Carpeting plant help?

[jmay33]

I am working on a planted tank for my horticulture class. I'm really wanting DHG to carpet the bottom. Just wondering if this is the best way to plant it so it will carpet quickest? I also included a picture or the supplements I'm using. I plan on getting an actual CO2 system in the near future. Just waiting on a couple more pay checks. Just the co2 part itself is $180 at my lfs. If you have any advice on cheaper CO2 (other than mixing yeast, etc.) that would be really awesome.

This is the DHG.

This is what I am supplementing.

Edit: Tank is a 20 gallon long and the substrate is Ecocomplete. Stock is 6 white skirt tetras, 4 neon tetras, 2 African dwarf frogs, and 3 Cory cats.

 

[Tobykourtney]

I am working on a planted tank for my horticulture class. I'm really wanting DHG to carpet the bottom. Just wondering if this is the best way to plant it so it will carpet quickest? I also included a picture or the supplements I'm using. I plan on getting an actual CO2 system in the near future. Just waiting on a couple more pay checks. Just the co2 part itself is $180 at my lfs. If you have any advice on cheaper CO2 (other than mixing yeast, etc.) that would be really awesome.

This is the DHG.

This is what I am supplementing.

Edit: Tank is a 20 gallon long and the substrate is Ecocomplete. Stock is 6 white skirt tetras, 4 neon tetras, 2 African dwarf frogs, and 3 Cory cats.

It carpets faster if you split it into bunches of 4-5 blades and make a checker pattern.

 

[jmay33]

It carpets faster if you split it into bunches of 4-5 blades and make a checker pattern.

So the bunches need to be smaller?

 

[Tobykourtney]

So the bunches need to be smaller?

Yes and what are your tank specs?

 

[jmay33]

Yes and what are your tank specs?

Like my parameters?

 

[Khuligirl93]

What lighting do you have? Dwarf hairgrass needs high light

 

[jmay33]

What lighting do you have? Dwarf hairgrass needs high light

Sorry, I have 2 10,000 K T5 lights.

Edit: one is daylight and one is actinic. They were reef lights.

 

[Khuligirl93]

T5 HO or T5 NO?

 

[jmay33]

T5 HO or T5 NO?

They are HO.

 

[Mebbid]

How large of a tank is this? For anything 30 - 40 gals or less I would use paintball tank CO2 which you can get way cheaper than $180

Check out
**NEW** AQUATEK CO2 Regulator Mini (with Integrated COOL TOUCH Solenoid) on eBay!

It's a very popular model.

 

[jmay33]

How large of a tank is this? For anything 30 - 40 gals or less I would use paintball tank CO2 which you can get way cheaper than $180

Check out
**NEW** AQUATEK CO2 Regulator Mini (with Integrated COOL TOUCH Solenoid) on eBay!

It's a very popular model.

It is a 20 gallon long. Thank you!!! What else would this need to work properly for my tank? I've never set up CO2 in a tank. I've always only used excel.

 

[Mebbid]

It needs a diffuser, drop checker, and paintball co2 tank.

 

[jmay33]

It needs a diffuser, drop checker, and paintball co2 tank.

Alright. Thanks. What do all of those things do? What do they look like? And how much do they cost?

 

[Mebbid]

The diffuser breaks up the bubbles from the co2 so they are more easily absorbed into the water. The drop checker tracks the co2 levels so you keep enough co2 in the tank and avoid gassing your fish to death.

Finally, the paintball co2 tank is a good club, rolling pin, paper weight, and it holds CO2

Aquarium CO2 Notes Glass Drop Checker Monitor Tester Set Test Kit | eBay

Ceramic Spiro III Aquarium Glass CO2 Diffuser for Plant Skimmer Moss Tank | eBay

They are pretty cheap, just look around on ebay or amazon a bit to find some.

 

[Khuligirl93]

It needs a diffuser, drop checker, and paintball co2 tank.

Don't forget the regulator- the most expensive part

 

[Mebbid]

The link I posted first is a regulator, solenoid, and bubble counter pack.

 

[Jkeating8]

I would suggest changing the actinic bulb to a 6700k bulb.

EDIT: Youre also going to need some 4dkh fluid.

 

[mandoborg]

I'll second the Aquatek paintball regulator. My entire CO2 system was like $125 for everything. I tried 3 of those spiral diffusers and had no luck with them at all however. The bubbles came out near the edge of the ceramic disc and were so large they just rocketed right to the surface. I've gone with the 45mm Atomic diffuser from e-bay and that's working much better.

Good Luck.................this place is a great resource. I'm a newbie and folks here have helped me get my 29 gallon going really, really nice.......

Jim

 

[aqua_chem]

I've always head good luck with the Milwaukee regulator as well, although it would need a fairly inexpensive adapter to mount on a paintball tank. That being said, with a 20g, it might be nice to get a 5# tank.

 

[jmay33]

Thank you so much everyone! I can't express how much I appreciate it! I will be working on this at a slow pace, as funds are a little short right now. For now, I will have a lot of questions!