Hi all Im getting a new 45 gallon bow tank for to be my planted. I have a 30 gallon planted very low tech. I was wondering what kind of substrate I should buy? I was thinking a layer of flourlite substrate with a sand layer over it? what do you think.
New 45 gallon bow tank
- Thread starter Vilardz3190
- Start date
Well as for me I always go with a mixture of substrates for my planted tank, like in my 55 gallon I'm setting up I'm going with the following.... 30lbs of Flourite original planted substrate, 20lbs of FloraMax, and 10lbs pf special kitty all natural kitty litter. I've personally found this mixture of substrate to work best for my planted tank, but what works best for me may not work best for you. I would always cap it with a 1/2" layer of play sand, but this time I don't think I'll be capping my substrate because I want to carpet parts of my tank.
What kind of lighting are you going with? What type of filtration? And what about co2? What about fertilizers?
For my tank here's what I'm going with...
Lighting - 48" Odyssea quad 4x54w 6500k bulbs
Filtration - SunSun 402B canister filter w/ 9w uv light, and a SunSun302B canister filter
Co2 - Milwuakee MA957 rgulator w/ 10lb co2 cylinder fed directly into a DIY rex griggs inline co2 reactor hooked up the return flow of the SunSun 402 canister filter.
And dosing dry fertilizers under the EI dosing regime.
What kind of lighting are you going with? What type of filtration? And what about co2? What about fertilizers?
For my tank here's what I'm going with...
Lighting - 48" Odyssea quad 4x54w 6500k bulbs
Filtration - SunSun 402B canister filter w/ 9w uv light, and a SunSun302B canister filter
Co2 - Milwuakee MA957 rgulator w/ 10lb co2 cylinder fed directly into a DIY rex griggs inline co2 reactor hooked up the return flow of the SunSun 402 canister filter.
And dosing dry fertilizers under the EI dosing regime.
I already have ferts from green leaf aquariums. There dry ferts, I will also have root tabs made by flourish I think. For lighting I was thinking of solarmax he or ho. I've had some good experience with them in the past. Filters I was thinking an eheim, in addition for of 2 hang on filters from my previous 30 gallon they are tetra whispers I think. Co2 is my next step. No experience with it yet.
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Glad to see you have dry ferts on hand, but would you mind telling us which dry fertilizers you'll be using? As for lighting, sounds like you have that covered with the Solarmax. Now as for the co2, since you don't really have experience with using co2 injection systems you go with either flourish excel carbon supplement, or go with a diy co2 system using the yeast/sugar method. Just google "Diy co2" and you'll find thousands of recipes for it, diy co2 is what we commonly refer to as "the poor mans co2" or as "beginners co2 system" it's how I started out when I got into the planted tank side of the hobby.
I intend using a diy co2 system until I can save up enough money for the injection system I want. DIY co2 is a super cheap way for adding co2 to your planted tank, the only drawback with a diy co2 system is having to mix up a new batch every 3-4 weeks other than that it's a good way to go if you don't have the money for an injection system.
I intend using a diy co2 system until I can save up enough money for the injection system I want. DIY co2 is a super cheap way for adding co2 to your planted tank, the only drawback with a diy co2 system is having to mix up a new batch every 3-4 weeks other than that it's a good way to go if you don't have the money for an injection system.
The ferts I have are Micros / Trace Elements - Plantex CSM + B, Potassium Nitrate, Mono Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sulfate and Magnesium Sulfate. As for flourish excel how much would you add a week? And another question is that is it ok to have a bubbler for aeration? Should I add a small power head for more water flow?
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Flourish excel should be dosed either daily or every other day, unfortunately once a week would deprive your plants of any source of carbon whether it's co2 or a liquid source. And dosing a "weekly amount" of excel at one time to any tank would result in loss of fish, and beneficial bacteria. It's pretty easy to overdose flourish excel, this is why I recommend a diy co2 system.
As for any kind of air stone, at night plants actually take in oxygen and emit co2 because there's no lighting so if you have something like a Coralife digital timer you can program it so an air pump comes on once the lights go off.
Plantex csm+b = micro nutrients
Potassium nitrate KNO3, monopotassium phosphate, and potassium sulfate = Macro N-P-K nutrients
Magnesium sulfate MgSO4 = Calcium and magnesium are the 2 fastest consumed nutrients in a planted tank.
As for a powerhead, sure you can add one to the tank for water circulation, I always had one in my past planted tanks.
As for any kind of air stone, at night plants actually take in oxygen and emit co2 because there's no lighting so if you have something like a Coralife digital timer you can program it so an air pump comes on once the lights go off.
Plantex csm+b = micro nutrients
Potassium nitrate KNO3, monopotassium phosphate, and potassium sulfate = Macro N-P-K nutrients
Magnesium sulfate MgSO4 = Calcium and magnesium are the 2 fastest consumed nutrients in a planted tank.
As for a powerhead, sure you can add one to the tank for water circulation, I always had one in my past planted tanks.
I haven't set up everything yet, I'm just collecting everything now because I'm going on a vacation soon. How many pounds of substrate should I use? I picked up 40 pounds of Eco complete so far. I think I may need more. What do you think?
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If thats all you're using than I'd buy more. I have 60#s in my 36g bow for 2-3" of depth.
Do you guys know if I can use chemipure in the planted take, or stick to carbon?
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What should I put in my eheim? The stuff it comes with?
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