Need some advice

[tropicalmackdaddy]

hello unknown friends!!! i have recently found a 10g tank and would like to put it to use. im new to the whole aguarium thing and i would like some questions answered. i would like to start a heavily planted tank with some dario darios in it, and i was wondering:
what type of filter is recommended?
i understand they need live food, so what kind? and how can i keep these live food(s)?
do i need to add fertilizer even if i use ecocomplete?
what plants would the little cuties like the best? i was going to use these:
1 brazilian pennywort
2 java fern
2 java moss
anubias nana (on lava rock)
3 water sprite
10 dwarf narrow-leaf sagittaria subulata
1 crypt walkeri
and some frogbit.
is this tomuch? are they incompatible? ive been digging around the web doin the best i could until i came upon this website.
THANKS so much id really appreciate any advice. i would just like the best for my fishies!!

 

[JokerWx13]

what kind of lighting do you have? plant's growth depends on it and danios* can live with any plants.

also, that's waaaayyyyy too many plants for a 10g. you don't need to get 3 watersprite cuz they grow really quickly and all you need to do it cut it and replant it if you want to have more. you don't need that much dwarf sag either unless you want to carpet your gravel right in the beginning. frogbit tends to hog all the light and make it pretty shady cuz they float and take up all the light at the top.

as for the filter any filter fit for a 10g would be fine and don't get the danios yet until you've cycled your tank. you could easily learn how to cycle by googling it lol.

welcome! and i hope you learn to love this hobby as much as the rest of us! any more questions will be taken in as well.

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

i think i have a 17 watt, but it may not work o im thinking about getting a new one. would duckweed be a good substitute for the frogbit?
i read tht alot of those plants and the scarlet badis(sry) like the shade
thnks for the advice, tht means it wont be tht pricy anymore!

 

[JokerWx13]

duckweed isn't that good of a plant, it's right in the name, it grows like a weed and its hard to get rid of. if you want a good floating plant, you could try the frogbit but they tend to need high lighting, the watersprite you're getting can also float if you want. the 17 watt is the minimum you should have and upgrading it wouldn't hurt either.

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

wat type light would you recomend?

 

[KaylNeko]

Duckweed usually grows even faster than frogbit *lol* Might look at dwarf water lettuce--they put down floating roots that fish like to hang out in. Or just stick with the brazilian pennywort--it can easily be a floating plant or a planted.

If you stick with the low light plants, a 17w may work. The other option is to find a top or a lightstrip that offers between that and 30w, be that one florescent strip or 2 CFL's. Avoid incandescents--they heat up too much.

Java moss and java fern are great. I agree with the above that said stick with one water sprite--it'll grow. One java moss will be sufficient if you're willing to wait for it to start growing as well, unless you're planning on tying it to a rock or piece of driftwood and need more. I love anubias--it grows slower than java fern, so it doesn't take over a ten gallon quite as fast *lol* And it's pretty.

Sounds like a good plant list--easy, low light. The badis should love it. ^_^

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

thnks! ill check out the water lettuce. im relieved i dont need so many plants. MUCH CHEAPER . i have one more question:
a couple of websites told me i had to wait for the cycle to complete before i put my plants and fish in, but another said plants should be put in right away, and i need to wait on the fish. is it okay to put plants in right away?

 

[JokerWx13]

of course you can put the plants in right away, nothing bad will happen to the plants as plants arent really affected by ammonia or nitrites/ates, if anything plants will make use of the fish waste as nutrients so plants are very beneficial to the tank

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

okay thnks guys!! im really thnkful for the help!
happy aquarium-ing

 

[JokerWx13]

you must post pics of your aquascaping i could help if you have any other questions along the way too

 

[guppy_freak]

i have a female guppy that is laying on the bottom of the tank not on her side or anything more like hide and staying away from the others is there something wrong with her or do they do that before giving birth to their fry

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

aright i will but it maybe a bit. THnks for the help, i will probs need more questions answered down the line!

 

[JokerWx13]

i have a female guppy that is laying on the bottom of the tank not on her side or anything more like hide and staying away from the others is there something wrong with her or do they do that before giving birth to their fry

uhh anything major happen recently? like you just get her, did a really big water change, or anything that may have stressed it out?

 

[guppy_freak]

yes i just got her like 2 days ago she died

 

[JokerWx13]

that's probably why...the shock of being transported from one tank to another probably caused too much stress for her. did you let the bag float over the tank water or did you just cut the bag open and let it out?

 

[Alyxx]

i have a female guppy that is laying on the bottom of the tank not on her side or anything more like hide and staying away from the others is there something wrong with her or do they do that before giving birth to their fry

You should start your own post to ask questions instead of putting another poster's thread off course.