Specs for 1st planted tank....

[hb3133]

Thanks for all the great information and thoughts. Thankfully I have a little expereince with FW tanks. I have a 20 high that has been up and running for over a year. This is my first attempt at a planted tank so I am taking it slow. I've been doing weeks of research (almost too much) and hopefully things will go okay. By the way, here is my plans and I wo would appreciate any thoughts, both positive or negative, from other members of the forum.

Like I said earlier, I have a ten gallon tank with two 15 compact flourescent bulbs. I am starting with a 2 inch layer of Eco-complete followed by a shallow layer of gravel. I have purchased a Marineland Neptune 50 watt heater and a AquaClear 5-20 gallon HOB filter. I order Bio-Spira from "Bernie the fish guy" which I received today. I ordered from him when I started my 20 gallon and the stuff worked great. I have two pieces of bogwood, which I have boiled for over 3 hours and now are soaking for a few days. I have order the following plants from the LFS:

Foreground:
1 petite nana
1 Anubas nana
1 dwarf sag

Middle:
1 congenis
2 java ferns
1 temple plant

Background:
1 hygrophilia polysperma

As far as fish, I was thinking of 8 glowlights or rummy nose tetras eventually followed by 2 or 3 oto cats.

From that point, It will be a learning adventure.

 

[Jchillin]

Your plan looks good. I would hesitate on the temple plant...they need a little more lighting (2+wpg) than you will have. Since you have a tall tank, you could also go with some longer growth plants such as vals for the background.

 

[newfound77951]

Any reason for the gravel over the Eco? When you gravel vacuum you'll end up mixing them up anyway.

Other than that your plan sounds well thought out and should work nicely. You might want to pick up some trace supplement and some potassium, possibly some Excel, too.

Post some pictures when you get it all going!

 

[JustOneMore20]

I would go with all Eco...the gravel will eventually mix in, defeating the purpose of putting it there in the first place. Eco is much better for your plants also.

I'd get more than one buch of dwarf sag...assuming by 1 you mean a bunch. I'd get 2. You can spread them out a little.

I'd more than 1 petite nana also. They are really tiny, so you would need a little group of 2-4 to make them look good, IMO.

I think you will need more plants than you've planned. I'd go with some crypts for the midground, also....but that's just me.

I also suggest going with the glowlights instead of the rummies because rummies get a little bigger and would be cramped in a 10g, IMO. They are very active, unlike the glowlights.

 

[TwoHobbies]

A vote for the Rummy's (personal Favorite)

I also agree with Jchillin, Its harder to have early success with foreground plants in general in a tall tank, any low to medium light stem plant will help build your confidence.

 

[hb3133]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I was chosing the petite nana's and anubias because they are low light - easy maintence. I am setting up my tank as we speak and it seems so little. How much of the tank substrate should be planted?

 

[JustOneMore20]

The stem plants will grow and you can spread them out and fill up space. The anubias are slow growers, so I think its best to get a few....atleast for the petite nanas, as they are very small. I would put them together in bunches of 3 plants, depending on how wide they are when you get them.

The dwarf sag should spread pretty fast. It produces runners, so you don't have to trim and replant it.

 

[hb3133]

Foreground:
1 Anubias coffeefolia
8 dwarf sag

Middle:
4 java ferns
1 red wendtii

Background:
4 anachris

I also have 1 congenis and 1 ceylon that will be ready to pick up on Monday. My question is based on my lighting, 30 watt compact flourescent, for a 10 gallon tank, will I need to use any chemical ferts or Do2? I was trying for a low light-low maintence tank to start. Any help will be greatly appreciate. I also starting with 6 brass tetras and Bio-Spira. I set everything up this afternoon. I am so nervous and worried! Please help!

 

[MarkP]

Hb- I'm setting up a quite similiar tank right now. The difference so far is that I skimped on the substrate (PFS/Zeolite for CEC/Laterite) and went for a bit more power on the lights (2 of the 20watt walmart bulbs instead of 2 15).

I'm looking at swords and crypts right now, and maybe an algae ball, and going to check out some of the other suggestions others have given you- I've only ever done low light tanks before this, as the expense of lighting and whatnot for my 45 gallon scared me off.

I'd like to clarify one point- I beleive you are planting a 10 gallon with 30 watts of CFL lights, NOT your 20 gallon tall? Some of the advice above seems to relate to 30watts over a 20 tall tank.

You mentioned Co2 and Ferts- I'm planning on doing it for my tank, and I beleive you'll want to as well. Tomorrow, in fact, if I can find some caulk, I'm going to build the Co2 system. Airline, coke bottle, and an unused terra cotta saucer- Can't be very hard or expensive.

I have to fertilize the 45gallon, rather more often then I thought I would, actually, I'm sure the ten gallon will require it fairly often. Get a good test kit- That freshwater master probably isn't going to cut it. I've been basically "guessing" as to trace levels- There has to be a better way.

Good luck- I'll be buying my plants for it thursday (after the laterite settles) and maybe we can learn together.

 

[hb3133]

I have been told that both smaller and larger tanks go by a different formula when determining the WPG rule. I don't know if its true. I want and NEED a low maintence tank. I wish I had more time to put into it. I work full-time as a Veterinary Tech, have a 3 year old and 4 month old. Luckily my wife likes the tanks or I would be screwed. Anyways, the LFS said I might need some Flourish excel or an all-in-one supplement. Any thoughts?

 

[MarkP]

I've heard Excel doesn't work well with the Anacharis you mentioned wanting- That's why I don't use it in the 45 gallon tank. Specifially, it can kill that and Vals, and I have both.

I think you have a low mantaince tank setup there- You should be at the point where CO2 helps, but you can live without it. Ferts, I think you'll need, but they really take up very little time.

I'm in a similiar boat (Again). I have a eight year old and a one year old, and a wife who loves the tanks. And I cut budget corners, because as a single income family, money can be tight.

I went with Greg Watson dry ferts myself, I guess at CSM+B and potassium, and am currently adding Nitrates based on testing- I buy little fish, but base my stocking level off their full-grown size, so I bottom out on Nitrates on my low light tank.

Before that, I used Kent products. A little more expensive, it seems, but it worked- Destroyed my serious algae, and the plants shot up. I bought the 3 pack starter kit, but the Black Water Expert stuff didn't impress me. If I did it again, I'd buy big bottles of the other two bottles in that kit- Pro-Grow and Freshwater something, does Potassium, Nitrate, Iron, etc.

Greg Watson is probably a bit more expensive up front- I spent like 20-25 bucks on stuff from him- But I went through the Kent products fast. The dry ferts seem like they'll last a year, Kent wasn't lasting a month- Based on the low end of the manufactors suggested dosing.

Maybe someone can tell me if I'm wrong, but I seriously just plan to hook up a coke bottle, some airline, a peice of Terra Cotta, and maybe an airstone for CO2. I plan on changing the yeast when the flow slows down, and doing it about once every 2 weeks, and taking maybe 10-15 miniutes to do it? If I underdose CO2, the plants and algae will let me know, and seeing how hard the serious people work at trying to get CO2 above 30ppm, I doubt I'll overdose and kill fish.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I'm also a fan of Rummy Nose Tetras, lol. Love the little guys, they school so well.

As for the Anacharis, it will melt if you decide to dose with Excel. Also, jungle vals will discintegrate even quicker with it too. But Corkscrew vals will do great with Excel, I use it on my 29G and the Corkscrew vals are flourishing. It is a medium height plant, and looks great in front of some tall, large leafed plants. Also works great around driftwood/bogwood. Can do lots with it. But remember one thing about them, they spread rather quickly by runners if the conditions are good. Mine are about 8 inches in total height.

As for overdosing CO2 and killing fish, will never happen, lol. I'm using a pressurized system, with a ph controller and have my max set to 84ppm CO2. Fish are doing great. And so are the plants. And I'm not just doing it for the plants either. I'm pushing my ph down to 6.3 for my GBR breeding. And it's been wonderful, they have been laying eggs every 2-3 weeks, 4 at the very most, just like clock-work, lol. Also, it's keeping the algae to a minumum as well. I have nearly no algae in the tank now, since I've got my dosing under control as well. But still struggling with algae on my 29G until I get my CO2 set up in it as well. Will do the same, push the CO2 way down for Bolivian breeding. Currently they have been laying eggs every 3-5 weeks. So if someone tells you too high of CO2 is bad for your fish, they are wrong, lol. CO2 doesn't replace O2. They are in the tank side-by-side.

 

[Purrbox]

With 30 WPG over a 10 gallon you are probably looking at a solid medium light which could go either way as far as maintenance. If you want a lower maintenance tank, you may want to consider cutting back the lighting a bit. I would think that a medium low light tank, about 20 WPG on a 10 gallon, would be more along the lines of what you are looking for.

 

[hb3133]

10 gallon planted on 6/23/06:

Foreground:
1 Anubias coffeefolia
8 dwarf sag

Middle:
4 java ferns
1 red wendtii

Background:
4 anachris

I also have 1 congenis and 1 ceylon that will be ready to pick up on Monday.
Any comments, either positive or negative, will be appreciated. This is my first attempt at a planted tank.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Looking very good. As for the anacharis, you can cut it down to any size and replant the tops to add more plants. Also, if you cut off the long portion just above where more shoots are coming out of the sides, they will form more shoots and grow, and the top can be replanted and will grow nicely. and when cutting it off, just cut the long runner that goes to the surface and leave the side shoots alone to grow, don't cut them off til they reach the length you want them.

 

[MarkP]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks as though the Anubias is planted in the substrate? I've been given advice not to do that, and instead add it to driftwood, similar to the java fern. I've had my Anubias for almost 72 hours now, so I'm definately no expert.

At a guess, I'd assume you'd be fine if the rhizome is exposed- I can't tell from the picture

 

[hb3133]

Yes, the anubias coffeefolia is planted in the substrate but only the roots. I check on PlantGeeks.com and it said if you plant in substrate just make sure the rhizome is above the surface of the substrate.

 

[hb3133]

Update:



I would like to first start off by saying this is my first attempt at a planted tank. I have been keeping a 20 gallon FW community tank for over a year. After weeks of research and craming my brain with information, I decided it was time to make the jump. This is how I planted my 10 gallon:

Foreground:
1 Anubias coffeefolia
8 dwarf sag

Middle:
4 java ferns
1 red wendtii

Background:
4 anachris

I also have 1 congenis and 1 ceylon that will be ready to pick up on Friday and I ordered some more fast growers (anachris) from aquabid.com. My question is based on my lighting, (2) 15 watt compact flourescent screw-in bulbs, for a 10 gallon tank, will I need to use any chemical ferts or Do2/excel? I was trying for a low light-low maintence tank to start. Would it be better to use (2) 10 watt compact flourescent bulbs? Any help will be greatly appreciate. I added 6 gold tetras and Bio-Spira along with the plants.

After 4 days, my water parameters were as follows:

Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=5

I believe everything is going well, although I feel that my brain is about to explode!! I have gather lots of information from other forums and have a wealth of information. I feel I am second guessing my own thoughts. I guess my main concern is the lighting issue and ferts. Do I need to add liquid ferts and/or flourish excel or should I wait until the tank matures? Now that the tank is set up and cycled, I feel a little lost when it comes to the next steps.........