10G Planted Picture Journal

[Fishperson]

OK, so after about 3 weeks' delay, I finally have the time to set up this tank. I was going to, but I was busy for awhile, so now I am back at it! I've been reading so many Journals by people lately (mostly by Brian_Nano12G), and I decided I will do one for this tank. This is my first ever planted tank, which means lots of questions (I've been asking all of them in this thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/plant-questions-271811.html), but thanks to many people (specifically but not only Rivercats and Brian_Nano12G), I think I've mostly gotten through that phase. Here are the specs on the tank:

Equipment:
Filter- Fluval 105
Heater- Aqueon 50W Submersible Heater*
Standard 10 Gallon tank (20x10x12)
Finnex Fugeray LED 7000k Light
Top Fin Floating Glass Aquarium Thermometer*
Black Background*
CO2 Drop Checker* (not sure what brand yet, recommendations are welcome)

Hardscape:
Substrate- Eco Complete
White Sand*
Décor- Rocks (in pictures)
Driftwood*
Fauna:
-12 Celestial Pearl Danios*
-10 Red Cherry Shrimp*

Flora:
These are plants I am interested in, I probably won't have all of these.
-Java moss*
-Java fern*
-Crypt parva*
-Crypt wendtii*
-Vallisneria americana ‘natans’, ‘mini twister’*
-Blyxa japonica*
-Dwarf Hairgrass*
-Dwarf Hygrophila*
-Dwarf Hygrophila “sunset”*
-Water Wisteria*
-Giant Ambulia*
-Windelov*
-Riccia fluitans*

Fertilizer:
-API Leaf Zone*
-Seachem Flourish Excel*
-Seachem Flourish Comprehensive*
-Seachem Flourish Root Tabs*

*I have not acquired this yet

So anyway, that's my setup thus far. The system only lets me post 4 pictures in one post, so I'll post the other ones separately. I'll post anything new on here.

Thanks for reading!!!

Here are pictures 1-4.

 

[Fishperson]

Here are pics 5-8.

 

[Fishperson]

And, lastly, pic 9.

 

[Fishperson]

Here's a description of each picture:
#1 The rocks I collected. I got these from the beach, should I be worried about anything from the saltwater, or do I just wash these as normal?
#2 My bag of Eco Complete.
#3 A top view of the tank with the Fugeray on it.
#4 The tank with the regular, daylight lighting on, with rocks and Eco Complete next to it.
#5 The tank with the moonlight lighting on, with rocks and Eco Complete next to it.
#6 A spare tank for any fry I might get (just in case).
#7 A side view of the tank. The Fugeray is really slim!
#8 The filter, which is ridiculously big. That's a ruler standing up next to it!!
#9 The stand, with the tank on top, the canister filter in the middle, and the fugeray on the bottom.

Sorry for the bad quality and the pics being sideways!!! *throws iPod accross room*



Thanks for reading!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Hey thanks for the shout outs! Haha

Anyways...looks like you got nice equipment with lights and the 105. You going to do DIY CO2? As for those beach collected stones, I'd probably wash and soak them really well. Maybe even do a bleach or hydrogen peroxide dip before using them. Just don't boil them because some stones can explode... also look up vinegar test. You can test the stone to be sure they won't interfere with your TDS and kh/gh as shrimp are sensitive to elevated levels of those.

 

[brennae]

Following this thread. Nice equipment!!

 

[Fishperson]

Hey thanks for the shout outs! Haha

Anyways...looks like you got nice equipment with lights and the 105. You going to do DIY CO2? As for those beach collected stones, I'd probably wash and soak them really well. Maybe even do a bleach or hydrogen peroxide dip before using them. Just don't boil them because some stones can explode... also look up vinegar test. You can test the stone to be sure they won't interfere with your TDS and kh/gh as shrimp are sensitive to elevated levels of those.

Haha, anytime!

Yeah I've heard about the vinegar test, that's what I did for the rocks in my 20 gallon, and I'll do the same here. I know a bleach dip would be ideal, but I'll probably just pour hot water on them. What is TDS?

 

[Fishperson]

Following this thread. Nice equipment!!

Thanks. I got the fluval for a bargain. 65$!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

TDS = total dissolved solids

You can buy a TDS meter on Amazon cheap.. it's important for shrimp keeping/breeding... along with ph, kh/gh.

 

[Fishperson]

TDS = total dissolved solids

You can buy a TDS meter on Amazon cheap.. it's important for shrimp keeping/breeding... along with ph, kh/gh.

Oh, duh. I knew that. Totally.

 

[Dubs1281]

Instead of leaf zone, look for aqueon plant food. It has more nutrients.

 

[Fishperson]

Instead of leaf zone, look for aqueon plant food. It has more nutrients.

Hmmm...

I was told that seachem flourish is lacking in some stuff that leaf zone has (iron and potassium), and according to this website, flourish and the aqueon have the same stuff, with flourish having some extra minerals that aqueon doesn't, but I don't know. Any opinions on this? Anyway, this is what I read:

Leaf Zone
Total Nitrogen 0.07%
Available phosphate (P2O5) 0.01%
Soluble Potash 0.37%
calcium (Ca) 0.14%
magnesium (Mg) 0.11%
Sulfur (S) 0.2773%
Boron (B) 0.009%
Chlorine (Cl) 1.15%
Cobalt (Co) 0.0004%
Copper (Cu) 0.0001%
Iron (Fe) 0.32%
Manganese (Mn) 0.0118%
Molybdenum (Mo) 0.0009%
Sodium (Na) 0.13%
Zinc (Zn) 0.0007%

Aqueon Plant Food
Soluble Potash K20 - 1.0%
Calcium - 0.2%
Magnesium (Mg) 0.03%
Sulfur (S) 0.036%
Boron (B) 0.0006%
Iron (Fe) 0.12%
Manganese (Mn) 0.00008%
Molybdenum (Mo) 0.0035%
Zinc (Zn) 0.00012%

Non-Plant Food Ingredients:
Kelp Extract - 0.03%
Deionized water - 98.5%

I did notice, that seachem has a little bit of copper, and aqueon doesn't. Copper is bad for shrimp, right?, but is a little bit okay?

Now I'm confused...

 

[Fishperson]

My water has a TDS of 109 ppm, according to my city's water report.
Also:
Copper - .091 ppm
Total hardness - 33 ppm or 1.95 grains per gallon
Iron - .05 ppm
Silica - 3.44 ppm
Sulfate - 31 ppm

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yeah but the TDS can be altered once in your tank, dependent upon other factors like decor and substrate. A little bit of copper is okay for shrimp.

I'd stick to your original plan of ferts. I like Flourish, Excel, and use Leaf Zone occasionally for the extra Fe and K.

 

[Fishperson]

Alright, so should I dose a full dose of flourish and a halve dose of Leaf zone? Or something like that. Thanks for the help by the way...

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

To be honest... I think Rivercats would be best at answering the dosing questions. Right now I'm using PPS-Pro, which has been working well for me. When I used to use Flourish I basically just dosed per instructions on the bottle. The Leaf Zone I just did twice a week. I found that the Leaf Zone got my redish plants to develop more color.

 

[Rivercats]

I would dose both Comprehensive and Leaf Zone per the bottles instructions. Often when dry ferts aren't being used in a planted tank potassium deficiency becomes a problem (pin holes begin to develop in plant leaves). I found Leaf Zone really helps in the potassium department and as Brian said the extra bit of iron can help non green plants color up.

 

[Fishperson]

I would dose both Comprehensive and Leaf Zone per the bottles instructions. Often when dry ferts aren't being used in a planted tank potassium deficiency becomes a problem (pin holes begin to develop in plant leaves). I found Leaf Zone really helps in the potassium department and as Brian said the extra bit of iron can help non green plants color up.

Ok, thanks!

 

[Fishperson]

I'll be going to petsmart today to buy some stuff, I'll post pics when I get home. I was wondering, for fairly easy shrimp like RCS, do I really need a TDS test, especially since my TDS is fairly good as it is?

And also, should I buy a phosphate test kit? I am debating it...

 

[Fishperson]

So, I bought some more stuff, but not as much as I expected. I will order the heater today, because I found it for a better price online. Here's what I bought:

Top fin floating glass thermometer
Hikari micro pellets
Freeze dried brine shrimp
Caribsea super naturals white aquarium sand

Can't wait to start the hardscape!

I found the rocks yesterday, by the way.