planting a tall hex tank

[mr funktastic]

i got a 35 gallon hex tank but i got no substrate or decorations or plants to put in it so i was looking for any kind of planting idea that would suit it. it is 18" wide and 30" tall so i need some big plants to fill the space. i was also wondering about what is the best gravel/sand to put in the bottom for the plants. it will get enough natural and artificial sunlight for the growth so that is not an issue. i was thinking about a small school of angels to go in it, possibly set it up as a breeding tank. thanks in advance. i posted a similar question in a different thread so it may sound familiar.

 

[mattrox]

I would advise against any direct natural light if alage is a concern. Filtererd natural light can work, but you will get algae on spots that the sun hits. I had a tank that got afternoon sun filteres through venitain blinds and the sunnier spots needed attention to rid algae.

Artificial light puts you in control and eliminates variables that can cause hassles.

 

[greenmaji]

How tall is the tank.. you might need MH for a really tall tank.. they make smaller wattage.. I know they make 75 watt ones.. you might need more then 75 watts of light but I dont know how MH converts for planted tank use..
If you want to use direct sunlight maybe a light diffusing material could be used... Like thin white cloth?

 

[mr funktastic]

the sun doesnt hit the tank directly but my room is very sunny during the da. i have had 2 other tanks in my room for over 6 months now and alage isnt a problem. my 20 gallon is planted with just regular florescent bulbs and the plants are doing fine. i was just wondering what types of plants grow taller because i need a plant that will span up to the top or close to the top. the tank is 30" tall. i need a list of plants that will grow tall and what kind of substates you need for them. i have heard of black sand that you can buy and i think it will give a cool effect but i dont know how well the plants will anchor in it. i will look into the MH though, thanks.

 

[greenmaji]

Backdrop plants, for the most part, would get tall enough for a 35 hex.. here is plantgeeks guide to backdrop plants..
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=5&filter_by=4
I would see about getting ones that have low lighting requirements untill you can get higher light.. you might be able to get them to grow without much more work if they are all low light and easy to care for..
crypts are one exaple of what Im talking about.. tall.. easy to care for.. and low light requirements..

 

[mr funktastic]

thanks alot for the low light tip i completely forgot that not all plants need a lot of light duh! i am going to my lfs to check out some prices and then i can get started. i still need some good substate ideas tho. like i said i was planning on angels zebra angels and white angels for the tank so what would be a good colour, texture for the substate. thanks for your help so far.

 

[greenmaji]

Your welcome on the low-light tip.. I would make a list from the plantgeek guide (the link i listed above).. this list might not be all that long.. just to make sure I was getting what I needed

I wouldnt put alot of angels in that tank (not enough space they get 8 inches long! 8O )
Maybe two angels would work (I would want a breeding pair! ROFL!) + some smaller fish..

As far as the substrate you need check out the substrate sticky that malkore wrote.. in a low light tank you dont really need to be that conserned with fancy plant substrates (unless of course your considering getting MH in the not so near future)...

 

[mr funktastic]

how much is this lighting going to cost? i will need an 18" hood cover with light. do you have any suggestions on where to get it?

 

[Feynman]

www.hellolights.com is worth checking out.

 

[mr funktastic]

ok i cheaped out and went plastic. well i actually super cheaped out and went to dollarama and just bought a whole bunch of plastic plants. the tall ones i just bought a really tall plant and cut it down a few time and then took all the plants and fed them into a whole in the bottom of a clay pot. i used 3 of these and then just an assortment of other plastic plants. i thought it turned out pretty good. i still used flourecent lighting it was a 18" coralife daylight bulb that seems to do the trick. thanks for your tips but i just cant afford all that good stuff.