Planted/Dirted Tank Help

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Nolan99

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
73
So it has almost been a year since I have set up this dirted tank. I added miracle grow potting mix (about an inch) and then topped it off with gravel (about an inch). I then added some plants to the aquarium. The only thing is I have never seen this explosive growth everyone seems to talk about! Am I doing something wrong? I attached a picture of the tank today. In the front and in the back right corner from the beginning I have had those amazon swords. They have continued to grow but sometimes the leaves are pale and aren't as green or shaped like everybody else's. In the front right I have an anubias on a rock that has always done well. In the middle back I have rotala indica that has grown green but hasn't just started growing very fast. The far back left I have just recently gotten cryptocorne spiralisis that has been growing well but the leaves always fall down. (that may be because the filter outlet is there but I am not so sure) Also, when I set up the tank initially I added jungle val but that died totally, recently I added italian val and that died too. Finally, I have on a log in the front left java fern that was growing great but ever since I have added liquid carbon (LFS told me that might help) it has not been growing as well. I have 2, 18 watt T5's that are 6700K. This is a 36 gallon tank. Please help! What plants should I get, what adjustments should I make so I can get lots of growth like those tanks I see. Do I just need to buy more plants? Sorry for the rant, help is very much appreciated!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4707.JPG
    IMG_4707.JPG
    30.2 KB · Views: 435
Dirt is not an automatic win in an aquarium. I had dirted tanks and imho they just aren't really that beneficial.. I actually just undirted my 40g and am about to undirt my 20g. A healthy planted tank requires a well kept balance between lights, co2, and fertilizer as well as proper plant selection.

What lights do you have?
What size tank is it?
What carbon source do you have?
What ferts do you have?
 
I don't have a darted tank yet. Been planning one for a while now and We just had a guy talk abt dirted tanks at our club a month back. He said to get better benefits don't gravel cap it. Use a turf fertilizer like a sports field would. And don't pack the dirt too hard. Just thought I would pass this along. Happy tanking.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Ahh tiger, you terror! It's cause of you and that tank that I just built a DIY co2. I might have a few questions if your interested in helping a brother out.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Tiger terror do you have any suggestions for what I should do with my tank to get it like yours?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Tiger terror do u have any suggestions for what I should do with my tank to get it like urs?

I'll help you if I can but let's start with a description of what I've got going on..
Lighting:
1 finnex planted+ led
1 finnex stingray led
(both 30" fixtures both on timers)
Photoperiod of 6hrs total

Filtration:
1 302 sunsun canister

Flow:
1 koralia 240 powerhead
1 eheim 350 nano skimmer

Substrate:
1 1/2" 100% organic dirt no additives(I added water to the dirt to make it a thick mud consistency during which I added osmocote+)
1 1/2" sand cap with small pebbles

Ferts:
PPS-PRO dosing regimen purchased from GLA online

Pressurized CO2:
Aquatech Premium regulator w/solenoid on a timer
Inline co2 atomizer installed in the tubing on the return side of the canister filter

sit in silence
 
Dirt is not an automatic win in an aquarium. I had dirted tanks and imho they just aren't really that beneficial.. I actually just undirted my 40g and am about to undirt my 20g. A healthy planted tank requires a well kept balance between lights, co2, and fertilizer as well as proper plant selection.

What lights do you have?
What size tank is it?
What carbon source do you have?
What ferts do you have?
Whew, reread the post and i must've had a brain fart at the wall of text :) you have most of the info in your post :)
Here's an example of my high tech dirted tank(be aware that there is more than this tank being Dirted that makes it successfull)...
http://i.imgur.com/arlQley.jpg

sit in silence
Fwiw this was a low tech tank i grew out with medium light non dirted

WKqbyuBh.jpg
 
Tiger terror do u have any suggestions for what I should do with my tank to get it like urs?
With your current lights you are in the low light region. This is likely why youve had difficulty with a lot of plants and also a contributor to the slow growth of your plants.

Plants that work well for this light level are crypts, bolbitus, anubias, java fern, and java moss.

If you wanted to add a 2 bulb t5ho fixture or equivalent led fixture it would move you up to medium light. The pps pro and liquid carbon you use would work well for you at this light level and open up a ton of plant options..

Medium light plants:

Background - Ludwigia repens, cabomba
Midground - Stargrass, vesuvius (this plant is super hardy), red tiger lotus, and water wisteria.
Foreground - Star repens

Vals usually have a rough time with liquid carbon whoch will often make them melt. You can try them, but there are no guarantees.

You are also going to have to refresh the osnocote underneath your root feeding plants as it gets exhausted in a few months.
 
Mebbid your pic doesn't show...my interest along with the op's has surely been sparked...

sit in silence
 
With your current lights you are in the low light region. This is likely why youve had difficulty with a lot of plants and also a contributor to the slow growth of your plants.

Plants that work well for this light level are crypts, bolbitus, anubias, java fern, and java moss.

If you wanted to add a 2 bulb t5ho fixture or equivalent led fixture it would move you up to medium light. The pps pro and liquid carbon you use would work well for you at this light level and open up a ton of plant options..

Medium light plants:

Background - Ludwigia repens, cabomba
Midground - Stargrass, vesuvius (this plant is super hardy), red tiger lotus, and water wisteria.
Foreground - Star repens

Vals usually have a rough time with liquid carbon whoch will often make them melt. You can try them, but there are no guarantees.

You are also going to have to refresh the osnocote underneath your root feeding plants as it gets exhausted in a few months.

I agree with Mebbid 100% ,very well put..
Good show!

sit in silence
 
Back
Top Bottom