58 Gallon planted advice

[mhaynes01]

Hello

I have a drilled 58 gallon oceanic, that I will making into a planted tank, now i will be using a sump simply because the tank is drilled and i pretty much have to (and want to)

filtration advice please

I was also looking at CO2 systems... kind of expensive, is there a cheaper option or a DIY cheap option?

now as far as lighting goes, I have a hood with two 175watt metal halide and 2 vho actinics. is this overkill?

best

Michael

 

[mgamer20o0]

no cheap diy co2 for a tank that size. also you will have to pump in a lot of co2. you should also try to seal your sump shut. the surface agitation gasses out the co2 out of the water. might want to try just one of the mh over the tank.

 

[mhaynes01]

alright, well i may not go with a planted tank then. are there any plants that can survive with low levels of C02?

 

[somecallmedaniel16]

well I would think it depends on your lighting. at low lighting, CO2 may not be needed. I have heard a few stories of people using DIY CO2 on large tanks, but it might require staggering. If you don't know how to do DIY CO2 you can look it up on the forums here or on the internet. I have a 20 gallon and I use a mix of yeast and sugar in a 2-liter bottle with a hole in the top and airline tubing running from the top into the filter intake, which dissolves the CO2. But as I mentioned before, some people do a number of these CO2 bottles and can get enough output for their tanks at larger volumes. I'm no pro, so I'd just do some research and wait for some advice from more experienced aquarists. good luck!

 

[mgamer20o0]

if you stick to low light and even some medium plants you wont need co2.

 

[kaiofcanada]

All depends on what you want to plant in it. I would first decide what kind of plants you would be happy with.

www.plantgeek.com

Check out the different catergories of light requirement....or www.aquariumplants.com look under the drop down menu for lighting requirements here as well.

Basically, if you want high light plants you will need high light 3-4 watts per gallon and CO2. If you will be happy with a vast selection of low light plants, you could save on the lighting ans CO2 and simply dose your tank with Flourish Excel or with DIY CO2 depending on the light. I think of plants as I do fish when it comes to an aquarium setup....decide what you want first, then get the right gear to support it.

Also, you may wish to consider what fish you plan on stocking in the tank. Some fish like eating plants or uprooting them at least. Still others prefers caves and hiding spaces over plants which may affect you aquascaping ideas. Anything is possible, but I would also consider the fish you would like in making your decision.

 

[mom2reds]

I have a low light planted 100 gallon tank it is possible I am still learning but I think I am making good progress you are welcome to loke at my home page and check out my pic on there.

 

[mhaynes01]

There will be very few fish in this tank. maybe some live bearers, maybe a Betta.

I have a compact fluorescent hood (96watt) that would probably work better with lower light plants?

 

[mgamer20o0]

yes i would try that over the mh. stick too java ferns moss crypts anubias maybe some of the other low light plants. you could set the mh on a timer for 2-3 hours a day and maybe go with some med light plants.

 

[mhaynes01]

Sweet, thanks for the help.