really flourishing is there isn't enough nutrients and that may be from not enough fish. I've heard with pool filter sand, the plants do better in a heavier stocked tank. I'm thinking of adding 6 bleeding heart tetras to the mix this week. I'm shooting for kind of an amazon themed biotope tank. Not going to be real legalistic on the biotope, but I want it all south american and from the amazon area at least. Let me know your thoughts! Thanks!



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[sexyandiknowit]

Your doing ago of job so far with the lighting but I would highly recommend getting a co2 system or even doing a DIY yeast system. Another thing is some plant fertilizers would really help with the melting issue. I personally use seachems aquavitro line but flourish is just fine. If the budget is tight then just get the flourish comprehensive. Seachem onyx is really good because it is negatively charged so it attracts and absorbs any fertilizer that you put in the tank and makes it available to the roots of the plants.


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[Batboi3000]

Well a little update on the aquarium. I got rid of what couple fish I had in the tank to start fresh after losing a couple angel fish and picked up 5 turquoise blue Australian Rainbows. They are doing quite well. So besides them, the only other residents in the tank are a bristle nose pleco, clown pleco and a few red cherry shrimp. So far so good! Loving the rainbows!

Here's a thought though. I was thinking my amazon sword was looking a little tired that maybe it isn't getting enough nutrients to it's roots being buried in sand. Was thinking of putting some small aquarium gravel in the corner where the sword is and seeing if that would do better. Then fish waste can get down into the gravel and feed the sword better. Thoughts? Would this help? I ask because i thought about just taking the pool filter sand out completely and dirting the tank and capping with black gravel. However, if I can just throw a little gravel in there and have that make a difference than I wouldn't have to tear down my tank completely. The wife and kid are gone this week so I would have time to tear down the tank if I wanted. Most every plant is growing pretty well except the telanthera and the amazon sword. Guessing they are just lacking some nutrients. Just a thought...

 

[Batboi3000]

Added a couple of what look like gold gouramis but the store said they ordered them from Segrest Farms as Lavender Gouramis. Also added a couple pieces of anubias too. Not sure what kind of anubias but I zip stripped it to some driftwood. I also tried to put a bit of gravel on top the sand in some spots, such as where the Amazon sword is trying to grow. Wonder if the gravel will help waste get down by the roots and feed the sword better. Here's hoping! Let me know your thoughts thanks!

 

[Batboi3000]

I am running my light a 65w 6700k compact fluorescent bulb about 8-9 hours a day. Still just have the pool filter sand capped with a bit of pea gravel in the back by the sword, telanthera and bacopa/money wort (whatever it is). The plants are growing but growing a little thin looking and kind of light green/yellow in color. I would like to really see the sword and telanthera take off and do it without ferts or Co2. What am I missing? Is my light too much? Adding dirt? Thought about just switching to eco complete or flourite. Thoughts? Thanks!

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