Bluestman
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hello everyone, I wonder if anyone can help me out. I have always wanted to have a planted aquarium but my crayfish makes that impossible at the moment. I have been looking for another tank to experiment with some plants. Size constraints mean I can only get a tank of around 5-10 gallons. I have a 3' reptile tank and a 4' aquarium in a small lounge already and my wife insists that any new tank has to fit under the aquarium. I have read loads of articles and some pretty interesting tanks on here and other sites but am suffering from information overload at the moment so wanted to clarify a few points with people who actually know what they are talking about.
I want to start this really simply and cheaply and then progress to something a bit trickier with time and experience. For lighting I will be starting with the standard bulb that comes with the tank and then look at upgrading when it becomes inadequate. so I'll be starting with low/moderate light plants also I've read that they are easier to grow and maintain.
I was thinking of using Black Tahitian Moon Sand for substrate, I will be planting mainly java moss and ferns initially but later on will want a bigger variety. Is this substrate going to be good enough for a variety of plants?
Do I need to cycle a planted tank?
Would co2 be needed in the initial stages of this project or is it something I can add on later?
Does the tank clean itself? ie: If I kept shrimps would their waste be taken up by the plants?
If not how do you clean detritus from the sand and plants without trashing your tank?
Please forgive me if these are stupid questions but this is not something I have ever dealt with. I really did think that you bought a plant, shoved it in the gravel and then left it to sort itself out. After researching this apparently not.
Many thanks in advance
Bluestman
I want to start this really simply and cheaply and then progress to something a bit trickier with time and experience. For lighting I will be starting with the standard bulb that comes with the tank and then look at upgrading when it becomes inadequate. so I'll be starting with low/moderate light plants also I've read that they are easier to grow and maintain.
I was thinking of using Black Tahitian Moon Sand for substrate, I will be planting mainly java moss and ferns initially but later on will want a bigger variety. Is this substrate going to be good enough for a variety of plants?
Do I need to cycle a planted tank?
Would co2 be needed in the initial stages of this project or is it something I can add on later?
Does the tank clean itself? ie: If I kept shrimps would their waste be taken up by the plants?
If not how do you clean detritus from the sand and plants without trashing your tank?
Please forgive me if these are stupid questions but this is not something I have ever dealt with. I really did think that you bought a plant, shoved it in the gravel and then left it to sort itself out. After researching this apparently not.
Many thanks in advance
Bluestman
