135g planted tank advice

[FinsandFeathers]

My wife is planning to turn an empty 135g tank into a fully planted tank. While she has a green thumb in regards to terrestrial plants, neither of us have had any serious experience with planted aquariums, aside from some easy plants like Jave Fern, Annubias, and moss balls.
Can anyone give us some ideas of a dozen or so beginner plants that are easily maintained under medium lighting, and that won't require a large CO2 setup?
Also, what are your recommendations for substrate? I'm opting for a mix of play sand and pea gravel, but my wife is looking at Seachem Flourite, and a couple others.
Any input would be appreciated.

 

[ZxC]

My wife is planning to turn an empty 135g tank into a fully planted tank. While she has a green thumb in regards to terrestrial plants, neither of us have had any serious experience with planted aquariums, aside from some easy plants like Jave Fern, Annubias, and moss balls.
Can anyone give us some ideas of a dozen or so beginner plants that are easily maintained under medium lighting, and that won't require a large CO2 setup?
Also, what are your recommendations for substrate? I'm opting for a mix of play sand and pea gravel, but my wife is looking at Seachem Flourite, and a couple others.
Any input would be appreciated.

Don't bother with a planted tank substrate like fluorite or eco-comp. Aqua soil or similar products may be a hassle in a larger tank. Play sand is fairly dirty and may look odd with pea gravel mixed in, the "hottest" substrate for planted tanks at the moment seems to be straight black diamond blasting sand - cheap, looks nice, easy to plant into, fairly clean etc. etc. For a large tank I would look into the blasting sand.... larger grit sizes too, helps with gas exchange.

see here for a detailed substrate breakdown and how the planted tank substrates are a bit of a gimmick: Substrate CEC lab analysis (Lab work on hold, now full discussion) - The Planted Tank Forum

For plants, these are very simple and easy going:

For the front I would stick to:
True sagittaria subulata
Micro/chain sword
Hydrocotyle tripartita
Marsilea hirsuta
hemianthus micranthemoides
Crypt parva
Crypt lutue
Crypt pigmea

For midground:
Java fern, any kind
Anubias, any kind
Larger swords
Any other crypts (excluding giant crypts/spiralis)
Dwarf red tiger lotus
bucephalandra, any kind

For background:
Vallisneria
Hellanthium
Lloydellia
Rotala rotundifolia
Ludwigia repens
Hygrophila polysperma (if it’s legal in your area)
Crinum
Apongeton
Large crypts like spiralis

 

[agrasyuk]

135g that sounds like a tall water column of water for light to penetrate. what lights do you plan on using with it?
Hygrophila , wisteria, ludwigia, ehinodorus, valisneria... can be done without pressurized CO2. but everything will greatly benefit from some sort of carbon source, hopefully you plan on dosing excel/metricide instead.

play sand will work, not sure what peagravel in it will contribute. fluorite is good substrate, washing it was quite a chore. many options are available as far as substrate, I think this comes down to how do you want your tank to look. pool filter sand makes for white-ish bottom, play sand for yellowish, fluorite for red or black, and so on.

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Thanks, ZxC and agrasyuk.
I'm not sure the light brand, but it has 4 fluorescent tubes, 4 halogen lights, and 36 LED lights. They can be used in a number of combinations. The LEDs alone will reach to the bottom of our 400g tank, which is 42 inches deep, brightly enough to see details in the substrate. The lights are full spectrum, but, again, I'm not sure of the actual lumens, watts per gallons, etc. I figured if the plants begin to look poor, we'll upgrade the bulbs.
I had thought to mix the play sand with the pea gravel because I like the looks of pea gravel, but thought maybe plant would root better in sand than gravel. I think my wife is now opting for the black diamond blasting sand. I agree that an all black substrate sounds attractive.
Since this is a new endeavor, there will be a lot of trial and error, but as we have about 40 years of freshwater aquarium experience between us, hopefully we can get it figured out without any deaths.
This forum has already proven to be a valuable resource, and between the forum and advice from friends and our favorite LFS, it should be a breeze.

 

[Brookster123]

Play sand and pea gravel will not work,.unless you want anaerobic pocket under the gravel. I like pool filter sand. I lay down some clay/iron mix on the very bottom,.sprinkle some volcanic aqua soil and cap with sand. Works every time.

 

[ZxC]

Play sand will work fine, it’s just a little dirtier that’s all. I actually had a nice tank going with play sand and regular ol’ gravel. If you go with play sand make sure to have a heavy plant load as plant roots will supply O2 for microbial populations within the sand, and help keep an aerobic population.

I would check out going straight blasting sand or pool filter sand however. I say this because it is just so darn simple, especially for a larger tank. Just my thoughts, plants will grow in any substrate really, as long as you provide light, nutrients and carbon.

Your lights should be fine, as long as they are the right spectrum. If you could send a pic of what they look like it would be helpful. Ideally a combo of 4000k, 6000k, 10000k along with some red/pink and some blue would work well.

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Thanks, Brookster, and ZxC.
We're looking into black diamond blasting sand; we like the sound of an all black substrate. Just not sure where to find it locally yet.

 

[agrasyuk]

Any big box home improvement store. Look for black sand blasting media. Matter of taste - after having one for a year I don't like black substrate

 

[coralbandit]

BBS is available at Tractor Supply and the like..
Be careful if you use a magnet glass cleaners I have been told many times the BBS has iron in it which will be attracted to the magnet and then possibly scratch your glass up....

 

[TMaier]

Take a magnet with you to check it for metals. I had to remove substrate that was killing my inverts.