Ziggy's Corner Planter

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Ziggy953

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
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9,149
Location
Mount Laurel, NJ
Hello all you fresh lovers!!

I'm switching gears on my tank and going planted FW. Imagine that a nutty salt guy like me doing a serious FW planted tank.

Seriously though. I will need all the input and help I can get. Right now not much to report other than the following:

54g Corner (reef ready) tank
10g sump
DIY Trickle filter
45lbs of Flourite
40lbs of very very fine gravel.
Mag5 return pump.

That's about it for now.
 
Following :popcorn:. Idk much about trickles, but if you feel like it may not be enough, you could always add on an AquaClear 70 to help it out. But I don't know how big a system yours can handle.

Also, do you know if this is going to be a low/medium/high lighting tank? Are you wanting to do ferts/CO2?
 
Yay! We've successfully converted another saltie to the planted side! I'd be interested on your take on the high tech planted vs. reef debate (which is harder/more costly) once you get going.

Any thoughts to what kind of plants you want? Wayne posed some good questions too - co2/ferts? high/medium/low light? You can get a nice planted tank without co2/ferts by staying around 2wpg or below. To get the reds and some of the fancier (technical term) to thrive plants you may need higher light and some ferts.
 
Following :popcorn:. Idk much about trickles, but if you feel like it may not be enough, you could always add on an AquaClear 70 to help it out. But I don't know how big a system yours can handle.

Also, do you know if this is going to be a low/medium/high lighting tank? Are you wanting to do ferts/CO2?

I'm going to approach this as I would a reef and go as natural as possible. The trickle I put together will do fine for now. I'm planning modification later. Right now the tank is cycling. I have the substrate in and the water. Thats pretty much all that's going on.

A good friend has offered me his CO2 system (bubble counter and all that mess) along with his DIY fert doser, driftwood and some rocks.

I'm going to be doing a high light planted tank so ferts and co2 are in the mix. (see above)

Lighting is going to be LEDs. I already have 20 1w cree LEDs that were going to light my reef, now they are going to give plants a go. The white LEDs are 6500K and should do just fine for lighting this tank. I plan to increase to a total of 48 with a higher white/blue ratio. I know blue doesn't do much for plant growth but it makes the fish colors pop.

BTW- this tank is Reef Ready so it has a built in overflow and return. All filtration will happen underneath. Because this is a corner tank I have it, oddly enough, in the corner and I can't have anything hanging on the sides.
 
Yay! We've successfully converted another saltie to the planted side! I'd be interested on your take on the high tech planted vs. reef debate (which is harder/more costly) once you get going.

Any thoughts to what kind of plants you want? Wayne posed some good questions too - co2/ferts? high/medium/low light? You can get a nice planted tank without co2/ferts by staying around 2wpg or below. To get the reds and some of the fancier (technical term) to thrive plants you may need higher light and some ferts.

Lights - LEDs (DIY) 1w Cree
Co2 - yes
ferts - yes

There is a lot I do not know about plants. I want the ones that look pretty. I would have to look them up to give you the names of the plants I like. I see them and like them I want them. Doesn't mean I will have them, LOL. I guess in some regard it's like a new salty going to a reef shop and pointing at all the awesome corals they want but have no idea how to care for them. That's where I am with the plants.
 
Nice, I'll be tagging along. Interested in the sump/filtration set-up on freshwater.
 
Definitely following along. You had me at "LED". :)

Plus, I always love to see reefers over-engineer planted tanks. ;)


I guess Mike is next up aye?
 
What are your plans for the LEDs? Simple off-on? Dimming? Moon phases?

I have dimmable pucks, I'm not sure I'm going to go that fancy with the lights. Probably have more simplistic on/off rather than all the extra stuff.

Sounds like you're off to a pretty good start. Can't wait to see how this turns out :).

Me too. Thanks. The tank is full of water and is running. When I left the house this morning the water was still cloudy from the substrate but tonight it is crystal clear.


Alright ziggy, time to change the avatar :):):)

I'll think about it.

Definitely following along. You had me at "LED". :)

Plus, I always love to see reefers over-engineer planted tanks. ;)


I guess Mike is next up aye?

I'm excited to find out what LEDs will do for planted tanks as well.

I have no intentions of over-engineering anything. If you look back at my reef system you will see it was very simple and mimicked nature as closely as I could get it. I prefer simple and easy to maintain rather than a lot of crap that needs constant attention. Granted that ferts and co2 require attention but I'm used to that kind of tinkering.
 
Here are some quick pics of the tank thus far. I do not have glass tops for the tank, I was planning reef when I got it and declined taking them. Should I get them?????

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Here is my little DIY trickle filter. Three drawers are in use right now. Top one is empty, second one has filter floss in it and the third has sponge. It's set up this way to clear the water and I have to say it worked pretty well. the water looks a little cloudy in the pics because I messed with the sump and it had some build up in it. I'll drain it and clean it out tonight or tomorrow.
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Suggestions and recommendations are welcome!!
 
That trickle filter is brilliant. I can't wait to watch this as this build progresses! :)
 
Do the drawers leak out the sides at all? I've been considering drawers like this for a future sump build, but I wasn't sure if the drawers would leak, so I was looking at Snapware instead. That way I wouldn't have to leave room to the side in the sump to get at the drawers.

Is the filter noisy?
 
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