Alright so I have a pretty heavy planted tank and another tank with a few plants in it. They both look alright not great or even that good but the plants are alive and have been for a long time. These two tanks are very low tech (regular lighting, no co2, no fertilizer, no added nutrients). I have an old compact flouresent fixture (2x55 watts 1 bulb is daylight white and the other is actinic) that I used for my reef when it was in a 20 gallon. I want the joy of triming and tending to an aquatic garden. So here's my thoughts and anyone with some experiance can fill me in or make suggestions if they see a problem with what I'm doing. First I'm going to use a 29 gallon and use the guts from my C/F fixture to build a hood. I will be running a panguin biowheel filter rated up to 45 gallons. I want to use one of those cheap co2 systems that take the tabs every 30 days. Those things I'm pretty sure of, now I'm uncertain of substrate, fertilizer, additives, and a few medium and larger plants that would thrive under these circumstances. I'm going to use marselia sp. As my ground cover and I want that to occupy around 80 percent of the tank. So any ideas, questions or comments will be apprieciated. Thanks for reading.
a few questions
- Thread starter fish_n_vw
- Start date
I have never bought either of those things. Any that are exceptionally good? Oh and a question I forgot to ask is do I have to much lighting, if so should I only use one of the bulbs?
two substrates that are good for plants and easy to find are Flourite and Eco-Complete; I've used both for years . . .
you have 2x55 watts, correct? and one is actinic? well, actinic lighting is not of much use to plants, so you can use it or not . . . the 55W daylight bulb on your 29G should be just fine to maintain lower-light plants like java ferns, anubias, cryptocoryne, and amazon swords, etc.
you have 2x55 watts, correct? and one is actinic? well, actinic lighting is not of much use to plants, so you can use it or not . . . the 55W daylight bulb on your 29G should be just fine to maintain lower-light plants like java ferns, anubias, cryptocoryne, and amazon swords, etc.
I will research those substrates. Thank you. Would it be wise to get a second white bulb. I will its not a big deal. I want to keep something else (eccept the anubias I currently keep all those listed in my low tech tanks). I just don't know what to keep. I'm thinking about some crypto wendtii. Also I haven't researched it yet but madagscar lace has always caught my eye. Also the marselia sp. As stated for a ground cover. Any idea what kind of bulb I should get to replace the actinic. I guess I should do the research and I will but I really like to hear from folks who have something similar going on or a lot of experiance in the area. And that's my starting ground for a higher tech planted tank.
if it were me, and I were starting a 29G planted tank, I'd opt for at least 100W of light, using either T5 or CF lighting . . . so, yes, I would replace the actinic bulb, probably with either a 10,000K or 6700K bulb; that would give you a solid 110W of CF lighting
I've never had luck with "ground cover" plants, but I have had good results from planting lots of cryptocoryne in the foreground . . . so I can't comment on the needs of the marselia you mentioned.
I have always read that madagascar lace is a real challenge, and I haven't tried it, but I had great results with a similar plant, aponogeton boivinanus; it's not as delicate as the madagascar version, and in fact grew too well and dominated my old 20-long planted tank . . .
I've never used CO2 - - not knocking it, just saying - - but I dose with Seachem Excel, which is supposed to have a similar effect
I've never had luck with "ground cover" plants, but I have had good results from planting lots of cryptocoryne in the foreground . . . so I can't comment on the needs of the marselia you mentioned.
I have always read that madagascar lace is a real challenge, and I haven't tried it, but I had great results with a similar plant, aponogeton boivinanus; it's not as delicate as the madagascar version, and in fact grew too well and dominated my old 20-long planted tank . . .
I've never used CO2 - - not knocking it, just saying - - but I dose with Seachem Excel, which is supposed to have a similar effect
Alright thanks for the info. I am going to look into the aponogeton. Seacham excell I have never heard of either more research. What's a good weekly fertiilizer? Should I just go with seachams brand everything. I've never heard anything bad about the brand? Thanks for the lighting tip I will do some shopping.
ha, now I'm gonna sound like a Seachem sales rep . . . but yes, I use Seachem for pretty much everything
the good thing about Flourite or Eco-Complete is that you don't need to dose Iron; you don't need to do root tabs either. if you keep floating or attaching plants (like java fern), you might want to dose with Seachem Flourish, but don't over-do it . . .
I also use Seachem Excel (as noted), Potassium and Nitrogen; as needed
here is a link: http://www.seachem.com/Home/index.html
the good thing about Flourite or Eco-Complete is that you don't need to dose Iron; you don't need to do root tabs either. if you keep floating or attaching plants (like java fern), you might want to dose with Seachem Flourish, but don't over-do it . . .
I also use Seachem Excel (as noted), Potassium and Nitrogen; as needed
here is a link: http://www.seachem.com/Home/index.html
2x55W is fine, maybe a bit excessive. 6500-10000k bulbs are supposed to be best, honestly I don't know if there is actually any data that shows higher color temps aren't as good. Actinic looks way too blue for a planted tank though.
My 29 has 48W of T5HO, no algae and stuff is growing. I was dosing fertilizer and excel for a while, just dosing fertilizer occasionally now, no algae.
There are a lot of different substrates you can use. Flourite is basically inert clay, but apparently has a high CEC, which stands for 3 big words I can't remember. That means it can absorb nutrients, which the plants can then presumably take up through the roots. It isn't going to do a whole lot though. Eco-complete is also fired clay, soaked in fertilizer.
If you want substrate that has lots of nutrients in it, you can use ADA aquasoil (expensive) or mineralized top soil (lots of work to make) http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html
You can also add root tabs to the substrate.
For the CO2, use 2L bottles or large juice bottles (sturdier, less likely to implode and destroy your aquarium). Mix sugar (about a cup) and yeast (1/2 teaspoon or so) and fill the rest with water. Yeast consumes the sugar, producing alcohol and CO2. Drill a hole in the cap, a bit smaller than the diameter of the air tube. Cut the end of the tube at an angle and pull it through the hole with pliers. Then put the other end in a powerhead or something to diffuse the CO2.
Liquid fertilizer (ie seachem) is mega overpriced compared to dry fertilizer http://www.rexgrigg.com/ferts.htm, for $25 you can get a few pounds that will last forever, I bought mine from this site, takes a while before it ships but the prices are good. http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html
There are several other sites you can get it from as well.
The primary nutrients people generally add are nitrate, phosphate, potassium, and trace elements. CO2 as well, technically it counts as a nutrient too (I think)
excel provides carbon for the plants, normally they get carbon from CO2.
My 29 has 48W of T5HO, no algae and stuff is growing. I was dosing fertilizer and excel for a while, just dosing fertilizer occasionally now, no algae.
There are a lot of different substrates you can use. Flourite is basically inert clay, but apparently has a high CEC, which stands for 3 big words I can't remember. That means it can absorb nutrients, which the plants can then presumably take up through the roots. It isn't going to do a whole lot though. Eco-complete is also fired clay, soaked in fertilizer.
If you want substrate that has lots of nutrients in it, you can use ADA aquasoil (expensive) or mineralized top soil (lots of work to make) http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html
You can also add root tabs to the substrate.
For the CO2, use 2L bottles or large juice bottles (sturdier, less likely to implode and destroy your aquarium). Mix sugar (about a cup) and yeast (1/2 teaspoon or so) and fill the rest with water. Yeast consumes the sugar, producing alcohol and CO2. Drill a hole in the cap, a bit smaller than the diameter of the air tube. Cut the end of the tube at an angle and pull it through the hole with pliers. Then put the other end in a powerhead or something to diffuse the CO2.
Liquid fertilizer (ie seachem) is mega overpriced compared to dry fertilizer http://www.rexgrigg.com/ferts.htm, for $25 you can get a few pounds that will last forever, I bought mine from this site, takes a while before it ships but the prices are good. http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html
There are several other sites you can get it from as well.
The primary nutrients people generally add are nitrate, phosphate, potassium, and trace elements. CO2 as well, technically it counts as a nutrient too (I think)
excel provides carbon for the plants, normally they get carbon from CO2.
Alright well you both have loads of great ideas and you both sound like you know what your doing. Thank you both for all the info. I have some more research to do. Diy co2 I like it don't fully understand it but I like it do you know where I can find a little more info? Now cost versus effectivness for substrate and fertilizer that's where I'm gonna focus my research for a while. I really want to get this right the first time. That dang Takashi Amano has me wanting a perfect and amazing tank. That guy relly inspires me and I want that kind of quality. But I want to be cost effective I'm not trying to be cheap but I don't have money to just throw around. Thanks for your replys and I look forward to any more advice.