Starting a Planted Tank

[bkh99]

After being out of the hobby for about 8 years I decided to set up aquariums once again, and this time I decided to go for the live planted tank. I thought I might share a few of my experiences gained. I did not want a massive power bill, and so I decided on ‘low light tanks'. I changed the light bulbs around the place over to those new 15 watt screw in florescents and I also stopped putting the computer on standby when not in use, and the result of making these simple changes was that I could run three aquariums while my power bill only increased by about ten dollars a month. I was very confused by a lot of conflicting information available on the internet, and so finally I had to rely upon my own judgment, and consequently had to learn by experience by making my own mistakes. For my 55 gallon long tank, I set inexpensive potting soil, with no additives, out in pails of water on the balcony to bake in the sun, which was supposed to help the soil rid itself of the organics that produce hydrogen sulphide (sewer) gas in a planted aquarium. I was intending to mimic nature, by duplicating the conditions aquatic plants encounter in the wild (this would mean creating a layer of sandy silty loam covered with a top layer of sand or gravel). To achieve this effect I mixed the potting soil with mineral rich black onyx sand (Seachem branded) as well as some iron rich Laterite. I laid this out about two to two and half inches thick on the bottom of the aquarium and then covered with about two inches of fractated baked clay chips (these are flat tiny chips of baked clay that overlap and seal in the soil, while at the same time being very gentle on bottom feeders- no sharp edges, etc). I then planted the tank with ‘low light plants' and then found that the tank was burping and expelling hydrogen sulphide gas for almost six months, and so it was not possible to add any fish (the tank literally smelled like ‘manure', to use the polite term). On my twenty gallon (tall) I used a thinner layer of this soil mixture (about one inch) topped with a layer of ‘Eco-Complete' nutrient rich plant gravel. This tank never produced any hydrogen sulphide gas, as oxygen was able to penetrate down to the soil level due to the shallow depth of the substrate, and the bacteria that produce this gas are anaerobic (they only survive in an environment devoid of oxygen). Fortunately ‘low light' plants are also ‘marsh adapted' and so the plants on my fifty five gallon long were able to survive the toxic conditions and eventually sent roots down to the top soil in the bottom of the tank, and since plant roots release oxygen, this removed the bacteria producing the hydrogen sulphide gas. On my ten gallon tank I took a different approach. I baked ordinary potting soil in the oven so as to kill all the naturally occurring bacteria. I then placed a thick layer of this potting soil on the bottom of the gallon tank (three and a half inches). I mixed into the soil a generous amount of Seachem Stability, which consists of spores of specially selected bacterial strains that do not produce hydrogen sulphide gas. I then sealed in the soil by covering it with a layer of sand (the type commonly used in marine aquariums, which has a slightly larger grain size). This tank has never produced hydrogen sulphide gas and the Seachem product does do what it claims to do. This baking the soil approach would have saved me six months of dreadful conditions in the 55 gallon long, and I could have also avoided leaching nutrients out of the soil before placing it into the tank (the common advice you get is to leach your soil of nutrients, then put it into the tank, advice that I found nonsensical, because plants need nutrients and that is the point of mimicking nature by creating a rich silty loam covered with sand). The plants in the ten gallon tank require constant pruning and are growing very aggressively (I can't leave them for over a week without pruning or they begin to block the light). At the moment I have never had to fertilize these plants, and they are doing just fine so far with just the original potting soil combined with fish waste products. I can never ‘vacuum' any of these tanks, because of the plants, and so therefore I have included Malaysian trumpet snails, which are a type of snail that burrows down into the substrate and are like little plows that constantly turn over the surface at the tank bottom, working fish waste down into the soil, and keeping the tanks spotless, while at the same time assisting in fertilizing the plants. On the ten gallon tank I use one single 15 watt T8 bulb, which is more than adequate (seeing is believing, as the aggressive healthy plant growth in that tank indicates). I also use a pop bottle set up and one of those C02 step ladder things (where the bubbles roll back and forth up a set of ramps, shrinking in size and dissolving into the water as they climb) in order to inject extra Co2 into both the ten and twenty gallon tanks. Plants are about 50 percent carbon, and the aggressive plant growth I get in both tanks indicates that this step ladder approach to C02 injection works fine on small tanks. One thing I do not like about those step ladders is that for some reason, from time to time, the bubbles only roll part way up the ramp, and then for some reason they park on one spot, until enough bubbles build up and then suddenly one giant bubble will shoot up the ramp. However despite all these strange behaviors, the plants are always doing very well. One the twenty gallon tall I have included one of those store bought C02 yeast fermentation bottles and I hang the bottle inside the aquarium, hiding it behind the plants. I also do this on the fifty five gallon long. Yeast production is temperature dependant, and I have found that I can maintain a consistent predictable rate of bubble production by keeping the yeast mixture at the constant temperature of the aquarium. I use one half cup of sugar, two teaspoons of baking soda (as an acid buffer, to extend the life of the yeast mixture) and then just a few grains of ordinary bread yeast (yeast divide and multiply and so only a few starter yeast are required). I change the yeast mixture when the rate of bubble production slows down noticeably (and this seems to be about every two weeks, although I do not keep to some timed schedule but rather I judge by bubble count). Plants require a relatively consistent co2 level (whatever the level is, it should be consistent, as in consistently low or consistently medium or consistently high, so the plants can physically adapt). On the ten, twenty, and fifty five gallon tanks I am running airstones to blow off some of the co2, since I find that without this step to much co2 is added to the water, and it is best if everything is consistent in the tank (low light, low co2, lower rate of fertilization). Even with the air stones gently agitating the surface of the tank, the co2 pushes down the PH on the tanks, but only enough to indicate about 10ppm of co2, which is a low level and about what I want. On the fifty five gallon long I used one of the motorized co2 reactors (a water pump sitting on top of a clear plastic cylinder with a sponge at the bottom. This device is extremely efficient at dissolving co2 bubbles completely into the water (the bubbles cannot rise as they are constantly kept dancing around in the cylinder by the flow from the water pump, while the sponge becomes saturated with co2 enriched water. Even with the airstone working this device pushes down the ph of the tank a little more than I might want. I keep the air pump on a timer, which shuts it off over night to prevent over night co2 spikes (since plants release oxygen into the water when the lights are on, and then release co2 at night while the lights are off, and therefore it is not required that this device also be pounding co2 into the water during the lights off period). On the twenty gallon tank the depth of the substrate was kept shallow to prevent release of hydrogen sulphide gas. Consequently the plants have depleted the soil and require regular fertilization. I use a pellet making kit, a lump of clay dug up from three feet down, and PMDD (pre-mixed fertilizer compound containing all the major and micro nutrients). When I need to wet the clay in the pellets I use the liquid fertilizer I purchased instead of water in order to use up these compounds. I use a pellet applicator (a type of plunger) which then fires the dried clay pellets about two inches down to the plants roots. The flat clay flakes in the fifty five gallon aquarium are ideal for holding nutrients in clay pellets below the surface and out of the reach of algae. I know this to be true for I do tests for the presence of iron in the water (an indicator element) and it is practically non-existent, which indicates that when spot fertilizing with these clay pellets, the fertilizer is effectively kept out of the water column and down at root level where I want it. A 15 watt bulb on ten gallon tank generates luxuriant plant growth, and when combined with the fertile potting soil and the small amount of co2 creates a tank which requires constant pruning. On the fifty five gallon tank I am using full spectrum low watt T5 bulbs which are not supposed to be used for plants according to what you read on the internet. What I have discovered is that when you use these low wattage bulbs on a tall tank, you get long spindly stalks at the bottom of the plant and all the heavy growth occurs in the top one third of the tank. This is acceptable to me, for the fish have open space to swim in the bottom on third of the tank, while the plants shield the fish from the light bulbs. On the far right one third of the tank I have planted swords and large anubias, as well as a long grass like plant (vals). This creates a dense plant growth which extends right from the bottom of the tank to the top in this part of the tank, and this is also a popular area for the fish, since fish do like the sense of security as well as the interest generated by dense foliage. Sword plants require good fertilization since they only grow on single and very large sword shaped leaf on each branch, and so any nutrient deficiencies would show themselves in ugly looking damaged leaves. My swords have flawless leaves that are now over a foot long, and I also new sword plants popping up here and there (runners sent out below the surface start new plants). These types of plant do exceptionally well under low light conditions, and create a pocket of dense foliage that extends from the tank bottom to the tank top. I have noticed that swords are very greedy plants that are very competitive at the root level, and as a result I have had to prune damaged leaves off of the anubias from time to time, and I am now dealing with the situation by giving the anubias extra fertilizer pellets at the root level. My tank maintenance routine includes no ‘gravel cleaning'. I maintain the filters (I use a Rena external on the fifty five gallon long, and hang on the back filters on the ten and twenty gallon tanks. The filter on the ten gallon tank failed and it took me about two weeks to realize that the tank water was not being properly filtered. I use ‘Seachem Ammonia Alert' as an early warning system on all tanks (it attaches to the glass inside the aquarium and turns green and then blue in the presence of ammonia) and this device remained yellow throughout, because the plants in the ten gallon tank took over from the filter (plants are able to directly feed off of ammonia in the water, which would normally be processed by the filter). Without the plants, in the case of the filter failure there would have been a dangerous ammonia spike in the tank, which would have immediately been displayed by the color change in the alert device. I maintain pristine water conditions, by doing heavy water changes in my tanks, so as to remove any unwanted dissolved organics and so on. What this means is that I change half the water twice a week and then on Sunday I change half the water twice in a row (the net result is a 75 percent water change). I know that there are people on the net who advise 10 percent once every two weeks and so on, but I consider this advice to be badly dated (going back to the days when people erroneously believed that fish require old, so called ‘aged' fish water). It is a well known fact that aquarium fish live short stunted lives. Neon tetras only live a few years in a tank, while the life span of a wild neon tetra is measured in decades. The reason for these short life spans is inadequate water changes. Fish are not harmed by heavy water changes, if heavy water changes are the norm (chemically the water does not have time to alter, and it is the chemical difference between ‘old aged water' and new replacement water that can potentially harm fish in a manner similar to the way that a reverse osmosis filter works...as long as the water is similar large water changes can do no harm, and I know that the fish love water changes and indicated by their jubilant behavior after each change. I use the Marina Aquavac which hooks up to the kitchen faucet and elminates the need to carry pails. I use Seachem prime as the dechlorinator which I add directly to the tank during the fill phase (contrary to what you somtimes read on the net, chlorine or choloramine are deadly toxic to fish, and even if it doesn't kill them, it can leave them permanently damaged, as I found on my twenty gallon tank when I stupidly took some advice from the net about how you don't really need to remove cholorination, its just a gimic to make money, only to have fish in that tank either drop dead right on the spot or become infected and sick and die later). The following is a list of plants that I have had good luck growing under low light conditions. Anacharis (Egeria najas) Anubias Nana (Anubias barteri v. ‘Nana') Bacopa (Bacopa carolina) (susceptible to algae attack) Cabomba Green (Cabomba carolina) Cabomba Purple (Red)(Cabomba pulcherrima) CLOVER, FOUR LEAF Dwarf(Marsilea quadrifolia) (I don't recommend clover as it prefers to float on the top of the tank and must be constantly skimmed with a fish net before it blocks all the light) Congensis (Anubias ‘Congensis') Contortion Vals (Vallisneria asiatica) (Vals is a very aggressive long grass like plant, that constantly sends out new plants on runners, and requires constant pruning so that its long grass like leaves do not block out the light to other plants. Its one advantage is that it creates a dense grassy effect, and thrives under low light, while its disadvantage is that it requires constant control) Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides) Baby tears are another plant to avoid. Floats on the top and robs light. Requires constant removal. Heteranthera Stargrass (Heteranthera zosterfolia) Star grass prefers to float on the top of the tank, and has a tendency to be attacked by filament algae that was accidentally introduced into the tank by some plant I bought-this type of algae must be introduced to appear in a tank and should be avoided like the plague as it grows in dense clumps and requires constant searching and plucking). Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) Hygrophila corymbosa ‘Angustifolia' Hygrophila balsamica (Hygrophila balsamica) Pennywort, Brazilian (Hydrocotyle Leucocephala) (becomes a floating plant, but is not a problem like the clover or tears) Myrio, Red (Myriophyllum heterophyllum) (thrives and requires constant pruning, susceptible to being attacked by filament algae) Mayaca (Mayaca fluviatilis) Myrio, Green (Myrio pinnatum) Tiger Lotus, Red (Nymphaea zenkeri) (Thrives and requires constant pruning to prevent its leaves from robbing all the light...no other plant can grow in the shade of this plant, which is best used as a center piece...requires constant feeding at the root level) Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides) (becomes a floating plant, gets attacked and killed off by filament algae) Wendtii, Bronze (Cryptocoryne wendtii v. ‘Tropica') (a beautiful sword, mine has leaves over a foot long, and is starting new plants here and there...really fills out the bottom and midsection of a low light tank...like all swords it requires very fertile soil, developes a massive root system, and requires consistent fertlization) Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) (fast growing and can become a very big plant if not constantly trimmed) The following plant thrives under low light conditions, sending out runners and creating a grassy bottom on the tank, and then suddenly dies... this happened before I discovered fertilizer pellets as this type of grassy sword, like all swords, must be constantly fed fertilizer pellets once the available nutrients are depleted Sword, Narrow Leaf Chain (Echinodorus tenellus) The following plants die when in a low light tank. Giant Hairgrass (Eleocharis montevidensis) Lloydiella (Lysimachia nummularia) Myriophyllum tuberculatum Ludwigia Peruensis (Ludwigia peruensis) Ludwigia, Broad Leaf (Ludwigia repens) Pogostemon stellata (Eusteralis) Rotala Indica (Rotala roundifolia) Sword, Micro Sword (Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae) Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii)

 

[bkh99]

Flexibacter Columnaris The problems in my tank are compounded by the fact that when I bought my first fish I ignorantly brought home a Flex infection. This bacteria is like a fish version of 'flesh eating disease', and it appears like a white fungus, and attacks and dissolves the tissues on the fish body. As I discovered due to misuse of antibiotics, Flex has now become ferociously resistant to antibiotics and nothing can rid of it. The disease was transferred to all three of my tanks through sharing of equipment. What I have discovered is that if a fish has a strong immune system, Flex causes no problems. From time to time there will be a small outbreak of Flex fungus on a fish which will disappear in a couple of days. If the immune system of the fish is unable to handle flex, the fish dies, and antibiotic intervention never does seem to work. To maintain the fish immune system I do these heavy water changes, and I also feed the fish New Life Spectrum fish food, to maintain the highest possible nutrition, and this tactic does work, for any degradation in either the health of the fish or the environment would result in an outbreak of this latent flex which has now become a permanent part of all my tanks.

 

[joy13]

I don't know what type of antibiotics you are using but these are the ones that are most recommended for columnaris Maracyn with Maracyn 2 or Kanaplex (Kana at daily 1/2 doses). Warmer tanks seems to make it spread faster I am NOT saying turn off your heater but reduce the temperature a little to the lower end of the temperature range to about 74.

Some people add garlic and vitamins to their fish food as well.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Im battling columnaris in my 150g at the moment... and hating the lfs i got my fish at more and more... I added aquarium salt at 1.5 tbs per 5g, and dose pimafix and melafix daily at the recommended dosage... Both pimafix and melafix are natural, wont affect the nitrifying bacterial colony, and my fish are showing alot of improvement... i say sterilize your equipment, do big water changes, and dose the pimafix and melafix and that should rid you of your problem... also keep your temp around 74 like joy said... my first thought was to raise the temp, so i did, and it got worse, then i read online that it likes warmer temps, so i slowly dropped it back down. I have also read that macryn II is a good remedy for columnaris since it fights the gram negative bacterial infections like columnaris... i just dont like the idea of using chemicals in my tank

 

[timwag2001]

WOW!

i would like to be the first to congragulate you on your award for longest post of the year!

lol

welcome to the site

 

[supradupafast]

Haha... For sure, that has to be the Longest post..
Welcome to AA