Looking for Advice for My First Low Tech Planted Tank

[tarheel92]

Hey everyone, I'm in the process of planning my first planted tank. I'm looking at a 29g with black diamond supplemented with flourish tabs as a substrate. I want a low tech tank that i'll be lighting with a FugeRay - what do y'all recommend for some good starter plants that will grow in those conditions?

Tentative stocking is 5 panda cory, 3 otos, 7 bloodfin tetra, 7 zebra danios and an angel as the centerpiece fish.

Also does anyone have any experience using active sponge filters to kick start the cycling process?

I'm currently in the process of trying to get the tank on the cheap via craigslist, so I'll start adding photos for y'all to share in the journey once I have anything to show.

 

[virtuous23]

Hey, you & I are in search of the same- low tech planted tank. Hope your journey hours well. You're in Chapel Hill & I'm in the RTP area!

 

[tarheel92]

Hey, you & I are in search of the same- low tech planted tank. Hope your journey hours well. You're in Chapel Hill & I'm in the RTP area!

Glad to see another person from the Triangle! What LFS do you use? The Fish Room (they have locations in Raleigh and Cary) is the best I've found so far. They do have a tank of freshwater plants, but they seem to have what I'm guessing is a fair bit of brown algae.

 

[phishfriend]

Sounds like a nice build! I have black diamond in my 75 and love it!

I am a huge fan of active sponges. I used one from angels plus on a fish-in cycle. Finished in two weeks. Totally worth it!

I'v heard, If you plant heavy (80%) a day or two after you setup the tank you will do what's called a "silent cycle". I'v only read enough to know it can be done. Member rivercats has done them.

 

[virtuous23]

Glad to see another person from the Triangle! What LFS do you use? The Fish Room (they have locations in Raleigh and Cary) is the best I've found so far. They do have a tank of freshwater plants, but they seem to have what I'm guessing is a fair bit of brown algae.

That's where I go as well- costumer service is wonderful! There's Triangle Tropical Fish in Durham. I was told they were good. Its been years since I've been there.

 

[tarheel92]

Sounds like a nice build! I have black diamond in my 75 and love it!

I am a huge fan of active sponges. I used one from angels plus on a fish-in cycle. Finished in two weeks. Totally worth it!

I'v heard, If you plant heavy (80%) a day or two after you setup the tank you will do what's called a "silent cycle". I'v only read enough to know it can be done. Member rivercats has done them.

Glad you love the black diamond! I had heard good things about it, and figured it would help make the panda corys stand out...and if i decide to take the risk of adding some RCS (at least until the angel grows big enough to do some real damage), it would make them pop too.

Do you have MTS to stir up the black diamond, or do you not worry about dead spots?

 

[phishfriend]

I have MTS's but I have 8 Cory's that keep the bottom totally clear. We have a ton of RCS in a 40b with Eco- complete w/painted black back and they look great against it!

 

[tarheel92]

Glad the Corys keep things clear. I'm hoping between the corys and otos i'll have everything taken care of clean-up crew wise, but I have a sort of "oooohhhh shiny/pretty" reaction when I see RCS that makes me want some even though I know chances are the population wouldn't survive long in my tank.

What plants do you have? I'm thinking some java fern, some sort of moss attached to driftwood, amazon sword, maybe anubias or anacharis?

 

[phishfriend]

There is a list on the second page.


http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/phishs-40g-upgrade-to-75g-breeding-ram-build-249470.html

Add a lot more baby tear's and neasea "golden" I got some pic's of it on there to

 

[tarheel92]

Thanks Phish! That tank looks beautiful. Will most of those plants grow in lower light? I saw the PAR from your lights in the 40-60 range, and I'm only looking at about 27-30 from a single FugeRay in my tank.

 

[phishfriend]

Thanks Phish! That tank looks beautiful. Will most of those plants grow in lower light? I saw the PAR from your lights in the 40-60 range, and I'm only looking at about 27-30 from a single FugeRay in my tank.

The only higher light plants in there at the moment are Telanthera Rosefolia(Alternanthera reineckii), Rotala Magenta, Nesaea 'Golden'. I started the build with the 40g in November not thinking about the weather. The idea of having a bunch of plants shipped to me in freezing temps wasn't something I want to try. So I'm waiting till spring. Everything now is from lfs stock.

 

[tarheel92]

Ok, great!

Do you have any experience with brown algae? When I was at my LFS most of there plants were covered in brown dots (that I"m assuming is just brown algae) and I didn't know if that's not a problem, I can just rub it off and be fine, or if I should try to find a local seller here or get plants shipped?

 

[phishfriend]

I'm fairly new to the planted side of the hobby myself. So when it comes to different types of algae and how it's treated. I always ask the more experienced planters on the site. The first thing their going to want is a pic. So if you can get a good one. Then just start a thread ask for an ID and treatment. Some one will answer.

What I can tell you is that I'v have learned to pre-treat all plants before I put then in a tank. The two methods I'v tried are.

1) dipping or coating new plants in straight hydrogen peroxide and letting it sit a min or two before planting.
2) put new plants I a bucket of diluted bleach water. About 20/1 ratio.

 

[tarheel92]

Thanks for the advice - sadly I didn't think to take a picture when I was there yesterday and it's about 30 minutes away from me so not sure if I'll make it back before I'd be purchasing plants. I might just browse pictures of fw plant ailments online and see if anything looks the same!

 

[tarheel92]

So I found a tank and stand on Craigslist today! Got em for $100 which wasn't too bad, and will hopefully get started in a week or so when I get back from my Spring Break.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Hey there if you guys get over to the wake forest area check out aquarium outfitters on main street they have a very large selection and trade with customers the owner is almost always there and is very knowledgable