alright, a few months back I setup a 10 gallon tank with a diy'd substrate heater, and about 3" of a gravel / profile substrate.
the heater was approximately 40 watts, and consisted of a tin/copper wire (with teflon insulation) wound around a pvc frame, placed in the very bottom of the substrate.
plants consisted of a mixture of stem and rhizome plants, several species.
anyway, all the plants are now dead and gone
now I admit, this tank did not recieve my undivded attention, but it got water changes and gravel vacs on occasion. fish load is 5-6 platies and some oto's
filtration is a pengiun mini running without any cartrdige
lighting is a 20 watt GE plant and aq bulb and a 15 watt GE daylight bulb
I will post some before and after pictures for your horror
anyway, substrate heating gets a big red X in my book.
the heater was approximately 40 watts, and consisted of a tin/copper wire (with teflon insulation) wound around a pvc frame, placed in the very bottom of the substrate.
plants consisted of a mixture of stem and rhizome plants, several species.
anyway, all the plants are now dead and gone
now I admit, this tank did not recieve my undivded attention, but it got water changes and gravel vacs on occasion. fish load is 5-6 platies and some oto's
filtration is a pengiun mini running without any cartrdige
lighting is a 20 watt GE plant and aq bulb and a 15 watt GE daylight bulb
I will post some before and after pictures for your horror
anyway, substrate heating gets a big red X in my book.