Need help with my 40g breeder?

[asianmick]

Well I just purchased my first 40g breeder and i want to make it planted but have never done a planted tank before. I have a few questions. Like what kind of soil do i use? and what kind of lights will i need? I plan on making it a community tank with mixture of tropical fish. So what kind of plants would work good with these types of fish? What would be a good group of fish to keep together and what types? Sorry for all the questions still kinda new to the whole world of fish. But any help would be a huge help.

 

[Burto]

Unless you have an idea of what you want to achieve your question is a bit like asking how long a piece of string is.

I'd suggest you look through the first stickied link in this here planted tank section and check out other members' tanks, have a look on plantedtank.net, and if you're feeling ambitious browse the AGA and IAPLC aquascaping contest winners.
See what style of tank you like, what level of technicality you want to delve into, what species of plants and fish/invertibrates you like, and perhaps most importantly what you can fit into your budget.
The more specific a question you can ask the more specific an answer we can give.

This might be a good place to start: http://rexgrigg.com/
Though keep in mind the information is geared towards serious/high tech aquascaping, which may not be relevant to what you're trying to achieve.

 

[JasonG75]

I agree .. Are you looking for a low tech or a high tech setup, High Maintanace or low?

 

[2rivers]

Start with the easiest plants first like Anubias and Java fern. If you cant keep Anubias alive something is wrong. Then increase lighting as you evolve into more difficult plants like the cryptocoryne and Rotala that do best with trace elements or root Fertilizer . I agree with the others you should have a better plan like try to recreate a certain habitat. Thats what I do, I have a Southeast Asian tank, an Amazon tank,and small Anabantoid, and Killie tanks. If your $rich$ go high-tech otherwise dont overwhelm yourself and keep it simple at first. Im poor and Planted tanks take years to get the hang of, so keep experimenting and trouble-shooting. Planted tanks take a lot more intention than people realize. Dont quit and be prepared to spend $money$

 

[asianmick]

thanks for the help sorry my questions were not very detailed. im trying to make a good low maintenance planted tank something that i can train on and then move up from there. i guess i will start here what is the best kind of soil that would be good for basic low maintenance plants? i want to have a very full planted tank not so bare and scattered. so what plants would be good for that? The fish will probably be mixed between different kind of tetra's, barb's, gourami's, loaches, and maybe a betta, some small ghost shrimp, african dwarf frogs. and some snails. i want the best light that would be good for these fish and also the plants for the cheepest price.

 

[Burto]

If you're starting out with low tech and easy to maintain I'd get a twin tube T8 fixture with decent reflectors and 6500-6700 Kelvin lights. Something more expensive than the equivalent you might find at the hardware store but it will do a better job and should serve you well. You can try out DIY CO2 under that lighting and see the difference it makes.

For substrate, I don't think it matters a great deal, just get something you like the look of and can afford, and enough of it to create about a 2" layer. I'm having great success at the moment with 3mm red quartz gravel in one tank and plain fine grained sand in another, a couple root tabs in each, mostly around root feeding plants like cryptocorynes and swords.
You'll probably want some API or Seachem root tabs and liquid fertilizer. I use API because it's a lot cheaper locally, I've been using far less than the recommended dosages lately but getting fast healthy growth regardless.

 

[JasonG75]

1.what is the best kind of soil that would be good for basic low maintenance plants?

2.so what plants would be good for that?

3.The fish will probably be mixed between different kind of tetra's, barb's, gourami's, loaches, and maybe a betta, some small ghost shrimp, african dwarf frogs. and some snails.

4.i want the best light that would be good for these fish and also the plants for the cheepest price.

1. Homedepot Sterilized Playsand (2.99) wash it, wash it and then place in the tank.
2. Vals, java ferns (attached to nano driftwood) Anubias, a few crypts
3.What type of Loaches? Some can uproot your newly planted plants.
4. What is your current lighting? Also while we are at it WHAT is the filtration?

 

[JasonG75]

I'd get a twin tube T8 fixture with decent reflectors and 6500-6700 Kelvin lights.

I agree on dual T8's but I would suggest maybe 10,000k (6500-6700K is just to yellow) If you could get your hands on a T5NO singular 54w fixture that would be even better. Just remember don't be stupid and jump on the HighOutput bus JUST yet, if you do and you don't properly maintain the photoperiods you will be in Algae haven.

 

[asianmick]

at this time have no lights that is why im trying to find a good suitable one. the loaches are probably thinking of dojo's some clown's , Zebra loach, Marble Loach, maybe some others.