40G Breeder Build - Advice Welcome!

[FrankAbagnale]

Hey everybody! Over the last month, I have been buying supplies to put a live plant aquarium together. I am trying to decide on whether I should do co2 or not. I don't want to do the DIY co2 so opinions on co2 set ups are very much welcome. Are there drawbacks to co2? My tank has had water in it for 3 days now and is currently being fishless cycled with pure ammonia. Below is what I have set up-including the plants and fertilizers.

40G Breeder (36x18x16) with Glass Top
1 - Aquatic Life T5HO 2 Light (May buy another today)
Marine Land C220 Canister Filter
Aqueon 150w Submersible Heater
Tetra Whisper 40 Air Pump - 2 Small Air Stones
Eco-Complete Substrate

Anubias Nana - Assorted
Selaginella Willdenowii - Peacock Fern
Eleocharis acicularis - Dwarf Hairgrass
Hygrophilia Difformis - Water Wisteria
Ophiopogon Japonica - Kyoto
Trichomanes Javanicum - Aqua Fern
Spathiphyllum Wallisii - Umbrella Plant

I am adding Seachem Flourish fertilizer twice a week. Should I do more or less?
I also put 6 API Root Tabs in the substrate.

 

[GodFan]

Hey everybody! Over the last month, I have been buying supplies to put a live plant aquarium together. I am trying to decide on whether I should do co2 or not. I don't want to do the DIY co2 so opinions on co2 set ups are very much welcome. Are there drawbacks to co2? My tank has had water in it for 3 days now and is currently being fishless cycled with pure ammonia. Below is what I have set up-including the plants and fertilizers.

40G Breeder (36x18x16) with Glass Top
1 - Aquatic Life T5HO 2 Light (May buy another today)
Marine Land C220 Canister Filter
Aqueon 150w Submersible Heater
Tetra Whisper 40 Air Pump - 2 Small Air Stones
Eco-Complete Substrate

Anubias Nana - Assorted
Selaginella Willdenowii - Peacock Fern
Eleocharis acicularis - Dwarf Hairgrass
Hygrophilia Difformis - Water Wisteria
Ophiopogon Japonica - Kyoto
Trichomanes Javanicum - Aqua Fern
Spathiphyllum Wallisii - Umbrella Plant

I am adding Seachem Flourish fertilizer twice a week. Should I do more or less?
I also put 6 API Root Tabs in the substrate.

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I cannot really advise on the co2 as I am too lazy to go to all that trouble myself (lol) but I can tell you that peacock fern is not aquatic and will die if submerged. Nice looking tank though!

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Yeah I've taken it out already. That's what I get for buying a tubed plant.

 

[GodFan]

Yeah I've taken it out already. That's what I get for buying a tubed plant.

lol I almost did the same thing with the same plant. It is cool looking.

 

[Rivercats]

Trichomanes Javanicum (peacock fern), Spathiphyllum Wallisii (peace lily), and Ophiopogon Japonica (mondo grass) are all bog plants and not true aquatic plants. As for CO2 it's not absolutely necessary but using either CO2 or liquid carbon like Seachems Excel will aid in plant photosynthesis and growth. You should also get some type of fertilizer such as Seachems Comprehensive. And one more thing... if you take the dwarf hair grass out and split each one into at least 4 or more smaller pieces and then replant those small pieces in a checkerboard pattern you will get much faster growth and spreading from them.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Thanks for the info Rivercats! My lfs just got a shipment of plants in today. I bought some more DH and checkered it. The picture from above was one that I separated into three clumps. I'm going to go back in a couple hours and pick up some other plants. Should I take the Trichomanes Javanicum, Spathiphyllum Wallisii, and Ophiopogon Japonica out of the tank. No point leaving it if it's going to die right?

I have both Flourish comprehensive and excel. Should I add just as the bottles say? Once or twice a week?

 

[Rivercats]

Thanks for the info Rivercats! My lfs just got a shipment of plants in today. I bought some more DH and checkered it. The picture from above was one that I separated into three clumps. I'm going to go back in a couple hours and pick up some other plants. Should I take the Trichomanes Javanicum, Spathiphyllum Wallisii, and Ophiopogon Japonica out of the tank. No point leaving it if it's going to die right?

I have both Flourish comprehensive and excel. Should I add just as the bottles say? Once or twice a week?

I'd remove them and pot them for the house. And just watch even fish stores sell bog plants that aren't fully aquatic. Excel should be dosed daily as if only stays in solution 12-24 hours before being totally broken down in water. Dose the comprehensive as directed.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Awesome. Thank you again for the advice! So would you recommend I just do some Jungle Val in one of the corners? Any suggestions on other background plants or even mid ground? I thought some Rotala Rotundifolia would be cool.

 

[Rivercats]

I wouldn't do Jungle Val as it just gets way too large for a tank that small. Corkscrew Val would be much better suited and can tolerate liquid carbon without melting like Jungle Val does. The rotala is a good choice as would crypts, a single sword plant, dwarf sag, a single red tiger lotus (for non-green color), bacopa, and ludwigia are all suitable.

 

[CGM246]

Re: Tiger Lotus

I thought those were HTG plants? Also, are the safe to grow in a 10 gallon or will they grow too big?

 

[Rivercats]

Red tiger lotus is one of the very few non-green plants that can be grown in lower light. Plus you can trim leaves to keep it the size you want. I trim on mine alot to keep it in the space I want.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

I accidentally added this to my other thread, but thought it may get more attention here. I apologize ahead of time for that...

Does anyone have some experience with Tiger Barbs? I think it would be cool to have 5 or 6, but I don't want a Tiger Barb only tank. Any recommendations? I need to keep in mind that I have live plants and don't want them torn up either.

Also, I added some Cabomba and some crypts. I was worried about the Cabomba, but it's looking really well. Cool to see it close up and open up with the lights.

I'll just add, my tank has not cycled yet so I won't be adding fish until it does!

 

[Wy Renegade]

I've been told that one shouldn't run air and CO2 together, as the airstones will cause the CO2 to gas off, and raises pH. Not sure how accurate that is, but just thought I would mention it as you appear to be running both.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

I'm not running co2 right now, but I have thought about it. I don't want to mess with the DIY co2.

 

[Rivercats]

You can run CO2 or use a liquid carbon like Excel, API CO2 Booster, or Glutaraldehyde which you would dose daily.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Oh I apologize. I am dosing Excel daily and Comprehensive weekly.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Changed a few plants around and added another piece of driftwood on the right side. Kinda hard to see, but there is a tunnel/cave on the bottom of the new driftwood.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Updated

Just updated the tank a bit. Added a few plants, took some out, you know the drill. What I'm really wanting is....a jungle. It will surely change more over time.

Full Frontal


Left Side


Center


Right Side



Plant List

• Hygrophila difformis (Water Wisteria)
• Cabomba caroliniana (Green Cabomba)
• Rotala indica
• Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae (Micro Sword)
• Eleocharis acicularis (Dwarf Hairgrass)
• Hemianthus callitrichoides (Dwarf Baby Tears)
• Alternanthera reineckii (Telanthera)
• Cryptocoryne wendtii v. 'bronze'
• Cryptocoryne wendtii v. 'red'
• Cryptocoryne spiralis (Spiralis)
• Flame Moss

 

[Rivercats]

The tank looks good and you will have a jungle once it grows in!

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Broke down and ordered a Milwaukee Co2 Regulator and some ferts for PPS-Pro method. I think having a good micro and macro schedule is going to make a nice difference in my plant health.

Rivercats - Hoping you can help me with the PPS-Pro. Just add 4ml daily of each(40 gallon tank)? Im confused. Also, I did order 3 seperate dosing bottles just in case.
And.....There's always an and! I'm going to be in St. Louis all weekend. Any good LFS's with plants in your area?