Planted Aquarium Novice

[meatball2000]

Hi all,
I'm a high school biololgy teacher who has had every animal imaginable in my classroom. I'm done with animals. Love them, but they are too much trouble. I want to set up a plant aquarium. Mainly Elodea and possibly other freshwater plants. We use Elodea quite a bit in our Biology labs. I've read just about everything out there on how to set up the aquarium - light, CO2, temp, pH and substrate. I'm having conflicting reports about the substrate. I want something that the plants can take root in. I have very little money, so I don't have the cash to by the eco-complete or fluorite substrate. I've read about peat (which I already have), clay (read stuff on the plain kitty litter and also pottery clay), along with sand or small gravel (I already have the sand too.) Does anyone have any sound advice on how to set up the substrate for a planted freshwater aquarium? Again, mainly Elodea.

Thanks!

 

[Insane4discus]

What size tank are you deciding in?

 

[meatball2000]

What size tank are you deciding in?

Either 10 gallon or 30 gallon. Not sure yet. I have a couple at school, but need to check both of them out for leaks. Whichever one is in the best condition.

 

[Insane4discus]

Either 10 gallon or 30 gallon. Not sure yet. I have a couple at school, but need to check both of them out for leaks. Whichever one is in the best condition.

I dont kno how much money you have but petco has the eco complete on sale for 17.99 for 20 pound checl it out

 

[Scott F]

Hi all,
I'm a high school biololgy teacher who has had every animal imaginable in my classroom. I'm done with animals. Love them, but they are too much trouble. I want to set up a plant aquarium. Mainly Elodea and possibly other freshwater plants. We use Elodea quite a bit in our Biology labs. I've read just about everything out there on how to set up the aquarium - light, CO2, temp, pH and substrate. I'm having conflicting reports about the substrate. I want something that the plants can take root in. I have very little money, so I don't have the cash to by the eco-complete or fluorite substrate. I've read about peat (which I already have), clay (read stuff on the plain kitty litter and also pottery clay), along with sand or small gravel (I already have the sand too.) Does anyone have any sound advice on how to set up the substrate for a planted freshwater aquarium? Again, mainly Elodea.

Thanks!

I've got Miracle Gro organic in a 20 gallon, pretty well planted ( although I want a jungle) with a betta and a handful of snails. It's seems to be doing rather well. Flourite, I've heard, is good but it's expensive the larger the tank you have. I think it would take more than one bag for a 30 gallon tank. Not sure though. The miracle gro is only $5.00 or so at home depot and lots of people here have had success with it.

 

[meatball2000]

I figured I'd need some snails and possibly an algae eater, just to take care of the algal growth. Thanks for the advice.