Couple more questions.

[ddawson]

I ordered a new Iwaki pump and plumping for less flow and 4 new T5 bulbs. I Bought 1 6000K, 2 11000K, and 1 420mn bulb

For the Substrate I need to order Eco-Complete. For a 40G tank how many bags do I need?

What is the preferred test kit for freshwater?

Do I need additive / fertilizer in the beginning stages and if so what do I get?

Cycling,

I’ve read here that you cycle the tank with the plants in the tank. I just want to verify the steps so I don’t make any mistakes.
I’m use to just using LiveRock from the ocean and a dead dinner shrimp to get everything going.

So can someone list of the steps please.

If there is anything I’m missing please let me know.

Dan

 

[dskidmore]

Substrate calculator: http://www.plantedtank.net/substratecalculator.html

My test collection is a hodgepodge of Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Seachem, and SeaTest. Anything will do really, as long as you make sure you have KH and pH for CO2 testing in planted aquaria, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for biological cycle checkup, and maybe GH to see if your tap water is too hard for use in the aquarium. There are all sorts of other supplemental tests that are useful. Generally the more expensive kits will measure more precisely, but there are very few parameters where that level of precision is needed in a planted aquarium.

The first supplement you will likely need under high light conditions is CO2. If you've got the budget for it, a CO2 cylinder with all the appropriate regulators would be the way to go, otherwise you can do DIY CO2. After you add CO2, you might consider dosing other nutrients. I recommend you do a search on PMDD for a good fertilizer recipe.

Cycling with plants is very easy. The plants come with some bacteria on them, and ammonia is one of their preferred fertilizers. Just plant your tank and put the dead shrimp in like you would with a live rock/saltwater tank. Monitor the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels for a week, and see how you're doing. You may never see an ammonia spike as the shrimp rots. If you don't see any ammonia spike in a couple weeks, you're definitely ready for fish. Cycling with plants is more sure-fire if you start with fast-growing plants like hornwort and eloda.

My last tank cycle I did with plants because someone had dumped a load of fish on me before I was ready for them. I just stocked up the tank with as many cheap plants as I could, and used a bucket of cycled gravel with an airstone in it for a filter. I never saw ammonia raise above 0.

There is one downside to cycling with plants. Since your plants are absorbing the ammonia instead of bacteria, you have to be careful whenever you loose your lights. Plants only absorb ammonia while lit, so a power outage may translate to lots of water changes.

 

[Purrbox]

You will also need the Nitrate kit for balancing nutrients along with a Phosphate kit.