10g plan

[nomadofthehills]

Hi, I was planning to redo my feeder tank (for my water snake) into a real tank.

10g.

I have a screen top, upon which I will have 2 15w floresant lights, creating 3wpg. I will have gravel on the bottom, and heavily plant the tank. I already have a 10g sponge filter in there, so I won't need to cycle.

I would like to add up to 10 white clouds, and a betta.


Will this work?

thanks

oh yea, i forgot. I know bettas like warm water, and white clouds are coldwater. I will get a 10g heater, but will this upset the white clouds?

Or would it be better to scrap the betta and skip the heater?

 

[PBirdsong]

My white clouds have done great for several months now in 78 degree water. So don't worry.

That is a LOT of light for a small 10g tank. I would strongly consider CO2 injection. And If you haven't bought the lights yet you could do with a little less.

 

[rich311k]

Actually the WPG thing breaks down over ten gallon tanks and smaller. That may only be low - medium light.

 

[PBirdsong]

Yeah, but I thought it broke down on the opposite end. Meaning that 3wpg on a ten gallon tank would be pretty high.

 

[nomadofthehills]

How do I get more wpg then? 3 lights?

thanks for the quick responses btw


I havent bought the bulbs yet, I have old fixtures though

 

[rich311k]

You have it backwards PBirdsong.

You get either another light or a whole new fixture. Oh and CO2 is never a bad idea.

 

[flamingonhot]

i would skip the betta, with aggression, difference in water temperature and all that.

And i dont think you would really need a co2 injector in a 10 gallon unless you have a lot of live plants then i would get one thats about 30 dollars, they dont do a whole lot but still do something escpecially in a 10 gallon.

If you did have aheater the heat would go out of the tank since it has a screen top, not a whole lot but some of it.

 

[nomadofthehills]

Thats the point, I was gonna heavily plant it... hmmm

 

[PBirdsong]

Okay . . . I hate to sound like a tool . . .
But are you sure I'm backwards? Because we are talking about a lot of light over a more compact water volume.

Either way, CO2 would be a good idea. And there are een instructions here on a DIY CO2 kit.

 

[rich311k]

The light is more concentrated and doesn't spread out so it is not as effective. Over a large volume the light spreads out more like the sun and is more effective.

I run my tank with an open top and the temperature is fine.

 

[PBirdsong]

Ah . . . gotcha.

 

[nomadofthehills]

So how do I get more wpg?

This is getting complicated for a cheap ten g lol..

 

[rich311k]

You can heavly plant. Just use medium low lights plants. I think it will look great. I like your stocking plan. I love bettas. you will need a heater.

 

[nomadofthehills]

Yea, I figured lol...

Thanks


How do you determine the light requirnments of plants?

I know jva ferns are low light, i have one in my 55, not thriving, but not dieing.

 

[rich311k]

This will help I am sure.

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_cat.php?category=1

 

[nomadofthehills]

Wow, your really helpful

Thankyou

 

[rich311k]

You are welcome.

 

[czcz]

Only to clarify, need for CO2 is determined by quantity of light first, not quantity of plants. Very possible to have a densely planted low light tank with no algae or CO2, for example.

nomadofthehills,

Search in the planted tank forum too as there's a few people planting 10gs lately, and malkore's stickys are a great way to understand the requirements of medium and high light plants.

Like Rich, I think your plan is good, though maybe tetras would be better than the white clouds. You might want to lower the number of whiteclouds in the begining, as its easier to avoid algae in an understocked planted tank, especially when starting. If you can squeeze it in, how about growing some plants with your current NO lights and then adding a 2x13w CF from AHSupply.com later if you want more light? This way you can learn nutrient dosing and CO2 requirements on a nice, easy learning curve.

I have 2x13w CF + 20w NO over 8g to grow high light plants, and sometimes want more as I've not gotten the deep reds from certain plants others have, despite dropping N and starving plants of nutrients, as recommended by others. If you prefer steep learning curves high light is the way to go, but CO2 and fertilizers are mandatory.

HTH

 

[rich311k]

czcz, I bow in awe at your knowledge. Why didn't I find this place when I was starting.

 

[czcz]

I love reading your posts as you've progressed so quickly. I would know nothing if not for the guys who taught me, and when I think of what they know and look at what they've grown, I feel like a n00b. The planted tank community is very special in a lot of ways.