The loach's 29 gallon tank journal

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Ok guys quick question about the flora max

I'm going to cover the whole bottom with 24 pounds of flora max, and I am going to leave a bit of blue gravel at the bottom but it will not be visible
I have some questions
1. Do you think that if I leave a bit of gravel on the bottom and add the 24 pounds of flora max, will that be enough substrate?

2. Do I need to wash the flora max to reduce my water from staining, it says its pre-washed

3. Do I need to take the carbon out of the filter media?, I have heard and read mixed answers

4. If I add the flora max do I need root tabs or plant food?
Thanks
 
Goldfish loach boy said:
Ok guys quick question about the flora max

I'm going to cover the whole bottom with 24 pounds of flora max, and I am going to leave a bit of blue gravel at the bottom but it will not be visible
I have some questions
1. Do you think that if I leave a bit of gravel on the bottom and add the 24 pounds of flora max, will that be enough substrate?

2. Do I need to wash the flora max to reduce my water from staining, it says its pre-washed

3. Do I need to take the carbon out of the filter media?, I have heard and read mixed answers

4. If I add the flora max do I need root tabs or plant food?
Thanks
Click to expand...

1. There are substrate calculators out there that would help you determine how much you would need to get a certain depth. Google "substrate calculator"

2. You don't need to wash it if you add it to your tank when its completely empty. I didn't wash some of mine in a tank that already had water in it and the tank got cloudy, I washed the rest and didn't get cloudy at all. You don't have to, but it will only help.

3. You can take the carbon out if you want, or since you have the prefilled pads you can leave it in because its really only effective at what it does for somewhere around 6-8weeks. But if you replace your pads know that the fresh carbon will be removing some of your ferts, that's a waste of money and detrimental to your plants.

4. Because you have heavy root feeders you should still use root tabs and all plants do better with a good fert regimen. Planted substrates don't add to the ferts in your tank, they only hold them in the substrate better so plants can access them better.

Edit: substrate calcs I found all said you'd need around 40lbs to get a depth of 2.5" in your tank. So two of the large bags from petsmart would do. Curious how you were getting 24lbs of it?
 
Last edited:
I added flora max to my tank when it was empty, i filled it up and it was a MESS. I would highly recommend rinsing it.
 
Zimmanski said:
1. There are substrate calculators out there that would help you determine how much you would need to get a certain depth. Google "substrate calculator"

2. You don't need to wash it if you add it to your tank when its completely empty. I didn't wash some of mine in a tank that already had water in it and the tank got cloudy, I washed the rest and didn't get cloudy at all. You don't have to, but it will only help.

3. You can take the carbon out if you want, or since you have the prefilled pads you can leave it in because its really only effective at what it does for somewhere around 6-8weeks. But if you replace your pads know that the fresh carbon will be removing some of your ferts, that's a waste of money and detrimental to your plants.

4. Because you have heavy root feeders you should still use root tabs and all plants do better with a good fert regimen. Planted substrates don't add to the ferts in your tank, they only hold them in the substrate better so plants can access them better.

Edit: substrate calcs I found all said you'd need around 40lbs to get a depth of 2.5" in your tank. So two of the large bags from petsmart would do. Curious how you were getting 24lbs of it?
Click to expand...

Thanks for all this help Zimmanski!
I'll add root tabs, and by fert regimen you mean adding plant food right?
I am having anacharis and I heard that liquid co2 will melt them will root tabs or liquid plant food melt them?
Also I got 24 pounds because I went online to petsmart and the black flora max costs 10 dollars for a bag of 12 pounds, so 2 bags is 24 pounds and that's already 20 bucks
 
Goldfish loach boy said:
Thanks for all this help Zimmanski!
I'll add root tabs, and by fert regimen you mean adding plant food right?
I am having anacharis and I heard that liquid co2 will melt them will root tabs or liquid plant food melt them?
Also I got 24 pounds because I went online to petsmart and the black flora max costs 10 dollars for a bag of 12 pounds, so 2 bags is 24 pounds and that's already 20 bucks
Click to expand...

Oh my bad, I read 10lb and 20lb instead of 12.

"Liquid co2" isn't liquid co2, its a carbon supplement, most plants will build up a tolerance with it to the point they won't melt, but you probably won't need it with the plants you've chosen. It can help with algae growth though, which you probably need to diagnose what is causing yours.

Liquid fertilizers and root tabs won't melt plants, all plants need what's in them.

You can start with the 24lbs if you want, but I'm willing to bet your blue gravel will eventually be visible. Whether or not that's an issue with you isn't for us to say
 
Goldfish loach boy said:
Ok I'll put in 36 pounds in us that better?

Also what liquid food do you recommend?
Click to expand...

I would think you'll be much more satisfied with that.

In a smaller tank with less demanding plants like yours seachem's flourish comprehensive would be a good choice, an even better choice would be to buy flourish comp and API leaf zone and alternate the dosings of them but since you're on a budget that may not be feasible. API leaf zone is cheaper than flourish and is a great additive to use in conjunction with flourish but if its one or the other I highly recommend the flourish comprehensive.
 
Ok guys so today I discovered liveaquaria.com and I changed my stock a bit here are all my fish including the ones I have and still need
1 balloon belly Molly
5 red eye tetras
2 peppered Cory's
4 black kuhli loaches
2 neon tetras
1 rio negro pleco
1 royal farlowella catfish
1 peacock gudgeon
 
Goldfish loach boy said:
Ok guys so today I discovered liveaquaria.com and I changed my stock a bit here are all my fish including the ones I have and still need
1 balloon belly Molly
5 red eye tetras
1 peppered Cory
4 black kuhli loaches
2 neon tetras
1 oto
1 rio negro pleco
1 royal farlowella catfish
1 peacock gudgeon
1 pearl gourami
Click to expand...

loach boy here's my two cents on your stocking list: no farlowella catfish, no peacock gudgeon, add 3-4 neon tetras, reduce the number of loaches to 2-3 if possible. 3-4 corys. let go of pearl gourami, they need at least 30gal especially when it mature, more space is needed. peacock gudgeon only take frozen food/live food, i'm not sure if you have the budget for that. you need 3-5otos.
 
huizheng1988 said:
loach boy here's my two cents on your stocking list: no farlowella catfish, no peacock gudgeon, add 3-4 neon tetras, reduce the number of loaches to 2-3 if possible. 3-4 corys. let go of pearl gourami, they need at least 30gal especially when it mature, more space is needed. peacock gudgeon only take frozen food/live food, i'm not sure if you have the budget for that. you need 3-5otos.
Click to expand...

Yea my mom wants the oto so I guess that's off
I bought 7 neon tetras I only have 2 now I'm giving up on them, I have lost 10 now because if neon tetra disease
The Cory, I'll probably be getting him one more partner
I am prepared to feed the gudgeon frozen bloodworms how do I do that?
I'll find a smaller type of gourami then
I really want the farlowella
 
Goldfish loach boy said:
Ok guys so today I discovered liveaquaria.com and I changed my stock a bit here are all my fish including the ones I have and still need
1 balloon belly Molly
5 red eye tetras
2 peppered Cory's
4 black kuhli loaches
2 neon tetras
1 rio negro pleco
1 royal farlowella catfish
1 peacock gudgeon
Click to expand...

Here is the list now
 
Goldfish loach boy said:
Yea my mom wants the oto so I guess that's off
I bought 7 neon tetras I only have 2 now I'm giving up on them, I have lost 10 now because if neon tetra disease
The Cory, I'll probably be getting him one more partner
I am prepared to feed the gudgeon frozen bloodworms how do I do that?
I'll find a smaller type of gourami then
I really want the farlowella
Click to expand...

when feeding bloodworms, just some fish tank water and drop a cube of worms in the water to thaw it out. then you net the worms and feed them to the fish.
 
Ok so put them in tank weather, thaw them out got it thanks do I just drop them in the tank and he will find them, or spot feed or what?
Thanks for the info
Also, if I add some RCS, do you think that either the gudgeon or the catfish will eat them?
 
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