SUBSTRATE help

[tropicalmackdaddy]

Hhheeello
I have a 10g I would like to start with lively plants, shrimp, and maybe a couple of fishys. I have a couple of guestions.
1. Because I have plants/shrimp how often do I need to clean the gravel? How would I ? ( I am gonna get Eco-complete)
2. I've heard alot about adding co2. I want to have. Densely planted tank, but all relatively easy plants. So do I really need co2? Or will they be fine without?
THNKS!

 

[oscarfishtank]

1. Sucking the waste between the gravel.

2.What kinds of plants do you have? And how about the size of your tank and watt of light?

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

I was gonna get some crypt, java moss/fern water sprite MAYBE Anubias, penny wort, frogbit, and dwarf baby ears
I have a 10gallon and I was thinking maybe a some sorta plant light tht was 18watt ( needs to be high lighting for the watersprite
And wat do u mean by ur answer to Q1?

 

[oscarfishtank]

I was gonna get some crypt, java moss/fern water sprite MAYBE Anubias, penny wort, frogbit, and dwarf baby ears
I have a 10gallon and I was thinking maybe a some sorta plant light tht was 18watt ( needs to be high lighting for the watersprite
And wat do u mean by ur answer to Q1?

dwarf baby hears may need higher watt of light, i recommend to use the fluorescent lamp about 36watt.

for the q1, it is unnecessary to clean the gravel frequently unless they are very dirty.

 

[molly100a]

I have ecco complete in all my tanks and never clean the substrate. Your shrimps should take care of the cleaning. My tanks have mystery snails which do a great job of taking care of dead leaves and the substrate. If you try to vacuum the substrate you might disturb the plants and roots. I don't think it's necessary.

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

Okay sweet, so much less work

 

[gypsydancer]

I have ecco complete in all my tanks and never clean the substrate. Your shrimps should take care of the cleaning. My tanks have mystery snails which do a great job of taking care of dead leaves and the substrate. If you try to vacuum the substrate you might disturb the plants and roots. I don't think it's necessary.

I use eco complete and never clean it. My corys, mystery snail and Otocinclus do the complete job. I only cleaned it once when I was forced to do an overhaul because of velvet. It is something you NEVER want to do, forced or otherwise. Mine was in a 55. I'll never skip the quarantine tank again. If you set up the tank correctly in the first place you CAN get a"work free" thing of beauty. I have a 5.5. @a 10 g tank that only get added water.
Gypsy

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

Once I get my master test kit, I'm goin to test my tap water, and depending on wat it is I'm goin to geta betta, RCS, or dwarf rasboras. And maybe if I get the betta later on I could add some dwarf rasboras. I'll keep you guys posted on my decision! Thnks so much

 

[daneek155]

I use eco complete and never clean it. My corys, mystery snail and Otocinclus do the complete job. I only cleaned it once when I was forced to do an overhaul because of velvet. It is something you NEVER want to do, forced or otherwise. Mine was in a 55. I'll never skip the quarantine tank again. If you set up the tank correctly in the first place you CAN get a"work free" thing of beauty. I have a 5.5. @a 10 g tank that only get added water.
Gypsy

How does that work???? dont you still have to vacuem the substrate lightly???i use flora max and if i do not vacuem the floor 1once every two weeks i get alot of nasty dump all over the place and my stocking is not high. its a 55g tank with
2 angels
1 pleco
5 rams
i dwarf guarami
2 otos
7 cardinal tetras.

 

[Austin.b]

Betta's and shrimp are not usually a good combo. Dwarf baby tears needs high light and CO2 to carpet, otherwise it can grow up or die if your going to run CO2 in a shrimp tank be careful. I started off with high levels of CO2 in my RCS tank an almost wiped out my entire population. Also, you don't want start off with too low levels of CO2 because that will cause the industructable BBA. Is this your first time having shimp?

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

Yes. I was hopein tht If I just had dwarf baby ears and some Anubias I wouldn't need co2 but guess not I'll have to try some other carpet plant

 

[Austin.b]

Yes. I was hopein tht If I just had dwarf baby ears and some Anubias I wouldn't need co2 but guess not I'll have to try some other carpet plant

You could try glossostigma, and dwarf sag! they require only medium light Anubias only needs low light. Anubias is one of the easiest plants to grow, you do not need co2 for it

 

[maestromad]

I have baby tears in my tank and do not add carbon. I have started using flourish excel though. They are growing ok for me

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

I did alittle diggin on the dwarf sag and glossostigma and they look pretty sweet to. I think I might get a small bunch of dwarf baby ears and some glossostigma and see which does better. hopefully they both will live