General questions about planted tank (from a noob)

[Rcguerra]

This is my first aquarium ever, so please be gentle. For those interested, my journey started last November. It includes hundreds of hours of study and can be followed here:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...e-perfect-luxury-home-for-a-betta-232349.html

Now that I have the plants pretty much aclimated (completing 1 week today, showing growth, root development, etc) here are my questions:

Water QC/QA: Everything that I read so far had to do with the quality of the tank for fish, not for plants. If I keep a nice light cycle, where they can breath regularly at night (creating CO2) and do their photosynthetic trick during the day (breathing, but also producing O2), keep my liquid CO2, iron etc as recommended by the manufacturer, do I need a water change? How often? I am losing water due to evaporation. Can I just tap it out?


ludwigia repens: With a Finnex fugeray 12", proper iron and good nutrients, can I get them eventually to be red, as in RED? Any help here (with the expected timeline if possible) will be great.

Red Tiger Lotus: One of my nodes is showing some level of development, while the other is inert. How long can the retardation be? If nothing shows up within 10 days, can I assume this one just didn't make it, or should I wait a full month or whatever.

I recommendation for a foreground carpet/cover would be really nice. I would like to have a gradient from left to right, bright green to red, so a nice shade of yellow to the center background is also something that I am looking for some recommendations.

Thank you in advance

PS: Yes, it is still a fishless tank for now. I am working on the Betta.

 

[Malawi Freak]

Water changes must still be completed. No matter what you can't rule them out.

 

[Rcguerra]

25% weekly? What is the deal with the heater? Remove it to avoid thermal shock?

Also, this might sound very entry level, but once I have the fish, how to I make a water change and keep the temperature adequate? Do I need a heater to heat the water that goes in first?

 

[Malawi Freak]

Just hand feel to make sure you aren't shocking them with a drastic change. You can do a heater but my betta hasn't had one in for over the year and a half I've had him.

With just a betta 25% is enough, but I've always been a stickler with rather large changes, my 125 I change out almost 90 gallons every week and the betta tank and nano tank I change out about 75% weekly.

 

[Malawi Freak]

Dwarf swords would look nice in the foreground of your tank. I have always loved them.

 

[musicmarn1]

yes the water going in the tank needs to be as close as possible to the water in the tank, using the warm water tap, prime water conditioner and a thermometer (i foolishly got a baby thermometer and had to take it back!) to check how close it is.

The biggest upset from temperature difference according to my research is the swim bladder can be destroyed. Im learning every day and it was SO nice to see the effort and time you have taken to get your tank just right, its a lucky fish you are going to put in there


Are you getting any of the more rare betas or whats your plan there? can't wait to see it ! your plants look great, im learning about planted tanks cannot BELIEVE i have not done it before, like you say it can be hard to learn about all the ins and outs of the plants as so much info is about the fish. This is a great place to come for help im really grateful for everyone here.

 

[Rcguerra]

Initially I wanted a fancy Halfmoon, butterfly pattern dragon scale metal (Steel or Copper) from Asia. Now I am more inclined to any halfmoon butterfly that I bump into from the LFS. I stop by every Friday, and I see potential, but the fish that I am taking home is yet to show up.

 

[Rcguerra]

in regards to the red plants, any comments?

 

[Alex ski]

in regards to the red plants, any comments?

Well the tiger lotus if it doesn't start try using root tabs it is a kind o fertilizer for rooted plants and promotes good plant health oh and good luck

 

[Rcguerra]

I have root tabs, and the red tiger (well at least one of them) is coming. My concern is the color of the ludwigia...

 

[Hholly]

When you do water changes, unplug your heater about 20 minutes before you start to avoid a shock to it.
Your tank looks good!

 

[musicmarn1]

what about aquabid.com i just saw butterfly dragon males and the most beautiful metal bettas i ever saw ! i did some research on how good this site is for shipping etc, obviously the more local the better but there are a LOT of good reviews about getting one this way must be other online betta sources too out there, makes me really want another betta seeing how stunning some of these are ! good luck finding your boy

 

[Rcguerra]

Thank you for the kind words. The only problem that I am having with aquabid is the lack of communications with the transfer contact. I am in Florida, and the nearest one ("Jesse", from Miami) never returned my calls. I might go with the next one (Georgia), but I would rather go to the LFS and have it done without the risk of shipping, etc...

Right now my main concern is making the tank ready, with a good pattern of water changes, so within the next week or so I'll have it ready for the fish.

 

[EricV]

I'm personally going with a carpet of dwarf baby tears in my newest tank. Strong lighting can really help out with your red coloration as well. Most of the "red" plants won't really reach their full potential without it.

 

[Malawi Freak]

what about aquabid.com i just saw butterfly dragon males and the most beautiful metal bettas i ever saw ! i did some research on how good this site is for shipping etc, obviously the more local the better but there are a LOT of good reviews about getting one this way must be other online betta sources too out there, makes me really want another betta seeing how stunning some of these are ! good luck finding your boy

Aquabid is the bees knees. I swear by that site.

 

[Rcguerra]

I will continue to give multiple shots at the LFS. If it fails for the next week or so, I'll go back to the international options

 

[Malawi Freak]

If you have sort of gotten to know the people at the lfs tell them prices you have seen on aquabid, sometimes they will lower prices to ensure they still get your business. Lower profit is better than no profit.

 

[Rcguerra]

LFS actually is very affordable: from 3.99 to 8.99, and some of the halfmoons they have are quite "international quality".

My only challenge is that it is a hit or miss since I never know what they are going to get.

 

[Malawi Freak]

I keep forgetting your only looking for a betta, lol. I'm used to $50 cichlids.

Most lfs get a list from their suppliers what will be available the following week, just ask what they can get and ask them to order some so you can pick one out. Is it a regular pet store or just fish?

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I keep forgetting your only looking for a betta, lol. I'm used to $50 cichlids.

Most lfs get a list from their suppliers what will be available the following week, just ask what they can get and ask them to order some so you can pick one out. Is it a regular pet store or just fish?

My LFS actually gave me the website they order from so I can see what's in stock. I'm on first name basis with my LFS