Adding plants / wood

[fort384]

The color temp is important (as important as intensity or wattage). You may be able to find a suitable bulb at home depot or lowes for a lot less than your LFS will charge. It doesn't have to say "aquarium" or "plants" on it anywhere to be effective - it just needs to be in that 6500-10000 Kelvin range. It will help a lot to have this regardless of ferts. If the light is the wrong temp, your plants won't be able to use the light that is output.

For the ferts, like I said root tabs would be good for any crypts or other low light root feeders you add. They are like little "pills" as you said that you bury in the substrate next to or under the plants. They last for 3-4 months at a time.

The flourish excel, should you decide to use it, is in liquid form. You dose it in your tank 3-4 times a week (or less if you just want to use it to control algae). It is an alternative to CO2 injection, and works great with most plants in smaller tanks. And as I said, it can be a great way to help control any problem algae. It is however not compatible with all plants... vals, hornwort, and anacharis are all sensitive to it and it will cause them to "melt". It isn't really all that cheap though, but will work great for a few months while you decide if you like the planted thing, and may want to upgrade to DIY or pressurized CO2. Carbon is 1 of the essential building blocks for plants, and adding an external source of carbon to your tank (be it excel or CO2) does wonders for plant health/growth, regardless of higher light or ferts. Again though - you could get away without adding it... a low light tank moves slowly, you will have plenty of time to make adjustments and see what works, what helps, and what doesn't.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

I'm just currious... how long with proper light and root tabs... how long would it take to cover the bottom of my tank 3 months,6 months, 12 months?


How long should the light be on a day with a planted tank? I am going to be purchasing a timer for the light and "The Professor" (my little bubler scuba guy that my Rosy barbs seem to love swiming thru )

The Professor couldnt be used for the C02 could he? He just has a hose comming from a little 3 watt air pump behind my stand.

Sorry to ask so many questions but I gigured if I am going to do it... I might as well do it right and get all the info BEFORE I screw it up...

 

[fort384]

I'm just currious... how long with proper light and root tabs... how long would it take to cover the bottom of my tank 3 months,6 months, 12 months?


How long should the light be on a day with a planted tank? I am going to be purchasing a timer for the light and "The Professor" (my little bubler scuba guy that my Rosy barbs seem to love swiming thru )

The Professor couldnt be used for the C02 could he? He just has a hose comming from a little 3 watt air pump behind my stand.

Sorry to ask so many questions but I gigured if I am going to do it... I might as well do it right and get all the info BEFORE I screw it up...

You aren't going to be able to grow ground cover with a low tech setup. Low light plants are pretty slow growers, and they don't grow compactly - they grow up towards the light rather than out along the substrate.

You could use your scuba dude for CO2, but it would be very inefficient diffusion. Also, CO2 is acidic, so it would probably ruin him eventually.

Lights should be on a timer, and should be on approx 8-9 hours a day. You start getting above 10 hours, and with no ferts, etc, it will start to encourage algae growth.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

so... with a 20 gallon tank I would want 40 or so watts of 6500-10000 light right? (2 watts per gallon) will something like that FIT in my standard hood or would I need to build/find another hood.

I am also thinking of the co2 difuser. How much do yo uthink it would cost in my 20 gallon tank? Im also wondering... would it be worth it if I cant get above the 2 watts per gallon

[EDIT] I might make this into a FAQ thing after and put it in my sig

 

[Da Squid]

So much for the low maintenance eh? Hee hee. The one nice thing about the low light tank (and stop me if I'm wrong) is that you can get it nicely established while gaining the hands on experience of what affects what. Then, when you hit it big on the stock market , you can easily convert your current setup to something more advanced without any dramatic recreations. Thats my intent anyway.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

So much for the low maintenance eh? Hee hee. The one nice thing about the low light tank (and stop me if I'm wrong) is that you can get it nicely established while gaining the hands on experience of what affects what. Then, when you hit it big on the stock market , you can easily convert your current setup to something more advanced without any dramatic recreations. Thats my intent anyway.

lol you arent kidding about stearing away from low maint. lol I'ce kind of fallen in love with the Javamoss ut what I REALLY want is somthing that will definatly cover the bottom. I want a carpeted floor basicly.

Someone said it might be expensive with the C02 thats the only reason i was leaning awayfom it. I mean if its a 1 time $50 and once every 3-4 months I have to add the root tabs I don't mind that at all. I just dont want to get into somehting that will be really expensive every month. (I work for the electric company and know how this fish tank stuff can add up very quickly in the bill ) I looked at some stuff online but I dont totaly understand how this whole CO2 stuff works

 

[runninwoof]

oky doky

i would suggest reading http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/32/1/Planted-tank-basics/Page1.html
to learn the basics

then read http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/26/1/Carbon-Dioxide-Systems/Page1.html
it will explain the co2 system.

in a 20 gallon you can do DIY co2 for less than $10 or you can invest about $150 for a nice setup.

you will need higher light to grow a carpet over 50 watts id say.
here is a great light Coralife Freshwater Aqualight- 24=

a few carpet plants are:Glossostigma, hairgrass, HC, dwarf sag, marsilae.

while growing the carpet the plants may start to grow upward. then you would need to clip them and replant to improve the carpet look.

with the light i posted you would need CO2 and ferts, here is a link for easy fertilizers Freshwater Aquatic Plants in Aquariums: Flourish Liquid Plant Packs
and here is a chart for dosing

with your current light i do not think you could grow a carpet or any of the plants i listed with the exception of sag. At 40 watts you could grow most, but it would take almost a year of growing and alot of trimming and replanting to get what you would call a carpet.

i would stick to the low matienence as a begginner and go with java moss. you could tie the moss to stones with fishing line to hold it to the bottom. but my problem with java moss is that it is a deathly slow grower >.<

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

I will read those tonight for sure. I think I like the JavaMoss the most based on those that you sent me. someone on here had a cool one I just need to find the pic again. ([EDIT] Just looked and cant find it )

Now with that light... it says 6700... it was mentioned before 6500-10000. do that bulbs come in that specificly or is it a bulb like this that is needed, as long as its in the range?

 

[runninwoof]

hmm i dont understand what your asking. the bulb is a 65 watt compact flourescent. that is over 3 wpg for your tank. the bulb temperature is 6700k which is perfect for plants. 6700k falls between 6,500 and 10,000, 6,500 is the lowest temperature of light that plants can use, and the maximum being 10,000k.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

So... I finaly purchased the light today .

I have a very slight algee problem (I can see it starting to grow on the glass in little tiny green spots) and I want to know how to get rid of it before I start with the plants. Should I "black it out" with blankets or dark paper and leave the light off for 2-3 days (I remember reading that would kill algee)? Do I even have an algee problem lol. It is not everywhere but I do see it if I look very closely.

Also, second question, I will be making the DIY CO2 kit. how is the best way to difuse it? Should I just get one of those little stones that has a connector for an airhose? With the new light (3.25 w/g) and CO2, can I get away with not fertalizing? I will most likly be going with java moss. as for taller plants im not sure but fro the look of what I have seen with >3 w/g I can go with most plants.

 

[joy13]

The best way I have found to diffuse the DIY CO2 is a limewood airstone. They cost about 3 bucks. I put it near the intake of my HOB filter.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

The best way I have found to diffuse the DIY CO2 is a limewood airstone. They cost about 3 bucks. I put it near the intake of my HOB filter.

Good Idea thanks. I cant put it IN the filter can I ?

 

[joy13]

Yes you can put your line in your filter too I just like being able to check on the bubble count without pulling it out. Another thing you might can try and it is nearly free is a piece of chopstick.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Bouble count????

just to make sure you are still getting some bubles right? Or is ther a certain amount I should look for

 

[fort384]

So... I finaly purchased the light today .

I have a very slight algee problem (I can see it starting to grow on the glass in little tiny green spots) and I want to know how to get rid of it before I start with the plants. Should I "black it out" with blankets or dark paper and leave the light off for 2-3 days (I remember reading that would kill algee)? Do I even have an algee problem lol. It is not everywhere but I do see it if I look very closely.

Also, second question, I will be making the DIY CO2 kit. how is the best way to difuse it? Should I just get one of those little stones that has a connector for an airhose? With the new light (3.25 w/g) and CO2, can I get away with not fertalizing? I will most likly be going with java moss. as for taller plants im not sure but fro the look of what I have seen with >3 w/g I can go with most plants.

As for the Algae, you are always going to have some. Those mag float algae cleaners work really well... I usually just brush the glass off 2-3 times a week, only takes a second.

With 65W over a 20Gal, you can try to stay away from ferts, but my guess is, you are going to end up bottoming out on 1 or more nutrients. It all depends though on the types of plants, and the lighting duration. You could give it a go, and always add in a fert regiment later if it becomes necessary.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Now for the moss... I need something for it to grab onto right. But not cotton. what would be the best corse of action? Say a hair net over a rock to start with?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

I had to jump in on this thread with a few questions of my own. I have a 55g planted community tank and have some plants doing great, some stagnant, some not so well.

I have 2x32W T8 Phillips Natural Sunshine full spectrum 5000K bulbs. Are these the wrong color temp? I wasn't aware that plants required a minimum of 6500K, one person posted that it didn't matter, that the K value was only related to how we humans see the light, so was that completely wrong?

I had been trying to find a decent inexpensive bulb, and this is the one I came up with at the hardware store. The aquarium bulbs in LFS's are just way too expensive, I'd spend $100-$200/year on those!! Any other options??

As for the plants, I dose 1/wk w/Flourish 1 cap. I started with 2 Vallisneria, now I think I have 12 or 13. They duplicate like mad. No problems with those.

I have an Echinodorus Rose (best I can determine) that had a few leaves die off at first (when the tank had salt in it for holistic treatment, the salt has been cycled out with PWCs) and now it looks ok, has new growth, but the new leaves are VERY slow growing. Is this normal?

Here's that one:

Closer...

I have an Echinodorus Bleheri that is holding it's own very nicely, have to prune the older leaves because of diatom brown buildup (phosphate issue), but the new growth is healthy and at a decent rate.
Here's that one

Mondo grass clumps do nothing, but I've also read they're not aquatic. In my tank, they're great for the brown algae to grow on.

The problem plant is my sword. About a month after I got it, I realized it was 2 plants, and it came apart without cutting. I had so much brown algae that I just went ahead and cut off all the large leaves to let the new growth take over. Plenty of roots on both halves, but the smaller one had all of it's leaves deteriorate, roots look OK so I re-planted it in hopes it will grow back. The larger one is holding on, but I don't know for how much longer.

Here's the thriving Vals and the dying Swords (you can see what's left of the leafless sword in the open gravel area if you look close)

Can anything be done, also wanting to avoid CO2.

 

[fort384]

Floyd,
The general consensus is you need at least 6500K to be optimum for plants. I would say your brown algae problem is indicative of a lighting issue.

Also, what kind of flourish are you dosing? If it is excel (carbon source), dosing once a week isn't going to do much for you. You have to dose that stuff like every other day.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Floyd,
The general consensus is you need at least 6500K to be optimum for plants. I would say your brown algae problem is indicative of a lighting issue.

Also, what kind of flourish are you dosing? If it is excel (carbon source), dosing once a week isn't going to do much for you. You have to dose that stuff like every other day.

I'm using the standard Flourish. The algae is being caused by high phospate levels and I have yet to pin down the source, but it is most likely the driftwood I have in there according to LFS, but I have yet to take it out into a bucket for a week or so and see if the levels rise. Right now, my test kit goes to 5ppm and it's well over that. LFS says they have a lot of problems with the water quality in my city, including Phos >10ppm one day, but mine tests minimal after 48 hrs to let CL offgas to get an accurate test, but I've only done that once, so I'm assuming it's the driftwood. That accounts for the brown diatom, which is generally going away (on glass at least, not the rainbow rock or wood) and is being taken over by green hair.

So where do I get inexpensive 6500K+ full spectrum bulbs?

 

[fort384]

check online - there a few light bulb suppliers that may carry something that will fit your fixture. That is some high phospate! Anything over 1 ppm is probably too much.

It is tough, there are phosphate remover additives you can put in the media of your filter, but it is a balancing act -- you need some P for your plants.

When you say "standard" which kind is it? Is it the "Flourish Comprehensive" ? They make a lot of different liq ferts.