drobertson
Aquarium Advice FINatic
docrak, Thanks for hooking him up with some plants, I just promised to send my clippings to another member this morning, Thanks again, That is why I love this site.
well its a start
- Thread starter boggerscott
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Zezmo
Aquarium Advice Addict
The wood looks like it might be Mopani wood, which is sold as a Zoomed product and can be had at Petco etc. If it is very heavy, then mopani, if it is light, then grapewood.
For now the UGF is fine if you are only growing stem plants. Which is what you have in your tank now. As soon as you get some Amazon swords, or some Crytocorynes (and eveyone wants those) then you should remove, or at least turn off your UGF. One advantage of have a UGF is it pulls lots of fish poop into the gravel, making it better for plants. I should say, the advantage is to have ran the UGF before you got planted, and then remove or shut it off once you are planted.
The basic issue with a UGF in planted aquaria, is that it will promote lush root growth at the (potential) expense of leaf growth.
For now the UGF is fine if you are only growing stem plants. Which is what you have in your tank now. As soon as you get some Amazon swords, or some Crytocorynes (and eveyone wants those) then you should remove, or at least turn off your UGF. One advantage of have a UGF is it pulls lots of fish poop into the gravel, making it better for plants. I should say, the advantage is to have ran the UGF before you got planted, and then remove or shut it off once you are planted.
The basic issue with a UGF in planted aquaria, is that it will promote lush root growth at the (potential) expense of leaf growth.
kaz
Aquarium Advice Addict
doenst he need some other type of substrate for plants?
anyone else giving away plants for this noob person lolol
anyone else giving away plants for this noob person lolol
OP
OP
boggerscott
Aquarium Advice Regular
well i took out the ugf already. i did ad more gravel for a thicker bed. were will my good bacteria come from the gravel or the filter?? do i need to run alot of charcoal?? that piece of wood seemed to make the tank a little yellow.
kostasonia
Aquarium Advice Freak
Charcoal for 2 weeks, then remove it. You can repeat for a couple of weeks every 4-5 months.
docrak
Aquarium Advice Freak
boggerscott said:
Is your tank cycled yet? I kind of get the feeling it isn't. Just out of curiosity what brand of HOB filter are you using?
Just do a 50% water change. That will get rid of most of the color. Charcoal for about a week will get rid of any other toxins left in the tank.
OP
OP
boggerscott
Aquarium Advice Regular
i dont no if it is how can you tell with fresh water?? i no with salt water everything turns brown. the color has went away as of yesterday, all i did was clean 2 sponges i put in my back pac. it an old ( second nature whisper power filter) thats what it says on the top. all is looken good believe it or not i see a little growth on my plants and fish are well. i went and got a cory cat and a male and female sword fish today.
Zezmo
Aquarium Advice Addict
Really, it sounds like you are off to a good start. Fresh wood will cause some yellowing of the water. That will lessen over time. The yellowing (tannins) harm nothing, in fact most fish (tropical) are happier with them. Charcoal is not recomended for planted tanks, as it absorbs some of the very nutrients the plants need.
Your HOB powerfilter has your biological filter, your gravel still has lots of bacteria and helps some. Your plants, once growing and happy, are now a magor part of your filter system. Plants consume fish waste as fertilizor, this is major benfit of planted tanks.
I like swordtails BTW, they are just so darn aggresive I finally gave up on them. But, man are they nice looking fish. I have a large tank in my living room, filled with many exotic plants and fish... but it is my albino Cory cats that get more comments and interest than any thing else.
Your HOB powerfilter has your biological filter, your gravel still has lots of bacteria and helps some. Your plants, once growing and happy, are now a magor part of your filter system. Plants consume fish waste as fertilizor, this is major benfit of planted tanks.
I like swordtails BTW, they are just so darn aggresive I finally gave up on them. But, man are they nice looking fish. I have a large tank in my living room, filled with many exotic plants and fish... but it is my albino Cory cats that get more comments and interest than any thing else.
