1st planted tank

[newfrye]

So I started my first planted tank....ever.... It is a 10 gallon tank, no fish/shrimp at this time. I am planning on getting some shrimp this weekend and put some fancy guppies in there as well. My substrate is floura max, bulbs are color max mini fluorescent and 5100k aquarium lamp fluorescent.

Let me know what you think. I'm starting with low to no maintenance right now. No CO2 or ferts( other than substrate) are being used at this time.

 

[FishCr8zy]

What plants did you get? Is that dwarf hairgrass I see??
I would get some java moss and tie it to the driftwood to make a moss tree.

 

[dcutl002]

I have no idea what the PAR rating of your light is, but I am guessing that you have a 15Watt bulb in that hood. That'll give you approximately 1.5 WPG, which is not bad for low-light plants. Personally, I dose with CO2 at 3WPG and up.

Java moss, ferns, cryptocornes are good for low light. I hear Water Sprite is good for low-light, but I have no experience with that species.

 

[newfrye]

The back corner behind the DW is java fern, back center is cryptocoryne undulata, the front corner and opposite corner is kyoto and yes that is DHG in there as well. I had it in my big tank, but wasn't doing good at all. Since putting it in there, I know less than ideal, it is starting to spread slowly.

There are two bulbs, each 10W fluorescents.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Wow. I am surprised the dh is growing. They usually need high light and co2. The other plants should be able to survive.

 

[newfrye]

That's what I've learned as I have been learning about this process. I have been thinking about doing liquid CO2 and keep seeing excel on these forums. Is there a difference? Which is better?

 

[FishCr8zy]

The only problem you have is the Kyoto (mondo grass). They are not fully aquatic. They are bog plants and can be only partially submersed.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Excel is liquid co2 (glut). Many people use it as a "cheap" alternative to pressurized co2. If you dose it, it will help eliminate algae (most kinds) and help the plants grow better.

 

[newfrye]

Ahh man. The container they came in said they were fully submersible. Maybe it isn't really Kyoto. I tried to find the packaging, but it has already been tossed. Just double checked and it is gone. I do have the receipt and can't decoder the abbreviations used. Plants are cryp undo, cyperus and sm narrow.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Where'd you get the kytoto? Petsmart? Petsmart sells them as fully aquatic but it's a lie. It's not fully submersible. A whole bunch of people are tricked by it and after a few days the Kyoto starts to die off.

 

[newfrye]

Bummer. Ya it came from petsmart. Are there any "grass" type plants that do good in low light conditions? I know leaf/blade size makes a huge difference, but I'm hopeful.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Well dh is as close to grass as you'll get. Dwarf sag is good too. It spreads into a nice carpet too.

 

[molly100a]

Plant's like wisteria and water sprite are nice if your looking for a plant that gets bushy and fills up space. They are also easy to take snippings and replant in other parts of your tank or another tank. When I first started, I lost my mind with this hobby, instead of discarding the snippings I would just start another tank. Also you will find that larger tanks are easier to manage as the water column is larger. Good luck, this sight is a great place for information and ideas.

 

[newfrye]

I like the look of the dwarf sag. I'll keep it in mind as a backup. In the meantime, should I do anything with the Kyoto? Or just let it do it's thing? I don't have the packaging anymore and don't have another tank to put it in.

 

[molly100a]

You could take it back. I just purchased a plant from lfs and found out that's it's not a true aquatic plant. This is the second and final time I will get any plants from them, I also purchased mondo grass from them. The plant I recently got from them is a Brazilian sword which is a terrarium plant. I removed it from my tank and stuck it in with one of my floor plants. I will for sure speak with the people at Markheim Pets in Amherst New York, on Sheridan Drive.................

 

[FishCr8zy]

You could take it back. I just purchased a plant from lfs and found out that's it's not a true aquatic plant. This is the second and final time I will get any plants from them, I also purchased mondo grass from them. The plant I recently got from them is a Brazilian sword which is a terrarium plant. I removed it from my tank and stuck it in with one of my floor plants. I will for sure speak with the people at Markheim Pets in Amherst New York, on Sheridan Drive.................

You can try to return it but I don't think they will allow it if the box it came in is gone. But you do have the receipt so you could try.
Kytoto is mondo grass. There are so many lfs that sell "fully aquatic" plants when they are really half submersible/bog plants. It pisses me off

 

[newfrye]

When I bought my plants, I also bought a peacock fern. It wasn't until I got home that I noticed it was labeled as a terrarium plant and not a fully submersible plant. I wish they separated there plants into categories, submersible v not submersible, and keep them on different display racks. Oh the joy of having to research everything all the time. Life seemed so much simpler when I was growing up.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Dwarf sag will not carpet in your light. I have the same setup as you and mine grows leaves about 18" tall.
Your crypt should do great, although you should try to separate it into more smaller clumps.
Also you should pull your java fern out of the substrate because they need light and water flow to their rhizome (the thick brown root that all the smaller roots originate from). They really do best when tied onto a rock or piece of wood.

 

[Mebbid]

The only problem I see really is there is a lack of plant food in the tank. At low light levels there really isn't a need for ferts as they are all added by fish and fish food. But the plants really do need a source of nitrogen whether its nitrate, nitrite, or ammonia.

 

[Coursair]

Dwarf Chain Swords grow for me in a similar set up. Tho I add root tabs for my Swords and Crypts.


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