Planted tank

[amehel0]

Ok i've finally decided im going HARDCORE, with a planted tank. heres what my ideal set up is. a 30"Lx24"Wx28"H tank, Pressurized co2 other stuff im gonna ask questions about. Now i have a few questions:

Substrate: i was thinking sand with this special stuff they have at my lfs. its a silver box with a K on it. its a powder and then there is a ball version with a G on the box. would this stuff and sand be good to use. they recommend i sandwhich the stuff in between two layers of sand. is this stuff good for plants/do i need to buy other stuff as well?

Ferts/plantfood: is it all the same. anything else i need to add to the water?

Lighting: What is better: My only option as far as flouro's is t8's t5's are really hard to find fixtures/bulbs for. i can get MH's. are they goign to cause to much algae?

Other questions: what is ei injectiion? what is ada injection what is the difference. what is a heating cable, where to get one and are they necascery

Comments: just to let you know i dont have budget.

 

[Nic]

are those sand products amano products¿?¿ also look online or a hydro store you can get t-5ho bulbs cheap fixtures too..... if money isn't the object I would buy all the amano substrate products those are my intentions when I have a tank to play arround with.....

 

[amehel0]

yeh they arent amano products. i will get the name another day or tommorow

 

[amehel0]

i figured itout. its dupla root stuff. thoose powder things. only i got the g and k mixed up

 

[WyldFya]

Ok i've finally decided im going HARDCORE, with a planted tank. heres what my ideal set up is. a 30"Lx24"Wx28"H tank, Pressurized co2 other stuff im gonna ask questions about. Now i have a few questions:

Alright... Now we have a mold, now to teach him the ways...

Substrate: i was thinking sand with this special stuff they have at my lfs. its a silver box with a K on it. its a powder and then there is a ball version with a G on the box. would this stuff and sand be good to use. they recommend i sandwhich the stuff in between two layers of sand. is this stuff good for plants/do i need to buy other stuff as well?

I have never heard of the stuff you are looking at. Sand with very thin layers (1/4" -3/8" is the thickest I would do), with any plant substrate will work well. If you can get your hands on it, ADA aquasoil is premium stuff, and would be great to use as the entire substrate.

Ferts/plantfood: is it all the same. anything else i need to add to the water?

Check out www.rexgriggs.com, his dry ferts are really good. Also, look for Chuck's planted aquarium calculator. That will help you with dosing of dry ferts, and with basic levels to maintain.

Lighting: What is better: My only option as far as flouro's is t8's t5's are really hard to find fixtures/bulbs for. i can get MH's. are they goign to cause to much algae?

Metal halides, given that you will have tons of plants, CO2, and good ferts, will not cause too much algae. Personally I'd recommend the use of HO T5s which can be easily found online in many locations.

Other questions: what is ei injectiion? what is ada injection what is the difference. what is a heating cable, where to get one and are they necascery

Heating cables are designed to keep the substrate warm, which supposedly will increase your growth rates. I do not use them myself, I think it's a bunch of bologna, but others I know swear by them.

Comments: just to let you know i dont have budget.

Without a budget, you need to go ]V[onster! Let me know if you need some plants, I have a ton for sale in the buy sell section.

 

[amehel0]

thanks for the plant things. may buy some. will have to see. t5's arent really worth getting id rather a mh coz they are easier but i will shop around. i cant get a larger tank. im lucky im even allowed this one. when i can tell you what products i can get please tell me the order of the substrate. at the lfs they have a planted tank with 4 discus a few tetras. anyway they have a lawn(literally) of chain swords(maybe dwarf) a few really hardcore light demanding plants and all they did was add dupla to normal gravel. they told me it took under 3 months to get the lawn in a 3x1.5footprint and they only hadd 2-3 chain swords originally.

 

[WyldFya]

HO T5's are more economical in pricing, and put out a more even lighting. Chain swords grow fast as it is, but I would put money on them having either co2, or flourish excel used in that tank. Echinodorus tennellus grows really fast, and in only a month and a half will take over a 125 footprint.

 

[amehel0]

they dont use co2 but they do use plant food. dont know which one. what about t8's. also the mh's have 2 t8's built in. so its combo housing.

 

[WyldFya]

T8s are no good. The ballasts often fire T12's which are much better.

 

[amehel0]

whats wrong with t8's
so mh's no go? ill have to shop round for t5's what ull notice is that australia really doesnt have a market for t12's t5s we really only have t8's