pinkpearl8130
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hello all! I'm new to this site and also to aquariums in general. I have very basic aquarium knowledge, my husband knows much more, but not a whole lot about planted tanks. He decided to surprise me a few days ago by setting up our old 29G with some fish and plants within only two days of adding gravel and water to the tank! Nothing planned, just jumped the gun! I really want a planted tank but don't know what I can do now that the tank already has some fish and plants. I don't want anything to die but the light that is in my fixture is horrible and I'm not sure if I did the substrate correct (I made him buy it after seeing the plants were turning yellow with only gravel), or if the flourish I bought is right. He ordered a new light fixture and bulbs from our LFS but it will take 2 wks to get here and it cost like $140!
What can be done now to keep my plants alive while I wait for the new lights? I'm open to buying a replacement bulb for my current fixture til the new arrives. Or should I just wait because the substrate and flourish will be fine until then?
Could I just build my own light fixture or add another bulb to it to save money? I'm so tempted to cancel that expensive light fixture order!
Also, I think the brown substrate mixed with some of our white gravel doesn't look very appealing. The guy at our LFS said we could mix it with our current gravel since they only had one bag left and it wouldn't be enough for our 29G and he said we could also layer it. I think my husband did a little of both but it's not very eye catching.
My goal is a tank simple enough for a beginner with a 13 month old to chase after. I think CO2 and other "high tech" techniques will have to wait until I can at least keep this "simple" tank alive. Just enough plants to call it a "planted tank", good lighting, fertilizer (if needed and fish poo and fish food isn't enough), and regular water changes.
Should I be doing water hard/soft, ph, nitrite, nitrate, trace element etc tests?
In my tank now:
Red Sea Flora Base (with some white gravel -not sure what mm, kinda big)
Cryptocoryne Wendtii
Vallisneria Torta
Cryptocoryne Pontederiifolia
Java Moss
8 Neon Tetra
2 Golden Tetra
3 Kerri Emperor Tetra
3 Kuhli Loaches
Thanks in advance for the help!
What can be done now to keep my plants alive while I wait for the new lights? I'm open to buying a replacement bulb for my current fixture til the new arrives. Or should I just wait because the substrate and flourish will be fine until then?
Could I just build my own light fixture or add another bulb to it to save money? I'm so tempted to cancel that expensive light fixture order!
Also, I think the brown substrate mixed with some of our white gravel doesn't look very appealing. The guy at our LFS said we could mix it with our current gravel since they only had one bag left and it wouldn't be enough for our 29G and he said we could also layer it. I think my husband did a little of both but it's not very eye catching.
My goal is a tank simple enough for a beginner with a 13 month old to chase after. I think CO2 and other "high tech" techniques will have to wait until I can at least keep this "simple" tank alive. Just enough plants to call it a "planted tank", good lighting, fertilizer (if needed and fish poo and fish food isn't enough), and regular water changes.
Should I be doing water hard/soft, ph, nitrite, nitrate, trace element etc tests?
In my tank now:
Red Sea Flora Base (with some white gravel -not sure what mm, kinda big)
Cryptocoryne Wendtii
Vallisneria Torta
Cryptocoryne Pontederiifolia
Java Moss
8 Neon Tetra
2 Golden Tetra
3 Kerri Emperor Tetra
3 Kuhli Loaches
Thanks in advance for the help!