Need advice for 2 tanks

[GodFan]

Alright I have 2 tanks that I wanna grow plants in but Im poor and need a cheap way to do it lol first tank:
56 collumn 2 foot tall.
In this tank I just want some low lighters. I actually think some vals would look amazing but my luck with them has been zero. What kind of lighting do I need to grow vals and low light plants? Also I am using a sand substrate and dont want to buy root tabs so I was thinking of buying some eco complete or floramax and planting the plants in little pots of those. Suggestions?

Number 2
25 gallon 19 inches tall
I want to grow anubias and crypts. I might also try a moss or something. I think I definetly have plenty of light as I have a 2x 14W T5. Substrate is sand and I am not having much luck growing many plants. What is a great planting substrate (preferably black or dark brown)? Also if there is a substrate that helps make water better for red cherry shrimp. My water has like no calcium in it lol

Thanks for the help yall! God bless!

 

[GodFan]

Alright I have 2 tanks that I wanna grow plants in but Im poor and need a cheap way to do it lol first tank:
56 collumn 2 foot tall.
In this tank I just want some low lighters. I actually think some vals would look amazing but my luck with them has been zero. What kind of lighting do I need to grow vals and low light plants? Also I am using a sand substrate and dont want to buy root tabs so I was thinking of buying some eco complete or floramax and planting the plants in little pots of those. Suggestions?

Number 2
25 gallon 19 inches tall
I want to grow anubias and crypts. I might also try a moss or something. I think I definetly have plenty of light as I have a 2x 14W T5. Substrate is sand and I am not having much luck growing many plants. What is a great planting substrate (preferably black or dark brown)? Also if there is a substrate that helps make water better for red cherry shrimp. My water has like no calcium in it lol

Thanks for the help yall! God bless!

Anybody got anything?

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

For the first one, You could use the Finnex FugeRay if you were wanting a good LED brand, or a single bulb T5HO I think would work. Maybe a double if you want to grow the lower and compact plants. You still need root tabs in a planted tank, no matter the substrate IMO for best growth and health. The substrate traps the nutrients for the plants, but they need to get them from somewhere Why not just change the whole substrate to a plant one, and cap it with sand or something if you really want sand? For the second one, those are all low light plants, so you wouldnt need too much lighting, but 2 14w T5's should be fine. You can try java moss, xmas moss, and weeping moss is the only mosses I know of. I use Fluval Stratum in my large planted 60 gallon (link is in my sig - check it out!) and it grows my plants very well as you can see. I also use Eco Complete in another tank I have and it is good also, causes no clouding like the FS. For shrimp, Fluval Shrimp Stratum is a good one. I used it in my old invert tank and it is great. I am now using ADA's AquaSoil in one of my tanks and it is the best of the best. It is the most expensive tho. ADA has a rep for that lol...

 

[GodFan]

For the first one, You could use the Finnex FugeRay if you were wanting a good LED brand, or a single bulb T5HO I think would work. Maybe a double if you want to grow the lower and compact plants. You still need root tabs in a planted tank, no matter the substrate IMO for best growth and health. The substrate traps the nutrients for the plants, but they need to get them from somewhere Why not just change the whole substrate to a plant one, and cap it with sand or something if you really want sand? For the second one, those are all low light plants, so you wouldnt need too much lighting, but 2 14w T5's should be fine. You can try java moss, xmas moss, and weeping moss is the only mosses I know of. I use Fluval Stratum in my large planted 60 gallon (link is in my sig - check it out!) and it grows my plants very well as you can see. I also use Eco Complete in another tank I have and it is good also, causes no clouding like the FS. For shrimp, Fluval Shrimp Stratum is a good one. I used it in my old invert tank and it is great. I am now using ADA's AquaSoil in one of my tanks and it is the best of the best. It is the most expensive tho. ADA has a rep for that lol...

Wow thanks! I am on the app but I will try to check out your tank later. I dont want to do the sand cap because I am afraid that my fish (or me during maintance) will mess it up. I may still do root tabs buy I think the pots will look cool.
On tank 2. Should I do the ecocomplete and then just add some cuttkebone or something? Also I might try some dwarf four leaf clover....

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Oh ok I understand about the sand cap, and if you like the potted look go for it Ecocomplete does not need to have any additives in it except for your root tabs. Dwarf clover is also a good option.

 

[GodFan]

Oh ok I understand about the sand cap, and if you like the potted look go for it Ecocomplete does not need to have any additives in it except for your root tabs. Dwarf clover is also a good option.

Ok thanks so much! So eco complete will help with the no calcium thing?

 

[jmay33]

Dan has great advice! On top of that, I think it's also important to dose co2 and fertilizers like seachems flourish. Those things along with root tabs has made my plants thrive beautifully under mediocre lighting.

 

[GodFan]

Dan has great advice! On top of that, I think it's also important to dose co2 and fertilizers like seachems flourish. Those things along with root tabs has made my plants thrive beautifully under mediocre lighting.

Ok thanks! I actually have a big bottle of flourish still...

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Ok thanks so much! So eco complete will help with the no calcium thing?

You may need to use cuttlebone or add a small bag of crushed coral to your filter for calcium. Another option would be to add small amount of something like Microbe-Lift GMC which is calcium montmorillonite clay that's usually added to ponds for koi but is also used by many shrimp breeders. Eco Complete won't add calcium. You can use the API GH/KH test kit to see if you're getting enough calcium for the shrimp with whatever method you go with.

 

[jmay33]

Ok thanks! I actually have a big bottle of flourish still...

No problem! For co2, I've been using API CO2 booster, but I'm about to switch over to seachems excel. So that's a good alternative to having an expensive CO2 system. I'm a broke college student. I have to do most things the cheap way. Lol.

 

[Coursair]

There is a seller on here in the Mart selling Root caps for excellent prices. I have this kind in my tanks. Buy from hobbyists, much cheaper.

 

[GodFan]

You may need to use cuttlebone or add a small bag of crushed coral to your filter for calcium. Another option would be to add small amount of something like Microbe-Lift GMC which is calcium montmorillonite clay that's usually added to ponds for koi but is also used by many shrimp breeders. Eco Complete won't add calcium. You can use the API GH/KH test kit to see if you're getting enough calcium for the shrimp with whatever method you go with.

Ok thanks! Ill probably put a piece of cuttlebone on top of my sponge filter.

 

[GodFan]

No problem! For co2, I've been using API CO2 booster, but I'm about to switch over to seachems excel. So that's a good alternative to having an expensive CO2 system. I'm a broke college student. I have to do most things the cheap way. Lol.

Lol im a broke soon to be college student lol

 

[GodFan]

There is a seller on here in the Mart selling Root caps for excellent prices. I have this kind in my tanks. Buy from hobbyists, much cheaper.

Ok thanks!

 

[jmay33]

Lol im a broke soon to be college student lol

Lol. College will be worth it. we're lucky enough to be able to afford aquariums!

 

[GodFan]

Lol. College will be worth it. we're lucky enough to be able to afford aquariums!

I know! I gotta save up some college mulka though....

 

[Coursair]

No problem! For co2, I've been using API CO2 booster, but I'm about to switch over to seachems excel. So that's a good alternative to having an expensive CO2 system. I'm a broke college student. I have to do most things the cheap way. Lol.

You can also DIY a CO2 system. Or shop The Planted Tank. So far I've had great experiences buying from hobbyists. DIY CO2 is ok on tanks under 20g. Pressurized is best, but Excel or Glut ( generic Excel) is easy.

 

[GodFan]

You can also DIY a CO2 system. Or shop The Planted Tank. So far I've had great experiences buying from hobbyists. DIY CO2 is ok on tanks under 20g. Pressurized is best, but Excel or Glut ( generic Excel) is easy.

Ok thanks!

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

I don't know if I mentioned this, but I use pressurized CO2 on my tanks, it is the best, but it's the most expensive. DIY is very cheap and you can still get good results with it. I'm a terrible DIY guy and like the average american, I'm lazy and want things already made and handed to me, one reason why I went with pressurized lol for ferts, I dose PPS-Pro and root tabs, and my plants love it! For dry ferts, I really recommend PPS-Pro. I got my root tabs from aquariumplants.com and I also dose excel twice or three times a week.

 

[GodFan]

I don't know if I mentioned this, but I use pressurized CO2 on my tanks, it is the best, but it's the most expensive. DIY is very cheap and you can still get good results with it. I'm a terrible DIY guy and like the average american, I'm lazy and want things already made and handed to me, one reason why I went with pressurized lol for ferts, I dose PPS-Pro and root tabs, and my plants love it! For dry ferts, I really recommend PPS-Pro. I got my root tabs from aquariumplants.com and I also dose excel twice or three times a week.

Thanks! Yall are very helpful!