My first planted tank!

[g-money1990]

Been awhile since I've posted anything, and after years of raising cichlids, I've decided to hop onto the planted tank bandwagon...I have no idea what I'm doing, so any pointers would be greatly appreciated!

-5 Gallon tank
-Fluval Flora base substrate
-"plant sand" top substrate
-Microswords
-Cryptocorlene Undalata (?)
-LED lights (Not sure if they'll work for plants though)

Putting the plants in and filling up the tank kinda messed up my layering, but I think it looks kinda cool, like giant pebbles at the beach or something, haha. Also, I wasnt sure if i was supposed to remove that sponge-y stuff from the plants when I took em out of the pots or not, so i just took off as much as I could without damaging the roots, and whatever I couldn't take off, I just left alone. Should be fine, right?

 

[sluder4]

Well the grass you have are about 4 watts per gallon and if the LEDs arent doing there job youll know it quick ;p But its a beautiful tank and I was thinking about getting some of those kids of grass. Ill be posting my 10 gallon planted in a bit

 

[g-money1990]

Redid the planting of the microswords after reading up on a better way of planting them instead of just jamming em into the substrate...heh heh. I know it was really soon to move any of the plants around, but the way the swords looked before really bothered me. They look much better now. Some shots of the new inhabitants as well. I plan on getting some shrimp soon too, I just pray they don't burn a whole through my wallet

 

[JesusFish]

Working on my first planted tank too! There is a lot more to them then it appears at first. haha.

I had to add some organic carbon stuff to get my plants to start perkin up.

 

[mgamer20o0]

its a start. good luck.

 

[cichla-naut]

I am curious to see how well the LED's are going to work. I have had good luck keeping plants under VHO's in the past.

 

[g-money1990]

I am curious to see how well the LED's are going to work. I have had good luck keeping plants under VHO's in the past.

i shouldve updated my equipment as well, haha. I switched out the lights to an fluorescent tube light from my 10 gallon, haha. Don't remember what rating it was, since I'm just getting back into the fish hobby. Shouldn't have cheaped out on the choosing between the regular output LED or the high output LED, as the LED makes my tank look so much nicer compared to the fluorescent lights. Meh, oh wel...