megananthony
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2014
- Messages
- 2
Hello fellow aqua enthusiasts,
First off, thank you for taking your time to read this. To start, I would consider myself a novice planted tank person. I try to enlighten myself when I can but seems to be overwhelming at times, but I am in for the long haul so. I am trying to step up my game in regards to my planted aquarium and was looking for some intermediate to advanced recommendations on where to go from this point. I will start by reviewing my setup and then what I am looking to accomplish.
SO.. here is my questions.
1. Fertilizers (dry) and micro/macro nutrients. I read a lot about this and hear people mention making their own dry fertilizers and using them. I would like to be able to know how and what they test for, how to make the fertilizers, how to use them..or if I even need to? I know flourish will add calcium, magnesium and iron to my tank but I am unsure how to check the levels of such things as well as check the levels on Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.
2. Once I am able to determine how to check them, should I use the other flourish products to alter or is this what the dry ferts are for (do you adjust them accordingly based on the current levels) when mixing them. How do i know what plants can go with what fetrs at what levels?Is this fert stuff really that important ?
3. Co2 – I want to get rid of using Liquid Co2 but not really sure where to pick up everything I need. I know I need a co2 tank, I need a regulator, I need a selonoid, I need to a check value, I need the tubing, I need the diffuser. I can not seem to find a nice kit to get everything I need in one shot
4. Checking CO2 levels – if/when I get a co2 tank, I want to make sure I am using it the best to my benefit. I do use my drop checker to gauge my co2 levels with liquid, but if using a tank, what would I need to do/how do I know how to initially set the Co2 tank.
5. Where to get plants – any suggestions on where to pick up good plants. The ones I have are from petsmart, and while they are nice, their selection seems limited. I want something a little more ‘extravagant’
Please help me step up my tank to be a showpiece tank rather than one that looks ‘nice’.
Thank you very much in advance for all of your feedback
First off, thank you for taking your time to read this. To start, I would consider myself a novice planted tank person. I try to enlighten myself when I can but seems to be overwhelming at times, but I am in for the long haul so. I am trying to step up my game in regards to my planted aquarium and was looking for some intermediate to advanced recommendations on where to go from this point. I will start by reviewing my setup and then what I am looking to accomplish.
- · 36 gallon bowfront
- · 2 aqueon -T5 lights. 30 and 24 inch – each has a 6.7K daylight and a colormax bulb in it.
- · Substrate is red eco-complete ( 2bags)
- · Heat runs around 80 or so
- · I use seachem flourish every other day (1/2 cap-2.5 ML)
- · I use liquid co2 everyday – maybe about 5 ML
- · I have a drop checker – I adjust the liquid co2 accordingly to keep it green with a little tinge of yellow.
- · I put in root tabs about once every 2 or 3 months – no set schedule on them
- · Using a fluval 306. Also have a small air pump hooked up to an air stone
- I keep my lights on alot, From say 8 am – 8 pm. I know this is a lot but I like to check out the tank for awhile when I get home from work. The tank does sit close to a window but not in direct sunlight.
- The plants I have are ( I think) Anubis barteri and Anubis congensis (sp?)
SO.. here is my questions.
1. Fertilizers (dry) and micro/macro nutrients. I read a lot about this and hear people mention making their own dry fertilizers and using them. I would like to be able to know how and what they test for, how to make the fertilizers, how to use them..or if I even need to? I know flourish will add calcium, magnesium and iron to my tank but I am unsure how to check the levels of such things as well as check the levels on Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.
2. Once I am able to determine how to check them, should I use the other flourish products to alter or is this what the dry ferts are for (do you adjust them accordingly based on the current levels) when mixing them. How do i know what plants can go with what fetrs at what levels?Is this fert stuff really that important ?
3. Co2 – I want to get rid of using Liquid Co2 but not really sure where to pick up everything I need. I know I need a co2 tank, I need a regulator, I need a selonoid, I need to a check value, I need the tubing, I need the diffuser. I can not seem to find a nice kit to get everything I need in one shot
4. Checking CO2 levels – if/when I get a co2 tank, I want to make sure I am using it the best to my benefit. I do use my drop checker to gauge my co2 levels with liquid, but if using a tank, what would I need to do/how do I know how to initially set the Co2 tank.
5. Where to get plants – any suggestions on where to pick up good plants. The ones I have are from petsmart, and while they are nice, their selection seems limited. I want something a little more ‘extravagant’
Please help me step up my tank to be a showpiece tank rather than one that looks ‘nice’.
Thank you very much in advance for all of your feedback
