A Bit Of Advice On My Next Move....

[Fwapp]

A month or so back, I decided to rip out my old plastic plants and replace with real plants. Dead easy I thought, bodge a hole in the gravel, drop in the plant and away you go.....

I've learnt a lot since then.

The plant keeping bug is as addictive as keeping fish in the first place.

I've reduced filter flow, stopped over-aerating the water, and increased the wpg.

I'd like your opinions on what my next step should be.

I currently have the following set-up:

36"x12"x15" Tank (100lt/20 Gall)

1 Hagen Aquaglo 25W T8 tube
1 Hagen Floragro 20W T8 tube (to be replaced with 25W at life end)

Standard LFS gravel as substrate (3mm gravel size)

I dose twice a week with Seachem Flourish, with Flourish tabs already in the gravel.

The plants I have are Crypts, Ludwigia and Aponogeton, plus two others I cant remember the name of! The plants are showing growth, but not a huge amount, and no pearling.

Do I:

1. Add CO2 (DIY or shop bought yeast based system. The wife wont let me afford a full CO2 system!)
2. Change gravel to a 'proper' plant substrate (seachem flourite?). I would like to top off the plant substrate with sand (preferably dark), for my corys.
3. Any other suggestions to improve the vigour of my plants.

Also, any suggestion on what brand/type of tube to replace the Floragro with, once it's passed it end-of-life?

Thanks

 

[netcode]

first off you have 2.25wpg. i am surprised you don't have algae issues.

anyways onto your questions.

I do recommend you look into a DIY co2 system. especially ina 20 gal a diy will be a very good choice, especially if cost is an issue. there are many links on the board about diy co2 systems and I know pseud put together a very stable diy system. the thread can be found here.

plant substrate is always a benefit for the plants. you will notice a huge difference in growth and health of plants if you use a substrate, especially with plants that feed through the roots. i wouldn't top it off with sand, you can buy substrates that are in the form of sand.

if your going to get into co2 and substrate i would recommend dosing fertilizers for n-p-k. the EI method(which is pinned at the top of the plant forum) is a very good method to achieve proper levels for plant growth.

goodluck, hope this helped

 

[Themuleous]

Hi and welcome to the Forum glad to hear you've got the planted tank 'bug' it kicks in pretty quick once you switch from plastic plants hey?

I make your tank around 26 USg which in fact gives you 1.6 WPG (the WPG rule is always worked out using USg not UKg ) so that's OK light for the plants that you have listed. You probably wont get massive growth but it should be OK and more demanding plants probably wont do as well under it.

Now as to what to do next, I would say yes to both adding a plant substrate and also adding CO2.

As to the substrate, fluorite is OK, but there are better ones out there, for this tank you'd probably find two bags of eco-complete would do the job, topped up with cheaper black gravel/sand if necessary. Its quite fine and should be OK for your corys (I have it and my corys seem fine ) there are others if money is tight, like the tetra one (cant remember the name off the top of my head and its late! Moment of inspiration think its tetra plant base). Guess the only down side to adding a plant substrate is that you'll have to strip the tank down, but if you willing to do that, IMHO adding a plant substrate is probably one of the best things you can do to get started with planted tanks.

Now to the CO2, you would easily get away with a yeast kit on this size tank and if necessary have two bottles to increase CO2 producing. If you're near a WHSmiths anytime soon, pick up the latest edition of practical fishkeeping as is has a good guide to CO2 by our very own George Farmer and that should tell you what you need to know. There are also lots of threads on it on here. Very briefly, off the shelf kits give you everything you need but DIY kits cost a fraction of the price, a good way to off set the cost of a decent plant substrate.

If you can I would add both CO2 and the substrate. If not and you plan on keeping the lighting as it currently is add the substrate. If however you increase the lighting to say 2.5WPG and also I guess this applies to replacing the 20w with a 25w (would give you 1.9WPG) then CO2 becomes almost essential. As it helps prevent algae and gives the plants enough CO2 to be able to use the increased energy available and good plant growth helps towards algae control. I've had no personal experience with the bulbs you currently have, but I'm sure others will be able to advise if they are good for plants or not.

Hope the above helps

Sam

 

[TrueNoob]

feed them some iron also

 

[Fwapp]

Thanks Guys. Your advice is most appreciated! I'm saving for the substrate, CO2 and light to go in all a the same time!

 

[kodiak]

If you use a nice white silica sand over the top of you gravel, I doubt you will need all this high tech Co2 jiggery pokery. I find that my plants grow like the clappers (exept when my tiger barbs are hungry!) You could also try aqua clay. I have heard really good things about it as a growing medium.

 

[Themuleous]

Just out of interest what does the sand do? It'll also mix over time, there is no way of stopping it. Also, laterite is basically a natural clay, but it only really contains iron, other produces like the eco-complete, red sea plant base and the ADA ones contain all the important trace elements that the plants need. Cost more but they are better IMO.

Sam