Need help with planted 20g long plzz

[Bb2jdm]

Hi I had a tank laying around so I decided I want to turn it to a planted tank. I really want to have a carpet of baby tear. That's my goal. All I have now is the substrate that I need for a planted tank and little bit of drift wood. So basically I would like to kno what i need to buy to reach my goal. like what type of lighting I would need, what co2 system u would recommend..... If I just dose my tank with seachem excel would I still need a co2 system? I kno nothing about planted tanks so any info would b appreciated. Thanks

 

[jacpr233]

Hi Bb, baby tears is a hard plant to deal with. Patient is the #1 priority. You would need bright lights and pressurized co2 for them. Excel is a replacement for co2 but is not as good and in the long run, it becomes more expensive. I would recommend for you to do research before you get into the high tech planted tanks. I started without doing research and wasted hundreds of dollars cuz my set up was wrong. Do your homework and it will pay off at the end.

 

[Rivercats]

For dwarf baby tears you need high light for it to grow and carpet at it's best. A 20L is shallow so you might be able to do a 2 bulb T5HO fixture. I would put 1-6700K bulb and 1-10000K bulb. Dwarf baby tears will do best with CO2 but is the one carpeting plant that will do well (just fill in a bit slower) with either Excel, Glutaraldehyde, or API CO2 Booster. I use Glutaraldehyde, which costs me about $27 for 2-1/2 gallons. It's very economical to use. I run a high light, heavily planted tank and only use Glut. You can see the growth I get for yourself if your interested.... http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/220g-planted-newly-rescaped-231568.html.

Here is the info on the Glut...

Glutaraldehyde is a liquid carbon and is the same as Excel, even smells identical to it. I have never had any losses, fish, shrimp, snails and I use a higher than normal dose (which if you read the excel bottle says you can increase dosage slowly in high growth tanks) and I've used it for quite a long time. Used to use Excel but when I got the info on mixing Glut and RO to get an equalivant dose to Excel I haven't looked back. Glut is 2.6x stronger than Excel so I get this...
Glutaraldehyde Cold Sterilization Solution 14 day 1 Gallon: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific and mix this one gallon of Glut to 1-1/2 gallons of RO water to get 2-1/2 gallons of Glut for $27 dollars. Look up how much Excel would be for 2-1/2 gallons. I dose 1ml per 5 gallon(due to my high light and plant load) but you would need to dose 1ml per 10 gallons. It's never melted anything, not even the Corkscrew Val. Also these products, Excel, API CO2 Booster, and Glut all breakdown in the aquarium in the range of 11 to 24 hours depending on what research you use. That is why you use it daily.

I would carpet the front of the tank but also add some other plants to the back of the tank, especially if you are going to go higher light. Some good ones for that size tank would be water sprite (fast grower and uses alot of excess nutrients in the water) as it grows quickly and is easy to trim to desired height and shape. A couple Crypt Wendtii Red or Bronze to add a non-green color. Some Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii) and some Myriophyllum tuberculatum to add some color. The Alternanthera has bronzey green upper leaves and hot pink under leaves. The Tuberculatum is an orangey color with more dark red orange new growth in bright tanks. Also these plants will give you different leaf texture and shape along with some color.

 

[Lardeelion]

For dwarf baby tears you need high light for it to grow and carpet at it's best. A 20L is shallow so you might be able to do a 2 bulb T5HO fixture. I would put 1-6700K bulb and 1-10000K bulb. Dwarf baby tears will do best with CO2 but is the one carpeting plant that will do well (just fill in a bit slower) with either Excel, Glutaraldehyde, or API CO2 Booster. I use Glutaraldehyde, which costs me about $27 for 2-1/2 gallons. It's very economical to use. I run a high light, heavily planted tank and only use Glut. You can see the growth I get for yourself if your interested.... http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/220g-planted-newly-rescaped-231568.html.

Here is the info on the Glut...

Glutaraldehyde is a liquid carbon and is the same as Excel, even smells identical to it. I have never had any losses, fish, shrimp, snails and I use a higher than normal dose (which if you read the excel bottle says you can increase dosage slowly in high growth tanks) and I've used it for quite a long time. Used to use Excel but when I got the info on mixing Glut and RO to get an equalivant dose to Excel I haven't looked back. Glut is 2.6x stronger than Excel so I get this...
Glutaraldehyde Cold Sterilization Solution 14 day 1 Gallon: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific and mix this one gallon of Glut to 1-1/2 gallons of RO water to get 2-1/2 gallons of Glut for $27 dollars. Look up how much Excel would be for 2-1/2 gallons. I dose 1ml per 5 gallon(due to my high light and plant load) but you would need to dose 1ml per 10 gallons. It's never melted anything, not even the Corkscrew Val. Also these products, Excel, API CO2 Booster, and Glut all breakdown in the aquarium in the range of 11 to 24 hours depending on what research you use. That is why you use it daily.

I would carpet the front of the tank but also add some other plants to the back of the tank, especially if you are going to go higher light. Some good ones for that size tank would be water sprite (fast grower and uses alot of excess nutrients in the water) as it grows quickly and is easy to trim to desired height and shape. A couple Crypt Wendtii Red or Bronze to add a non-green color. Some Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii) and some Myriophyllum tuberculatum to add some color. The Alternanthera has bronzey green upper leaves and hot pink under leaves. The Tuberculatum is an orangey color with more dark red orange new growth in bright tanks. Also these plants will give you different leaf texture and shape along with some color.

Rivercats, would you recommend a plant novice give this glut mixture a try? It seems simple enough but it's taken me years to grow a tomato plant, so I'm nervous.

 

[Rivercats]

There is nothing to it. You mix it with RO water. Do throw away the little activator bottle that comes with the Glut. You want to use it. Also store the Glut in total light blocking containers as light will render the Glut useless. Using Glut is the same as using Excel, no difference. Well actually the difference is paying $27 for 2-1/2 gallons of Glut or paying about $150ish for that much Excel. There is nothing to be worried about as Glut and or CO2 only aid plant growth.

 

[Lardeelion]

Would I be an idiot if I asked where one gets reverse osmosis water?

 

[Rivercats]

Alot of grocery stores have RO water stations where you fill your jugs. Some fish stores have them also but grocery stores usually sell it pretty cheap. But remember you have to store the Glut in light blocking jugs/bottles. The Glut comes in such a bottle but you still would need 2 more gallon bottles/jugs.

 

[Bb2jdm]

Thank u all for the info. How much would it cost to by that type of lighting?

 

[Lardeelion]

Alot of grocery stores have RO water stations where you fill your jugs. Some fish stores have them also but grocery stores usually sell it pretty cheap. But remember you have to store the Glut in light blocking jugs/bottles. The Glut comes in such a bottle but you still would need 2 more gallon bottles/jugs.

What about distilled as a backup choice?

 

[Rivercats]

Thank u all for the info. How much would it cost to by that type of lighting?

There are many different brands that range in price from reasonable to expensive. Some brands are also better than other so you need to look up those types of fixtures, look at their prices, and most of all read reviews of what people have to say about them.

 

[Rivercats]

What about distilled as a backup choice?

Yes I do believe you can use DI water since it is also a purified water. When I was researching Glut before changing over from Excel I just remember always seeing mix with RO. Do some reseach and see if you can find any information on it.

 

[Lardeelion]

Yes I do believe you can use DI water since it is also a purified water. When I was researching Glut before changing over from Excel I just remember always seeing mix with RO. Do some reseach and see if you can find any information on it.

All indications are that it would be a suitable substitute.

Sorry for hijacking the thread!