My attempt at a planted tank

[Jess1ca]

I've always loved the looks of a planted tank so I thought "what the heck" and decided to plant a couple of my own I started with a 10g Betta/Shrimp/Snail home that one is pretty heavily stocked with plants, perhaps a bit too crowded after the "mess o' plants" I just recieved from Jetajocky (Thank you! Best monies I ever spent!) I wish I had the time to sit and scape this sucker tonight but I have to work :/

I started with the original lights that came with your average box kit from Walmart, then upgraded to a Aqueon LED light and just recently modified the hood to hold 2 CFL's (as suggested) & LOVE the way the tank looks under them

I have been dosing Flourish Excel but that's about it for ferts.

Here is some before & after pics, I kinda just threw the majority of my new plants in the 10g for now, Sunday is my next day off and I will get to play with plants the whole day! Woot woot! Also included in the pics are the 20 & 29 with some plants, just floating the ones in the 20 for now. I promise my updated pics will reveal a much nicer scape haha!!

Also got some gorgeous plants from afishpond! Thank you too!!!

 

[Billbug68]

Looks like you've got some good stuff! Good luck, plants reveal a whole new addictive side to the hobby!

 

[Jess1ca]

Looks like you've got some good stuff! Good luck, plants reveal a whole new addictive side to the hobby!

Thank you! after i purchased my subwassertang i was hooked! lol! The poor 10g is STUFFED haha! I wish I didn't have to work so I can move stuffs around

 

[Billbug68]

Thank you! after i purchased my subwassertang i was hooked! lol! The poor 10g is STUFFED haha! I wish I didn't have to work so I can move stuffs around

Patience is the key! You'll probably move things around a hundred times, add/remove stuff before you're happy! It took me months to be happy with my 10 gallon... And now I want to swap out the standard tank for a rimless, aquasoil instead of sand, change to canister filter, presurized co2, etc., etc...

It's never ending!!! Haha

 

[Jess1ca]

Patience is the key! You'll probably move things around a hundred times, add/remove stuff before you're happy! It took me months to be happy with my 10 gallon... And now I want to swap out the standard tank for a rimless, aquasoil instead of sand, change to canister filter, presurized co2, etc., etc...

It's never ending!!! Haha

I've already looked into DIY co2 lol, that's how I knew my addiction has started lol! It's a new learning curve too! I bought some plants that I recently found out were not aquatic or hard to adapt to fully submerged :/ they cost me $6 a piece and $20 in gas to get them... Ugh!

How do you plant clippings? I have them stuck in the sand with a rock on top... Is that ok?

 

[Billbug68]

I did the same thing with my first plants! Stupid petco... I did the DIY route for a while also, but had too many problems with algae blooms, and it got to be a pain to remix every week. I cut it out, fertilize once a week, and just let it grow slowly now. Less of a headache. Honestly, IMO DIY is more trouble than its worth!

Here's my scape as of today...

 

[Jess1ca]

I did the same thing with my first plants! Stupid petco... I did the DIY route for a while also, but had too many problems with algae blooms, and it got to be a pain to remix every week. I cut it out, fertilize once a week, and just let it grow slowly now. Less of a headache. Honestly, IMO DIY is more trouble than its worth!

Here's my scape as of today...

Oh my that is gorgeous!!! I was told it was a pain and to not mess with it and I'm gonna pass on it. I'm so happy I was let in on the cfl tip I totally love the way it makes the tank look! Trying to rig the same for the 20g

 

[Billbug68]

Oh my that is gorgeous!!! I was told it was a pain and to not mess with it and I'm gonna pass on it. I'm so happy I was let in on the cfl tip I totally love the way it makes the tank look! Trying to rig the same for the 20g

Thank you! Just wait till I upgrade everything! haha, yes, CFLs are great for smaller tanks! I was considering the mini fluval co2 system. Everyone hates on it because you have to buy their replacement cartridges, but too me, it's less of an investment up front, a little cost to maintain, and you get the benifits of pressurized co2. That's just me though...

I can't wait to see what you do with yours! ill be waiting! Haha

 

[Jess1ca]

Thank you! Just wait till I upgrade everything! haha, yes, CFLs are great for smaller tanks! I was considering the mini fluval co2 system. Everyone hates on it because you have to buy their replacement cartridges, but too me, it's less of an investment up front, a little cost to maintain, and you get the benifits of pressurized co2. That's just me though...

I can't wait to see what you do with yours! ill be waiting! Haha

Ill definitely keep ya updated! I'd really like to take everything out and do a good vac, seems some of my dw is having a difficult time holding itself together lol. I'm afraid to do that tho because I have TONS of shrimplets and I sold almost all my shrimp not too long ago and wanna build the colony up again. I also need to add more sand. I don't have enough to anchor all the plants :/ I got a little crazy with the gravel vac a coupla times so I lost a lot of sand I have been reading up on good substrates for plants and I'm totally going to get some good stuff when both my other builds are completed. The mini co2 dealy sounds awesome! Ill have to google it!

I'm moving my Mixed Africans over to a 150g so the 55g will be empty soon and I am already imagining a jungle in it haha! Had plans to do a different Rift in it but I just can't shake the thought plants in it! We shall see I suppose

 

[Billbug68]

I have a 55 I need to set up too... I was thinking of planting it, but I decided against it... Too much space! Haha, I'm just gonna do a simple hardscape only angelfish biotope with it and keep my planted tanks small for now!

 

[Jess1ca]

Plants are looking GREAT! My shrimp are really happy too! Noticed all my females are berried excited because I sold off most of all of my shrimp recently and trying to rebuild my colony

 

[jetajockey]

That looks really good Jessica, everything is vibrant and healthy.

Another alternative to the fluval kit is the paintball co2 route. Paintball co2 cartridges are usually prevalent on craigslist and the regulator (i don't know if it qualifies as a regulator, but still) is cheap on ebay. I've seen lots of mixed opinion on them and how 'safe' they are, but i've not tried one personally.
Aquarium CO2 Simple Regulator Diffuser Adjuster Water Plant Fish Tank Moss CRS | eBay

 

[Billbug68]

Plants are looking GREAT! My shrimp are really happy too! Noticed all my females are berried excited because I sold off most of all of my shrimp recently and trying to rebuild my colony

I'm jealous... My shrimp never breed and I only have 3 left!

 

[Billbug68]

That looks really good Jessica, everything is vibrant and healthy.

Another alternative to the fluval kit is the paintball co2 route. Paintball co2 cartridges are usually prevalent on craigslist and the regulator (i don't know if it qualifies as a regulator, but still) is cheap on ebay. I've seen lots of mixed opinion on them and how 'safe' they are, but i've not tried one personally.
Aquarium CO2 Simple Regulator Diffuser Adjuster Water Plant Fish Tank Moss CRS | eBay

I've never seen this regulator before! Is it for the disposable cartridges? I've seen guys making regulators for pretty cheap for the refillable paintball bottles. I was also semi interested in that.

 

[jetajockey]

I've never seen this regulator before! Is it for the disposable cartridges? I've seen guys making regulators for pretty cheap for the refillable paintball bottles. I was also semi interested in that.

In the description it looks like you also have to get a paintball adapter for it. That's just one of many on there though, just look up aquarium paintball regulator.

 

[Billbug68]

In the description it looks like you also have to get a paintball adapter for it. That's just one of many on there though, just look up aquarium paintball regulator.

I have before but buying that cheap Chinese stuff on eBay makes me nervous... Especially for something highly pressurized... Haha

EDIT: did you see the price for the adapter fitting? It's more than the regulator! Haha

 

[jetajockey]

Lol no I didn't see it, but not surprised.

For the cost I'd just go with an actual co2 regulator and tank. It's not too much more cost-wise, and lasts a lot longer so is cheaper in the long run, plus it's safer. Just buy a regulator, the milwaukee ma957 is about $90 and comes with a bubble counter and solenoid, or the aquatek which is about $20 cheaper. Then buy a co2 tank locally, my local Airgas company charges about 90$ for a new 5lb tank and then does swap outs for about $15.

I recently bought an Aquatek regulator/bubble counter/solenoid setup on a 5lb co2 tank off of CL for $100. The needle valve is a little tricky but the bubble count hasn't shifted on it's own since I set it, so I'm ok with it for now.

 

[Billbug68]

I recently bought an Aquatek regulator/bubble counter/solenoid setup on a 5lb co2 tank off of CL for $100. The needle valve is a little tricky but the bubble count hasn't shifted on it's own since I set it, so I'm ok with it for now.

This is good to know, I had it narrowed down to the Fluval kit, Aquatek, or the DIY paintball setup. The main reason I'd like the Aquatek is for the solenoid that you can put on a timer or l eventually ph controller. So you have no problems with the Aquatek? Don't mean to hijack the thread but this is still useful info for her as well... Haha

 

[Jess1ca]

That looks really good Jessica, everything is vibrant and healthy.

Another alternative to the fluval kit is the paintball co2 route. Paintball co2 cartridges are usually prevalent on craigslist and the regulator (i don't know if it qualifies as a regulator, but still) is cheap on ebay. I've seen lots of mixed opinion on them and how 'safe' they are, but i've not tried one personally.
Aquarium CO2 Simple Regulator Diffuser Adjuster Water Plant Fish Tank Moss CRS | eBay

Thanks! They are lovin the lights! I'm planning on swapping the sand out for fluorite? I think that's what it was called, saw it at the lfs. They had laterite too. I'm moving at the end of November so I was thinking about buying another 10 and setting it up at the new place with the plant substrate then move the plants over at moving time. Then I will have an extra 10 to play with lol

 

[Jess1ca]

Soooo today is water change day. I change the Africans water every 3 days to keep trAtes in check and I usually do everyone else's while I'm at it. While testing parameters today I've noticed that this planted tank is zeros all acrossed the board! I was shocked to see it because I'm used to trAtes being somewhere near the 40s in the African tanks and I'm not accustomed to seeing a yellow trAtes tube haha! I don't have mechanical filtration in this tank, just a sponge filter, my Betta couldn't handle the water movement.. I'm planning in putting a biowheel filter I have on it to catch some of the debris floating around and probably moving my Betta. Do here's a question... Don't my plants need trAtes? Like a natural fert? So should I stop with such frequent changes and do about once a week instead of every 3 days with everyone else? For those of you who don't know I am a wc junky lol, I LOVE changing water and putting in fresh! Advice please!!!