First time planted aquarium

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blairgerman said:
The pros of the cartridge kit are that it is a complete set to get you started and you can get 2 cartridges for like 12 bucks. Also, down the road you can get the "Hydra Aquatic CO2 Paintball Adapter" which will allow you to use the much larger (24oz+) paintball tanks that you can refill at sporting good store.
https://www.amazon.com/Umarex-22525...e=UTF8&qid=1491347828&sr=8-1&keywords=88g+co2

https://www.amazon.com/Hydra-Aquati...rd_wg=WjAHY&psc=1&refRID=21MJB4WY4S8B8T50B6G9

The downside is that there is no solenoid. Having a solenoid attached to or integrated with the regulator allows you to turn off the flow of co2 with a timer. When your light is off at night you do not need co2. If you run this 24hr/day on a 55 gal you may run through co2 cartridges pretty quick. Also, when co2 tanks run empty they put out more flow than usual and so you end up tinkering with the flowrate a bit, and the flow valve on this type of regulator is touchy.

I was just looking for an all in one kit for you, but it's not easy to keep the price down. Here is a $90 regulator with solenoid which includes a bubble counter (you use this to see how much co2 is flowing), but you will need to add the co2 tank ($20) and a diffuser ($6). So here you are in it for $116, $46 more than the one you're looking at but it may be more reasonable in the long term.

https://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-OF-C...&qid=1491348928&sr=8-15&keywords=aquarium+co2

https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Paint...qid=1491348439&sr=8-1&keywords=paintball+tank

https://www.amazon.com/Yagote-Nano-...8928&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=aquarium+co2&psc=1

You may be okay keeping a low flow (1-2 bubbles per second) with cartridge kit when used with liquid co2 in a low medium light situation, I think another poster said the finnex is dimmable.

This has just been my experience for entry level co2 options, and these are just some ideas for your consideration. I'm sure others will chime in with some other useful ideas.

I hear good things about the finnex light and it'll mount easily to your 55 unlike the light I started with.

Consider researching substrate such as EcoComplete and fertilizing plans such as EI dosing. Barr Report, Planted Tank, Uk plant society, all good sources for reference. You may be interested in learning how to calculate your co2 levels based on alkalinity (kH) and with a drop checker. ...test kits are useful.
co2chart.jpg
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This is all very helpful info. Thank you so much for all your time and input!
I have ordered some Eco-complete substrate. I currently am using a sand substrate. Should I clean all the sand out before adding the new substrate?
 
I tried to run a fluval mini on my 10g. Just too much work holding ppm. Ended up with an aquatek

I am a stingray fan. It can grow plants.
 
1HellerofaGuy said:
Should I clean all the sand out before adding the new substrate?
Click to expand...

If your sand has been there a while then a lot of your beneficial bacteria are living in there, so you may consider doing half the tank, then other half later especially if you only got 1 or 2 bags of eco complete.

You want to keep 2-3" substrate depth. 4 bags of Ecocomplete will give you a little over 2" in a 55 gal and 5 will put you at 3" ...but ecocomplete gets expensive at $22/bag. There are folks planting in sand and it is a nice look, but plants like eco's nutrients more and the consistency makes it easier to plant and for roots to propagate. I do not know how it would look to mix white sand with black eco, it may look good and you'd be getting some benefits of the eco, if you decide you want all eco later on you may have trouble separating them.
 
Sand would settle to bottom anyhow. You end up the sand and eco cap.

Eco is inert there are no nutrients. Just some cec value.
 
I have 50 lbs of sand in the tank now, and I purchased 60lb of Eco. I am curious what the two would look like mixed.
 
flchamp89 said:
Sand would settle to bottom anyhow. You end up the sand and eco cap.

Eco is inert there are no nutrients. Just some cec value.
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I guess I was mistaken. I had ordered the eco with the understanding it would be better for the roots than sand
 
Better....maybe maybe not. Ive always been a sand guy. Got eco now. Theres pro and cons. Alot really imo is personal preference.
 
Your lights, nutrient program, and co2 will be more important than your substrate. Grew plants for years in gravel. People still do.
 
1HellerofaGuy said:
I have 50 lbs of sand in the tank now, and I purchased 60lb of Eco. I am curious what the two would look like mixed.
Click to expand...

Like flchamp said, finer particles go to the bottom over time. Just don't put your eco over the sand to start, that would cause problems.

I think eco is good at taking nutrients from your system and making them available to the roots. (the utility of CEC, rt?)

I believe it's the most reasonably priced of all the name brand substrates and you will likely be happy with it. My plants seem to love it. It could be over hyped though, many things in planted are.

I also hear of folks using saf-t-sorb and kitty litter. Some mix fluorite with eco, but I never figured why bc it just filters to the bottom as stated.
 
I use Eco but I've topped soil with it. I had full Eco in my 30g and it was great. If I was to do another tank tho I'd maybe give ADA a go.

Since changing to a soil substrate tho I'd find it hard to go past it. It cost me $8 for a bag for a 1inch layer in a 60g and cost me $240 for 2inch of Eco. (Eco is $70 a bag here).

I'm a fan of Eco. Can't fault it to be honest. If I was to use it again by itself id just add root tabs aswell for the extra ferts [emoji106]

Hope we arnt confusing u with all this info! Haha
 
Bert2oo1 said:
I use Eco but I've topped soil with it.
Click to expand...

...I've always been curious about walstad... did it get messy?

Like has been said, you may just want focus on getting your light,co2,ferts right for now. If you've already purchased eco, I vote +1 on that as a good substrate alone.
 
blairgerman said:
...I've always been curious about walstad... did it get messy?

Like has been said, you may just want focus on getting your light,co2,ferts right for now. If you've already purchased eco, I vote +1 on that as a good substrate alone.
Click to expand...



Not at all. I added the soil after originally having just Eco. I just drained the tank, removed all the substrate, put a layer of soil and red clay powder in and then capped it with the Eco I took out. Filled and drained the tank 3 times over and it's been fine ever since. The growth difference is amazing and if u ask me made balancing the tank a lot easier. [emoji106]

Currently running 80 par at substrate (higher than most on this forum) and all i have is little bit of GSA on the glass by the end of the week. I'm predicting that will fade over time. Tanks only been set up for 2-3 months
 
I've used EC for over four years with good results. If I did not already have it I would try a supposedly better (not quite ADA) substrate called FlorinVolcanit from Brightwell.
Never did capped soil; fear of mixing substrates and the mess after a rescape.
 
Fresh2o said:
...I would try a supposedly better (not quite ADA) substrate called FlorinVolcanit from Brightwell.
Click to expand...

Wow, it looks like ADA! Very cool.

Bert2oo1 said:
...put a layer of soil and red clay powder in and then capped it with the Eco...
Click to expand...

...so at 2 inch eco,1 inch soil, do roots tend to find their way through the eco to the soil and then spread?

I'd love to go walstad next tank. Ppl seem to love it.
 
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