Tall and Slender

[Allyn]

First of all, hi everyone, first post here.


I'm going to attempt my first planted aquarium. I've read a lot online and lurked through these forums but still need some specific advice. I have a 47 gallon tall aquarium. It's about 30" deep and 20" X 18." I have a 18" fluorescent fixture. I'm not sure of the wattage on the bulb but its going out so ill be needing a new one. It's a pretty deep and narrow tank, but very nice. I have a nice community of mismatched livebearers and two clown loaches and a blue spotted gourami that I plan to keep.

I've attached pictures of the tank now, and some pictures of where I want to go. One of those pictures has stacked slate pieces and the others a pillar of plants surrounded by rocks. I want to have a circle of stacked slate around a planted pillar, a tall pillar. And eventually maybe some moss of nice ground cover.

I have basic pea gravel substrate, I intended this to be a low-tech planted tank. I have a magnum hot canister filter.

What bulb should I get when I get a new one? What plants would you recommend? I think it would nice if the plants pillared out of the circle and then as they got taller kind of spread out, kind of like a tree maybe? Would that be possible with what plants? I would also like some color, not just green, if possible. Should I change substrate and what kind if any. I thought maybe since the plants would be portioned by the slate, perhaps a different substrate within the circle. In that case would I put the slate right on the glass and build up from there, departing the substrates.

Any ideas, comments, advice, opinions, constructive crit welcome and appreciated.

Oh, the fish, I have a Dempsey, Convict, and Parrot cichlid in another tank and would like to move them to this one after planting. And eventually get a few more, maybe.

*please excuse grammar, on a little phone.


Please and thanks.

 

[brennae]

awesome ideas! If it were me (i keep it simple) I would go with an Amazon sword and call it a day. You would need to trim it of course. I have a large one and its one of my favorites in my tanks. I envy people that do well with aquascaping!

 

[Mebbid]

I like the idea but my only concern is that those cichlids you want to put in there will destroy the plants.

 

[Oscar98]

I like the idea but my only concern is that those cichlids you want to put in there will destroy the plants.

X2 the cichlids will destroy the plants. Plus, a 47g tank is not big enough for a dempsey and a parrot

 

[Zimmanski]

My first concern is the fish as well, if you plan to keep live bearers and gourami with the more aggressive cichlids you'll likely have some issues. As for plants stick to the very low light plants that have harder leaves, anubias, java ferns, amazon swords would be good to try first, they tend to be a little more hardy and don't taste as good as the softer plants like wisteria and others

 

[Allyn]

Sorry, I I meant that the live bearers Can be moved and the other three I would like to stay. But I didn't know the cichlids would destroy my plants. So maybe they can stay where they are.

The Dempsey and parrot are small now, 2 - 3", they're funny. They swim together always, sleep together, hide together. The convict is twice their size and they try and go after him. Very different from cichlids I used to have. I mistakenly acquired 15 or mor baby convicts and dempseys for 10c a piece for adoption. They were crazy aggressive, when I fed them it was very similar to why you see on animal shows when piranhas go after something in the water. These guys I have now, are chill by comparison. The parrot I got at wal mart, it's entire mouth is on one side of its face, very strange deformation.

Anyways that's disappointing but it can always stay a community tank.

 

[Allyn]

And so what specific light should I get, the pet store has t5 ad t8 from zoomed I believe. Also the substrate, ami good?

 

[Mebbid]

That all depends on what you want to grow. A dual t5ho fixture might give you medium light level in your tank while a 4x t5ho light would definitely give you a medium light level and possibly a low end of the high light spectrum.

As for the gravel, it's not very popular but it will work.

 

[Rivercats]

With the depth of that tank, the same depth as my 220g you will need a 4 bulb T5HO fixture if you go with that type lighting. I would also suggest dosing liquid carbon to help with plant photosynthesis and growth. I have a Build My LED fixture that has a 75% Beam Angle that works great on a deep tank. Here's a link... Freshwater Planted Tank - Build My LED, LLC.

For the background a couple Crypt Balanese would look good. They will get tall enough and I love the unique textured long slender leaves. You could go with a Red Tiger Lotus for some color. Also Crypt Wendtii Red or Bronze will give some added color in a deep tank.

 

[Allyn]

With the depth of that tank, the same depth as my 220g you will need a 4 bulb T5HO fixture if you go with that type lighting. I would also suggest dosing liquid carbon to help with plant photosynthesis and growth. I have a Build My LED fixture that has a 75% Beam Angle that works great on a deep tank. Here's a link... Freshwater Planted Tank - Build My LED, LLC.

For the background a couple Crypt Balanese would look good. They will get tall enough and I love the unique textured long slender leaves. You could go with a Red Tiger Lotus for some color. Also Crypt Wendtii Red or Bronze will give some added color in a deep tank.

I wish I could invite this. Thanks.