Beginner to planted tanks

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Pcollins0901

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
236
Location
Prestonsburg, KY
Hello,
I am new to the forum and still figuring out how to navigate around, so please bare with me.

I recently started my first planted tank and need any advice some of you more seasoned hobbiest can give.

My setup
55 gallon
Hood on tank equipt with 4 18" 15 Watt Lamp, T8 Floramax lights
DIY co2 applicator (yeast)

I applied the substrate a gent at petco advised. Bought approx. a dozen fish and multiple species of plants for the tank.

So, I got everything set up and planted. A couple months after initial set up I noticed my plants seemed to look very unhealthy. I had one fish kill where all but 4 fish remain. Also, I only have 3 plants still alive and several of those look rough. I never really seen any growth and flourish of the plants. They seemed to narrow and increase in height "towards the light". I got very busy with work and never got to do the water changes like I needed to, which could have been the cause of the fish kill. At the time I had no co2 going into the tank. Thought maybe pH changed swiftly and caused the kill. Not sure though.

Anyways, the tank water was changed just yesterday and the 4 remaining fish look healthy and I applied the DIY yeast co2 applicator, which is working well. I did order a diffuser bc I'm losing the majority of the co2, as the bubbles are to big with the diy diffuser I made.

I am really wanting to have a beautiful green tank with neatly plants and fish.

I am looking for relatively low maintemce though.

Basically, any advice on what kinds of plant species I need to get for the light setup would be appreciated, as well as, how I need to monitor the water Chem.

If someone could explain how to attach photos I could sent a few pics of my struggling setup.

I'm happy to be here and appreciate any help.

thanks, PJ
 
I included a couple pics of my setup!
 

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Quick fix to a misunderstanding I made. Some reason I thought I had 4 of the 15 Watt bulbs, but after inspection each hood only houses a single bulb. So, I have a 55 gallon tank lighted with a total of 30 watts. I'm sure this is one of the main reasons I'm struggling with my vegetation. Anyone know of a good 100+ watt lighting system at an affordable cost?
 
I cant see all of the plants. I see a ribbon and lucky bambo. They are not aquatic. The ribbon may not last long term. The bamboo need to be above water line.

Lighting options are endless. Your not heavily planted. You have diy co2. I would decide what your future plans are. Then decide what light you want to get.
 
New setup

Thanks for the reply!

I just ordered a finnex planted 24/7 lighting system (48")

A vegetation Order which includes
Java fern, Marimo moss balls, moneywort, anubias barteri, and java fern from aquatic arts.

Also, a API pH and KH test kit so I can estimate my co2 levels and adjust accordingly. From what I have read, I want around 30ppm.

I'm hoping this gets me on track to what I want. I don't have a specific theme in my head but do have some specific looks. Iv got some drift wood in my current setup, which I like but I am going to eliminate one of the two to take away cluttering. The tank is only 12" wide but 48" long. Also, I will prob take out the sandstone rocks in it now and apply some smaller slate rocks and stack them creating cavities for fish to hide. I plan to apply java moss on the wood as well as the slate. On one end of the tank, I want to have a diversity of lush high growing vegetation. So from left to right: diverse lush high growing vegetation, slate rocks with java moss, them on right side of tank the wood with java moss.

I would love to have a carpet along the bottom of the tank. Any specific advice for that in regards to my setup?

Again, thanks for any advice
 
I am a finnex fan. I also am a big fan of aquatic arts.

The plants you ordered are great user friendly plants. I have those except no moss balls.

Tons of carpet options. Only advice ill say is think outside the box. People always discuss the typical carpet plants (s.repens, hc, ect) there are alot of choices if your not looking for a tight lawn look.
 
I think I want. More of a tight lawn look. I wish I could remember exactly what I put in for substrate. I know the first layer was a bag with dark looking substarte. Then I applied a layer of course gravel. Each was purchased from a local pet store. Can I get a functioning lawn type carpet on top of the course gravel that u can see in the photos I attached previously?

The substrate is about 1.5-2 inch thick throughout the tank.
 
Possible yes but probably not easy. Depends on the plant lights co2 ect. Takes time to get a carpet.

Sand would be my substrate of choice if I were doing a carpet. Be it that you have gravel again maybe think outside the box. Google cyrpt parva carpet. Would work well in gravel.

Also possible to switch out substrate or just and area.
 
I like the looks of the c. Parva carpet but I don't want it throughout the tank. I think it would look cool to move the gravel from the center of the tank towards the outside making the substrate slightly higher on the outside. Try and do the C. Parva carpet there and apply some "sand?" In the middle and do a more dense carpet in the middle of the tank.

U kinda seeing what I have in my head?
 
Ya I think so. Remember its your tank. If your happy its all that matters. Your off to great start.
P. Helferi is also a great plant that I love. Grows well user friendly and can make a non traditional carpet. These kinds of carpets are low maintenance.
 
Would java moss make a carpet? If so, how would one go about attaching it to substrate?

I was planning on thread of possibly super glue for the wood and rocks.
 
You can glue it too stuff. Use gel superglue.

You can smash between mesh. Like plastic or metal. Window screens even. Lay it on substrate. It wont make a tight carpet. Kinda wild and messy to trim.

Makes a killer wall. Like on a back of a tank. Best thing about java moss is it has tons of uses. 20161211_130040.jpg
 
Since I will now have an adequate light source for my tank, what's kinds of nutrients will I need to add. I know what they need but what brands can be purchased and how frequent will I need to apply anything if at all?
 
Decide what method first do your research

Pps
Ei
Liquid

Ei will be cheapest. Probably the most common. I use liquid (seachem products).
 
I use PPS-Pro in my low light, low maintenance 30 gallon tank. There's no need for a truckload of nutrients in a low maintenance setup. An adjusted EI routine can also be used. More people tend to use EI for high tech, high light tanks due to the need for a lot of nutrients, but one can still use PPS-Pro.

Crypt parva is a great plant, but it grows REALLY slow. If you are impatient, it's probably not the plant for you. If you don't mind a really slow growing plant, it'd be the perfect plant for you.
 
Blyxa japonica will give u a nice lawn in gravel. However I think it's a high light / high co2 kind of plant.

I think u will struggle to get to 30ppm with DIY. However I'm not a fan of DIY at all. I had it on my 30 for about a month before I got frustrated with it and went to pressurised.

If u have the money I high recommend getting pressurised, then you can grow anything your want.
 
Yeah, I think I'm going to upgrade to pressurized in the future. I'm going to try the DIY first and see what I can come up with dissolved CO2 wise.

Iv got new equipment on the way. Should all be here by mid January. I'm going to redo everything, add the new light, apply all the new plants. I will take some pics through the process and keep y'all updated through the process.

I think I have decided to try a carpet with java moss. Seems to be pretty easy from what I have read and long as I keep it trimmed down. I have unlimited access to slate rock so I will prob go that route.

I'm contemplating doing away with the gravel. I have a sieve I might use to take out out from the floramax substrate. But somemkre of the floramax and just build it up in the back and in the corners to give it some depth. I think the theme I'm shooting for will look much better with solid dark substrate.

I will keep y'all updated!

Thanks
 
Yeah, I think I'm going to upgrade to pressurized in the future. I'm going to try the DIY first and see what I can come up with dissolved CO2 wise.

Iv got new equipment on the way. Should all be here by mid January. I'm going to redo everything, add the new light, apply all the new plants. I will take some pics through the process and keep y'all updated through the process.

I think I have decided to try a carpet with java moss. Seems to be pretty easy from what I have read and long as I keep it trimmed down. I have unlimited access to slate rock so I will prob go that route.

I'm contemplating doing away with the gravel. I have a sieve I might use to take out out from the floramax substrate. But somemkre of the floramax and just build it up in the back and in the corners to give it some depth. I think the theme I'm shooting for will look much better with solid dark substrate.

I will keep y'all updated!

Thanks


Look forward to seeing your progress ;) just remember the golden rule. Don't go too strong with your light or your co2 won't keep up
 
Look forward to seeing your progress ;) just remember the golden rule. Don't go too strong with your light or your co2 won't keep up

I plan to keep the light system I bought on the 24/7 mode. Just to let it do its thing. For co2 as of now I will be running two diy co2 systems. One with yeast and one with baking soda and citric acid. The citric acid system I got off ebay and it will have a bubble counter and diffuser on it. It's suppose to be a lot more effecient than the yeast generated one.

We will see. I'm
Hoping my plants do so well I have to upgrade my co2 to keep up ?!!! I'm attacking it with a lot more knowledge than the 1st time, but I ain't getting my hopes up yet.
 
Look forward to seeing your progress ;) just remember the golden rule. Don't go too strong with your light or your co2 won't keep up

I plan to keep the light system I bought on the 24/7 mode. Just to let it do its thing. For co2 as of now I will be running two diy co2 systems. One with yeast and one with baking soda and citric acid. The citric acid system I got off ebay and it will have a bubble counter and diffuser on it. It's suppose to be a lot more effecient than the yeast generated one.

We will see. I'm
Hoping my plants do so well I have to upgrade my co2 to keep up ?!!! I'm attacking it with a lot more knowledge than the 1st time, but I ain't getting my hopes up yet.
 
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