I plan on starting a planted aquarium here in a few days and need some advice!

[jhawk__]

See if you can answer all my questions please

1: what would be a good size tank for a newbie at planted aquariums that doesn't cost an outrageous amount of money?
2: should I get an aquarium kit that comes with a filter, and hood w/ light or purchase it all separately?
3: should I use gravel, sand, or soil? Which does best?
4: does certain plants require a certain light or amount of sunlight?
5: what are some good starter plants?
6: can I immediately add plants while my tank is still cycling?
7: is there only certain fish I can get for a planted tank or do all freshwater fish do fine with it?

Any other advice I would need to know before getting started?


Thanks for everything! I'll post future pics once I get the tank up and running!

 

[boadams87]

See if you can answer all my questions please

1: what would be a good size tank for a newbie at planted aquariums that doesn't cost an outrageous amount of money?
2: should I get an aquarium kit that comes with a filter, and hood w/ light or purchase it all separately?
3: should I use gravel, sand, or soil? Which does best?
4: does certain plants require a certain light or amount of sunlight?
5: what are some good starter plants?
6: can I immediately add plants while my tank is still cycling?
7: is there only certain fish I can get for a planted tank or do all freshwater fish do fine with it?

Any other advice I would need to know before getting started?

Thanks for everything! I'll post future pics once I get the tank up and running!

1) For a newbie, I'd get anywhere from a 20-55 gal tank.
2) if it were me I'd buy everything separate, the filters in those kits aren't big enough. Try craigslist for cheap equipment.
3) The substrate really depends on what you want your tank to look like. I've got sand, dirt, and gravel. If you do sand you will need root tabs.
4) The light requirement depends on which plants you want. But the bulbs that come in the standard light strips won't be enough to grow the plants. Just replace that bulb with a plant bulb.
5) Good starter plants are cabomba, java fern, red ludwigia, Amazon swords
6) yes you can add plants as the tank is cycling, some actually love it.
7) most all fish go with plants except African cichlids and south Americans. They will eat and uproot them.
8) try to borrow some filter media from a friend, it'll speed up your cycle

 

[jhawk__]

Thanks that's helps a lot! And this may be a stupid question but what's filter media ?

 

[boadams87]

The blue pads that fit into the back of the filter. Also if you're gonna do fertilizer in your tanks, don't use the carbon that comes inside of the filter media.

 

[jhawk__]

Oh okay! Thanks again!

 

[boadams87]

No problem. Anytime.
Have you read the stickies under the fresh section about cycling

 

[Pass_lake]

I agree that the lights that come in kits are insufficient.
I set up a 45g planted tank last october for about $800 for everything including livestock.

 

[boadams87]

I agree that the lights that come in kits are insufficient.
I set up a 45g planted tank last october for about $800 for everything including livestock.

You must have bought everything new?

 

[marsh]

My advice is to order online, or check Craigslist for deals. Now that I am on my 3rd tank I can't imagine paying retail ever again. I aim for 1/4 the price on equipment, and plants and fish I aim for 50% off or more. I buy from AZgardens and they often have killer sales(last one was Black Friday, I went a bit nuts but got a lot 75%off too)

 

[jhawk__]

No problem. Anytime.
Have you read the stickies under the fresh section about cycling

No? I'll make sure I do. Do planted tanks take longer than regular tanks to cycle?

 

[jhawk__]

I agree that the lights that come in kits are insufficient.
I set up a 45g planted tank last october for about $800 for everything including livestock.

Definitely don't wanna spend $800. Was all your stuff brand new?

 

[jhawk__]

My advice is to order online, or check Craigslist for deals. Now that I am on my 3rd tank I can't imagine paying retail ever again. I aim for 1/4 the price on equipment, and plants and fish I aim for 50% off or more. I buy from AZgardens and they often have killer sales(last one was Black Friday, I went a bit nuts but got a lot 75%off too)

I'm thinking about just getting a 20 or 30 gallon at petco but ill definitely check eBay, amazing, and Craigslist cause I don't wanna spend an outrageous amount of money.

 

[jhawk__]

*amazon...


Are those sites safe to buy filters and heaters for cheap $?

 

[Pass_lake]

I bought every thing new. Then upgraded lights and got co2

 

[boadams87]

No they shouldn't. Some people say they help it move faster but mine didn't.

 

[marsh]

I'm thinking about just getting a 20 or 30 gallon at petco but ill definitely check eBay, amazing, and Craigslist cause I don't wanna spend an outrageous amount of money.

Dude that's exactly what I did when my "retail" ten gallon leaked, got my money back from one place, crossed the street and got a 29gal for $32 and not a penny more.

I also returned all the retail accessories (about $245 with all the meds for my ill fish I nursed back to health against all odds), yeah, for a 10 gallon. Got the same or much nicer equipment for my larger tank at a significantly lower cost.

I worked retail and corpo and I know how deep the rabbit hole goes, man. It's a calculated effort to kills fish and play with people's emotions and wallets.

Ps- if you have a 20-40 year old family run fish shop go in and meet them, if they aren't jaded they might order you stuff and match online, it's worth payin a little more for good service and quality product

 

[jhawk__]

Dude that's exactly what I did when my "retail" ten gallon leaked, got my money back from one place, crossed the street and got a 29gal for $32 and not a penny more.

I also returned all the retail accessories (about $245 with all the meds for my ill fish I nursed back to health against all odds), yeah, for a 10 gallon. Got the same or much nicer equipment for my larger tank at a significantly lower cost.

I worked retail and corpo and I know how deep the rabbit hole goes, man. It's a calculated effort to kills fish and play with people's emotions and wallets.

Ps- if you have a 20-40 year old family run fish shop go in and meet them, if they aren't jaded they might order you stuff and match online, it's worth payin a little more for good service and quality product

There is a LFS that is run by a couple guys near wear I live. I haven't had much luck with thief fish there tho, but maybe I could get a good deal on a tank or filters and heaters ?

 

[marsh]

Are you in a big city?(strategy pointers. I get AWESOME deals from parents of young kids. I live in an area that San Francisco Bay Area couples tend to settle down after career banging through their 20's and 30's, and I also get to peek into my future aaaahhhj)

 

[jhawk__]

Are you in a big city?

Not really, I live in West Virginia.

 

[marsh]

Okay then. Hehehe well the east coast is a mystery to me even though my whole family is sprinkled east of the Mississippi. I asked bc Craigslist is way better in San Francisco than down south here in Santa Cruz(90 miles) so that helped me at least with patience to not buy the first tank I see.

I grew up when CL came around and I got everything done via trade and barter etc so now I live for a good deal. It's like antiquing from your phone all my cars, appliances, apartments and funky furniture and cameras are from CL. And my cats! Not my man though gotta draw the line.