High Tech 10 Gallon

[Aquatic_Adam]

Hey all!

I recently moved into an apartment and wanted to keep my aquarium hobby going. Since it is an apartment I didn't want to set up a large aquarium. I have 2 10 gallon tanks that I would like to turn into higher tech planted tanks. Anyone have lighting suggestions or prior experience?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

These are the tanks that I want to upgrade the lighting. Both have a mix of Eco-Complete Plant Substrate and Flourite.


View attachment 102639

This tank has a Croaking Gourami, 3 Hi-Spot Rasboras, 3 Kuhli Loaches, and 2 Beckford's Pencilfish. Plants consist of mostly low light plants like Anubis Nana, Java Fern, Bronze Crypt.


View attachment 102640

This tank is my Pygmy Cory tank. Has 4 Habrosus and 6 Pygmaeus along with a lone CPD (trying to find more). Plants are same as other tank with added Bolbitis and Dwarf Sag.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Anyone?

 

[Coursair]

There are stickies at the top of this Planted Forum. Read up on CO2. You'll need at least DIY CO2 if you want to go high tech.

High Light - CO2 - and proper Ferts. Many use EI ( Estimative Index) dosing. You offer lots of light lots of CO2 and Ferts and change 50% of the water weekly.

You have to have CO2 or you'll just grow Algae !
CO2 is only on during the day and run a bubble wand at night if needed. If fish are at the top turn down CO2 !!

I love dwarf Corys !! I have habrosus.

What kind of lights do you have now ?

I am NOT an High Tech user. My tanks are Low Tech. I grow a ton of plants. I'm too lazy to deal with High Tech. My club members have some awesome tanks, but I enjoy mine. See mine on my profile or linked in my Sig Line below.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Well. Sadly on the tank with the Croaking Gourami, all it has is window light. Luckily, all I have in there are low light plants. The Corydoras tank has the stock 10 light that just got replaced to the FloraMax bulb plus light from the window. So algae yet.

I love me some pygmy corys too

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Something that I kinda wanted to get into was selling some stuff. My plan was to get a 20L to serve as a high tec planted for plant retail and also a grow out tank for species that I will breed. I realize that it in all reality that I won't be making money but it just seems like fun to me

 

[Coursair]

Well. Sadly on the tank with the Croaking Gourami, all it has is window light. Luckily, all I have in there are low light plants. The Corydoras tank has the stock 10 light that just got replaced to the FloraMax bulb plus light from the window. So algae yet.

I love me some pygmy corys too

I use two 10 watt mini CFLs on my Shrimp Jungle. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=175664

My other 10g uses an expensive LED fixture. I love how it looks on my rimless 10g
Similar PAR to my other 10g
http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=72_74&products_id=667

My tanks are heavily planted. So I don't have much Algae. No window light. Lights are on timers for 8 hours a day.

 

[Coursair]

Something that I kinda wanted to get into was selling some stuff. My plan was to get a 20L to serve as a high tec planted for plant retail and also a grow out tank for species that I will breed. I realize that it in all reality that I won't be making money but it just seems like fun to me

Some of my club members have "farm " tanks and sell rare Erios and Crypts. Others sell fast growing easy species. Check out The Planted Tank Forums ( free to join, only members can see sales threads ). Several of my plant club sell via that site.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Some of my club members have "farm " tanks and sell rare Erios and Crypts. Others sell fast growing easy species. Check out The Planted Tank Forums ( free to join, only members can see sales threads ). Several of my plant club sell via that site.

I'm assuming that you can sell fish that way too? It's just something that strikes my fancy. And I mean if I can semi-alleviate the price of the hobby I'd consider that a win.

 

[Coursair]

I'm assuming that you can sell fish that way too? It's just something that strikes my fancy. And I mean if I can semi-alleviate the price of the hobby I'd consider that a win.

Fish are harder. No one needs the easy ones.
I don't know anyone making a living off it, but another club member breeds Corys.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Yeah, I mean I have a big boy engineering job to live off of, but reducing the cost of the hobby whilst learning new things about breeding fish sounds like a win win to me.

By chance, could you post some pictures of your 10g planted? And maybe some pics of the lights alone too? If not I understand.