If you could start a 30ga planted community . . .

[u2_Crazy]

I want to start a 30ga planted community tank. how would you do it ideally? 1-2 plants to start and add gradually? I can picture a fairly lush tank, black or dark substrate, 1-2 driftwood, some slate for caves and a school of interesting fish with 1-2 larger fish and a handful of corys patrolling the bottom. I know how to do get it started with the fish and the cycle but not sure about the plants. I have a low wattage light (on 17W came in the kit and upgrading is not an option yet).

Also, I love the look of the sparse grass, what is that called? (I hope it's not just called grass)

so please share your ideas with me.

Thanks

 

[Legacy]

If I did a 30G planted I'd go with Bosemani Rainbowfish, but maybe you'd actually need a 55G for mature rainbows.

Are you talking about hairgrass?

 

[Jchillin]

Moved to Planted Tank forum.

 

[Jchillin]

I moved your thread here so as to garner additional assistance from the planted tank community.

If you want to get off to a good start, read the stickies at the beginning of this forum. Everything you need to know about lighting, substrate and equipment can be found in them.

 

[LAGlocker]

Well if you do go planted, its actually best to start off with alot of plants at once instead of adding one or two at a time. and at 17watts over 30 gal your only at about .6wpg. there really arent many plants that will grow well or at all at that wattage. so if you want a lush, full planted tank you will have to upgrade, to at least 1.5 to 2wpg, so somewhere in the range of 60 watts at least, maybe more depending on the plants you want.

 

[gheitman]

When you are just starting a planted tank it is better to be overstocked than to be understocked. The reason this is recommended is that having a lot of plants in a tank when you first start out helps eliminate any algae blooms.

With only 17 watts of light over a 30 gallon tank you are going to be limited in your choice of plants. Some of the plants which do well in low light include, but are not limited to, various Anubias and African fern. More information on plants that grow well under low light can be found by following the link below.

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=1&filter_by=2

 

[Tiffi]

What you've got in mind there sounds really good looking.

I would also add the plants at the same time or at least add quite a few at the beginning and then get more. But to have a little more choice, have better growing results, and get a little of that lush you've been talking about I would try to get to at least 30W for your 30gal. IMO 0.6wpg is really, really low.