TCC 36 Bowfront Dutch Build

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Alright everyone I'm ready to dive into planted. I have extensive experience with fish but have always just admired the look of a well planted tank. So far the only living plants I have are Java moss, and some Dwarf Sag, so this will be a totally new adventure and will need some "hand holding" so I get it right the first time. That said I want a dutch style tank with different colors and plant types, I like alot of plants that require "High" light.

Tank Specs
36 Gallon Marineland Bow front Tank
Tank is 30" wide, 11" deep(at smallest) and 20.5" tall.
Fluval/Aquaclear 70 300GPH
Aqueon Pro Heater 200W
Sand Substrate
Basic Light

Alright so now on too the building part. I want to have all the equipment right before we start talking plants and such.

1. I'm obviously going to need to upgrade the light. I'm guessing high light capabilities? I would like LEDs but need to have a low budget so what would be the best way to go? Compact, T whatever number, is there affordable LEDs?

2. CO2, I'm also going to need CO2 how do I do this? I'm handy and can build one my self with some help if that's the best route. I have several paintball canisters laying around but I'm told they wont last to long and it would be better to get a 5lb canister. Help with this area would be appreciated.

3. Substrate. I have just regular sand. Its bigger grain than pool filter sand or play sand, but none the less sand. Does this work, should I get dirt and "cap" it with the sand? Mix some gravel in? I don't know...

4. Ferts. I'm going to need ferts I'm sure. Do I go with liquid or root tabs or both? I'm not sure what to do in this area. Where is the best place to get this kind of stuff.

We can go one thing at a time with this, as I'm a college student and money can become tight some times especially with everything else I have to take care of. What should I start with first? Light? CO2?

 

[Dallascowboys16]

You will need to upgrade the light first as it is the most important factor. T-5ho (what I have) and leds wil be the only fixture giving you quality high light. T-5s are cheap $60-100 range for what you need but leds can get pretty pricy for high quality ones. Look around on amazon as t-5ho lighting can be purchased very cheaply from there but for leds either 1 build my led fixture or 2-3 current freshwater+ fixtures will get it done. For the substrate I use eco complete with great results so I would say ecocomplete with a sand cap if you like the look of sand better. As for ferts and co2 you will need co2 of some kind with a high light tank, either a liquid supplement like seachem flourish excel liquid carbon or get a paintball setup. For ferts dry ferts will be best in the long run price-wise. Go to green leaf aquariums and the $15 package Is what you will need, also buy dosing bottle for the ferts. These are the basics of planted tanks and I hope an expert like rivercats will chime in soon to give you a more in depth explanation. Hope this helps!

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Thanks! So I'm on the hunt for a light!

 

[Rivercats]

You'll have to check around for lighting you can afford and Brian_Nano12g can help you with Led's. Build My Led's are great but pricey. You'll be able to find some T5HO's more reasonably priced especially now that pre-black price deals are starting to pop up.

If you want to do CO2 this is what I have:

New Premium Aquatek CO2 Regulator with Integrated Cool Touch Solenoid | eBay

New Aqautek Bubble Counter with Integrated Check Valve | eBay

Glass Aquarium CO2 Drop Checker Test Optional 4oz 4DKH Liquid US Seller | eBay

Also CO2 airline tubing and a 5 pound CO2 cylinder.

OR you could dose liquid carbon. You can get a gallon of Metricide 14 Day Solution for about $27 shipped, even cheaper if you shop around online. You mix it at a 1:1 ratio with RO or Distilled water and store in an opaque, totally light blocking container. I use an old Excel bottle to mix up a small amount at a time so the bulk of the Glutaraldehyde in it's original container. Light breaks Glut down which is why it has to be stored properly where it's not exposed to light. When you get it you throw away the small activator bottle, mix a small amount and use daily. Depending on the light you get you will have to start with 1ml Glut for every 2 gallons of tank water daily before lights come on. You may after a few weeks increase to 1ml Glut for every 1 gallon of tank water. You can do this instead of CO2 if you need to go a cheaper route for now.

With higher lighting and CO2 or Glut you have to use dry ferts. Here's the info you need...

As for dry fert this $15 package is all you need and will last a couple years... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html.



You need 3 dosing bottles found at the bottom of this page... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizer.html.



This is a good thread about dosing PPS-Pro. Only read the opening post not all the comments after it.... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html.



There are two things I do different from the article. First I use 3 dosing bottles as I split the macro nutrients for better custom dosing to the needs of the tank. Nitrates in one bottle, phosphates and potassium in one bottle, and micro's in the 3rd bottle. The other thing you'll notice the recipe calls for using MgSO4, magnesium sulfate, which you don't need if you have hard tap water with a Gh and Kh of 4 or higher.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Are aquarium ferts and ferts you might find at a farm supply store much different? I've got plenty of farm supply where I'm at.

Also my tap is out of the rough hard with a ph of 7.6 but I would eventually stock some apistogramma and like my ph and Tds to be very low. How do I make sure this happens?

 

[Rivercats]

I doubt they will have those dry ferts which is what you need.

The only way to lower ph/gh/kh and help lower TDS is by using RO water exclusively and remineralize it or use RO to cut with tap water to get to the levels you want. I do the second with 2 of my tanks. I have this portable unit, the Pro-100... portable countertop reverse osmosis drinking water system - remove fluoride, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs and more

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I have a 100 gpd unit for my three apistogramma breeding tanks. I use replenish for them but would have to use flourish for plants from my understanding.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Alright how much do high light t5 bulbs run and how often do they need to be replaced?

 

[Rivercats]

I have a 100 gpd unit for my three apistogramma breeding tanks. I use replenish for them but would have to use flourish for plants from my understanding.

In a planted tank if you have to remineralize RO you have to use Seachem Equilibrium. If you go with a higher light liquid ferts are going to supply all the macro nutrients needed and most likely not enough micro ferts either which is what most liquid ferts are.

T5HO bulbs can run from under $10 to close to $20 for Geisemann bulbs, which are what I use. Plus the length of the bulb changes prices, lower for shorter length bulbs and more the long the bulb length gets. I change mine around every 9 months to a year. When you put in new bulbs you can see the difference in brightness.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

In a planted tank if you have to remineralize RO you have to use Seachem Equilibrium. If you go with a higher light liquid ferts are going to supply all the macro nutrients needed and most likely not enough micro ferts either which is what most liquid ferts are.

Okay so liquid ferts won't give me everything I need in high light but with equilibrium in the reverse osmosis it will?

 

[Rivercats]

Okay so liquid ferts won't give me everything I need in high light but with equilibrium in the reverse osmosis it will?

No that is for adding calcium, magnesium and such IF you use only RO water.

You will still need fertilizers that provide both macro nutrients (nitrates, potassium, and phosphates) and micro nutrients. They are in the link under Greenleaf Aquariums. They are totally different than the remineralizing powder used in RO.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Okay so I need two types of ferts a macro and micro?

 

[Rivercats]

You need macro ferts which are:

Nitrates (KNO3-potassium nitrate)
Potassium (K2SO4-potassium sulfate)
Phosphates (KH2PO4-mono potassium phosphate)

And micro's(CSM+B) which include a large group of nutrients.

If you have soft water with a gh under 4 then you'd also need MgSO4, magnesium sulfate.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Alright so I will buy the fert package above and cut my tap with my reverse osmosis which should allow me to get around magnesium sulfate.

 

[Rivercats]

Just make sure you have a gh of 4. Also since you have high nitrates in your tap you may not need to use much if any nitrates. Be sure to mix the dry ferts in 3 bottles with nitrates in one, phosphates and potassium in one, and micro's in the 3rd. This way you can adjust the amount of nitrates and or phosphate you need in the tank.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Just make sure you have a gh of 4. Also since you have high nitrates in your tap you may not need to use much if any nitrates. Be sure to mix the dry ferts in 3 bottles with nitrates in one, phosphates and potassium in one, and micro's in the 3rd. This way you can adjust the amount of nitrates and or phosphate you need in the tank.

My nitrates are near zero in my school tap. My home town tap has high trates. How do I know when to add more of one bottle or not?

 

[Rivercats]

You want 10-20ppm of nitrates in planted tanks so say you dosed the standard 1ml macro solution for every 10 gallons of tank water for a week. At the end of the week you test your water and you have over 20ppm of nitrate. That shows you don't need as much as your over your target amount, which means you would maybe only dose 1/2 the regular amount is only over 20ppm a little but if you were way over 20ppm, say 40ppm you wouldn't want to dose nitrates at all. It sounds complicated but it isn't and you will get the feel in a few weeks what you tank runs at and how much macro's it needs. You always dose micro's at the 1ml per every 10 gallons but nitrates and phosphates can and IMO should be adjusted to fit in the amounts needed. Make sense?

 

[bshenanagins]

You want 10-20ppm of nitrates in planted tanks so say you dosed the standard 1ml macro solution for every 10 gallons of tank water for a week. At the end of the week you test your water and you have over 20ppm of nitrate. That shows you don't need as much as your over your target amount, which means you would maybe only dose 1/2 the regular amount is only over 20ppm a little but if you were way over 20ppm, say 40ppm you wouldn't want to dose nitrates at all. It sounds complicated but it isn't and you will get the feel in a few weeks what you tank runs at and how much macro's it needs. You always dose micro's at the 1ml per every 10 gallons but nitrates and phosphates can and IMO should be adjusted to fit in the amounts needed. Make sense?

Yeah TCC with good stock you should not have to dose nitrates at all. Just monitor like Rivercats mentioned.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Yea it makes sense. Okay so I'm going to get the ferts above and the three bottles. Next substrate...
I just have a basic sand right now, what changes do I need to make and what are my options? What is the best way to do it? Im planning on having rooted and bulb plants if that makes any difference

 

[bshenanagins]

Yea it makes sense. Okay so I'm going to get the ferts above and the three bottles. Next substrate...
I just have a basic sand right now, what changes do I need to make and what are my options? What is the best way to do it? Im planning on having rooted and bulb plants if that makes any difference

If your up for it, I'd recommend soil or aquasoil