Need Advice from Planted Veterans

[Quim]

I have a 20 gallon high aquarium that I've had running for almost a year. I knew I eventually wanted to do a heavily p,anted tank so I started out with Flourite black sand substrate with black sand on top of it. I started putting co2 in by way of a DIY setup. I started out with 1, 2 liter mixture of sugar, yeast and baking soda. I have since started using 2, 2 liters of the same recipe. It is piped in to my filter intake so the impeller can chop up the bubbles. I recently upgraded my lights from a crappy LED setup to a 24" quad t5 HO setup with 2 10000k 24 watt bulbs and 2 Actinic 24 watt bulbs, so a total setup of 4.8 watts per gallon which is pretty good right? I've done so e research but all the research in the world isn't as good as a seasoned veterans advice. I recently planted a bunch of Anacharis, 2 bunches of Bacopa Carolina, moss ball, a couple small Matt's of dwarf baby tears which I want to cover my floor, 2 Ozelot Swords, 1 Crypt Wendtii Red, 1 Crypt Balansae, 1 Pigmy Chain Sword, 1 bunch of Nesaea Red, 1small Java Fern, 3 Aponogeton bulbs that haven't sprouted, and 1 Water Lily bulb that also hasn't sprouted. I also dose one a week with Leaf Zone, and Flourish. I have 5 Panda Cory's, 6 Golden Zebra Danios, and 3 Sunburst Platys. It looks much better with live plants for decoration than the fake crap so I want to know if I am doing things right or what else I need to know. I really want these plants to grow in and complete my aquarium. My GH is hard, the co2 has lowered my ph from 7.6 to 6.6 since I started running 2 bottles. I have a drop checker but the color hasn't changed a bit and the fish do not gasp for air. I have a bubble wall going continually. I also have 2 Penguin 150b filters running simultaneously, with one of them being where I pipe in the co2, so it doesn't have a filter in it, just the bio wheel. Anything else you need to know just ask. Thank you for reading and hopefully responding.

 

[fort384]

What specifically are you looking for help with?

I'd point out a couple of things:

The actinic bulbs are not going to provide usable light to your plants for photosynthesis. However, I don't think I'd add 2 more white bulbs yet - 2 24W bulbs is more than enough over a 20 to grow just about anything.

Running the bubble wall and CO2 is counter productive. By constantly disturbing the surface, you are off gassing all the CO2 you are trying to inject. That would be why your drop checker isn't changing. My guess would be you probably aren't running much above equilibrium with air on Co2 (around 7-8 ppm). I would suggest putting the bubble wall on a timer so it only runs when the lights are off. When the lights come on, the bubble wall should be off.

 

[Fresh2o]

In the filter you are feeding the CO2 into, I would remove the biowheel and add floss or a cartridge. The biowheel will probably de-gas a portion of the CO2. The floss or cartridge will trap some of the CO2 bubbles and increase the contact time with the water.

 

[TankMan7]

You can scrap the acitinic bulbs and 10000k is a little high as well. 6500k is pretty ideal for a planted tank. Maybe swap out one of the acitinics for a 6500k and leave the other open or run one 10000k and one 6500k. Good luck! Sounds like a good set up. How about some pics?

 

[fort384]

I have grown many successful tanks under 10000K bulbs. I prefer the look of the light to 6500K. In my experience as long as it is in that range, it'll successfully grow plants. There is some evidence that higher color temp bulbs lack some of the red spectrum that plants need to thrive, but there is enough red to get the job done.

 

[TankMan7]

I have as well, I'm just saying that it is not ideal. One of each gives you the best of both worlds - the 10000 to give the tank a good look and provide the plants with most of what they need, and a 6500 to provide the rest. I also prefer the look of the 10000, so I run one of each on my tanks.

 

[Aquaenthused]

In my own experience the lighting you need depends on a plethora of factors and what is one plants lighting necessity may be another ones detriment, I've lost lots of plants through trial and error, same goes with any fertilizers or CO2 that you may be encouraged to use.

My success rate is highest when I have 2 or so wpg, I run my lights 10 hours on 14 hours off, my ph is at 6.8, I use an inch of Eco complete substrate mixed with laterite at the bottom cover that with a half inch non rinsed or mixed Eco complete. I place flourish tabs (4 per 10g) cover that with an inch of Eco complete mixed with fine grade sand, placing a root tab a half inch down then topping it off with my personal favorite substrate- sifting sand (I keep horse head loaches and other injury prone and sand eating fish who appreciate the soft sand as much as I appreciate the way they keep it clean ) I usually put a half inch to an inch, it depends who is going to occupy the tank and whether or not they will want to bury themselves or just skim the surface. Oh, and I keep my temperature between 76F- 78F. Hope this helps!

 

[fort384]

I forgot one other thing - dosing Leaf Zone and Seachem Flourish is redundant. They are providing essentially the same nutrients. Leaf Zone is primarily a Potassium and trace mix as I recall, where as the flourish will provide that plus a few other things. I'd recommend skipping the Leaf Zone dosing and continue to dose flourish.

 

[Aquaenthused]

Oh, another thing I've experienced through plants and 10000/ actinic is algae up the wazoo- however in my former saltwater tank it was a necessity... In freshwater planted tanks I have the best luck with 3700K coupled with a 6400K for most plants this has been ideal, I just add a pendant or a spotlight if I have any plants that need a higher spectrum than that and only run it for 6 hours max because I don't like algae blooms.

 

[fort384]

While the actinic connection to algae has been oft-repeated anecdotally through the years, I haven't ever seen a definitive scientific connection to explain it. I ran a very high light planted tank for awhile that I used actinics on as well to give it a blue look, and never experienced higher than normal algae growth.

It was on this tank, a 29gal with 3X24W 10000K and 1 24W actinic.

as Aquaenthused stated though, and others have experienced similar results, it seems actinics can in some instances contribute to nuisance algae growth, while providing no usable light to your more desirable plants.

 

[Rivercats]

Honestly if your running higher light and CO2 IMO liquid ferts is not going to give plants all the macro and micro nutrients they need. Dry ferts are not only cheaper to use but provide all the nutrients plants need.

 

[fort384]

I agree Rivercats, to a point. Eventually, that is the route with this tank that would make the most sense. Flourish isn't going to provide enough nitrogen or phosphorus once the tank takes off, and at that point it would be necessary to go to the Seachem individual bottles of N, P, K, and trace, or go the cheaper route and pick up dry ferts.

 

[Quim]

So what if I just run 2 6500k bulbs at a time. That would be around 2 watts per gallon. I don't want to go too far with this. I just want some good lights and put in a little co2 and have a good looking aquarium. Will my co2, lights and planting substrate suffice for what I want to do? Thank you for the replies so far.

 

[fort384]

Yes to all of the above. That'll work great.

 

[Aquaenthused]

So what if I just run 2 6500k bulbs at a time. That would be around 2 watts per gallon. I don't want to go too far with this. I just want some good lights and put in a little co2 and have a good looking aquarium. Will my co2, lights and planting substrate suffice for what I want to do? Thank you for the replies so far.

Good choices (for the most part) on plant selection. Make sure to cut back nymphaea leaves back and cut surface leaves frequently, same goes for the lily- you will need to ensure direct spectrum lighting to specific plants that you have chosen for ground level plants.

I would suggest flourish tabs and API root tabs along with a comprehensive complete fertilizer/ planted tank regiment. Though I wholeheartedly agree that your typical plant food additives won't really do anything for a fully carpeted aquascape, I personally have a penchant for the aqua vitro planted tank line up for starting the growth cycle and with the spot feed plastic droppers it is truly everything from water conditioner to CO2 to macro, micro and buffers, it'll last the novice long enough to get the hang of basic plant and fish chemistry so they understand the primary highs and lows of their 'first line' substrates and tap water in their area and knowledge of what to look for when they upgrade/ rescape.


Your lighting sounds good- my only real suggestion- and this is only because I know how much money I spent on plants before I finally found what worked for me was outrageous and I almost went bankrupt (not really, but my husband would tell you another story lol), would be to start out with training a java moss mat to get used to sculpting and pruning- much easier on the wallet to learn with and gain enough confidence to know you're ready to tackle whatever level planted tank you yourself decide on. Remember a hobby shouldn't stress you out!!!