Help with planted tank!

[Joostrom]

Want to set up my 10g half moon tank into a planted tank! Not sure what to use for a filter it's a tall tank.

 

[JokerWx13]

what kind of filter you get doesnt really affect the plants unless they dis/like high water flow. Just get a filter that matches the gallons you have if not a little bigger. remember, there is no such thing as being too clean a good hang off the back filter is the aquaclear 10 or if your planning to make it a shrimp tank, then get a sponge filter since shrimps love to pick food off the sponge.

 

[Joostrom]

Ok I have a 24w led light. Will I need something else and what would make for a nice Co2 injector?

 

[JokerWx13]

whoa i don't use co2 injectors in my tank lol sorry and 24w is plenty for a 10g. thats considered med-high light for you, that can grow a lot of plants

 

[Joostrom]

Ok perfect! What would make for a good shrimp tank what do they eat?

 

[JokerWx13]

shrimps eat anything that fish would but in smaller portions, they're meant to be bottom feeders buy a packet of algae wafers break one in half and that should be enough for a day or few

 

[Joostrom]

Do I need a Co2 kit for a ten gallon

 

[Joostrom]

Ha nevermind I just realized that I already asked that question

 

[Joostrom]

What kind of substrate should I use?

 

[JokerWx13]

i use a plant fertilizer substrate like eco-complete, other plant fertilizers are good too and you can find them in any local fish store

 

[Joostrom]

What kind of fish do you have in your tank?

 

[JokerWx13]

in my 20g high i currently have

6 neon tetra
1 gourami
3 otocinclus catfish
6 corydoras catfish
3 platy

no red cherry shrimp at the moment cuz my gourami eats them wasted a good 10 bucks figuring that out lol

 

[Joostrom]

With the fertilized substrate is it true that you can't have fish that dig?

 

[JokerWx13]

what kind of fish are you talking about? fish that literally dig into the substrate or fish that sift through it to find food?

 

[Joostrom]

For example the fulval fertilized substrate says that not you have fish that disturbs the substrate

 

[JokerWx13]

i don't know much fish that do that...but that's because i only keep small community fish. only if you plan on getting oscars or something should u worry. small bottom feeders like cories don't do much except turn over a few pieces to look for food. the reason its bad is because
a)it could kick up quite a lot of nutrients which will lead to algae blooms
b)it could kick up quite a bit of fish poop which can lead to an ammonia spike

 

[Joostrom]

Oh ok thanks so much for all this awesome info! So things like algae eaters are ok?

 

[JokerWx13]

actually depends on the algae eaters, most plecos get rlly big and destroy plants and dig them up

 

[Joostrom]

I was thinking a cat fish or chinese algae eaters

 

[JokerWx13]

chinese algae eaters are horrible cuz they dont eat algae at all >.> siamese algae eaters are a good replacement for it but they grow up to 6 inches long...and what kinda catfish are u thinking of? plecos are catfish too...