Hello all,
I currently have a 55 US gallon aquarium set up that has no fish in it yet. I have had a mix of live plants and fake plants throughout the years, but because of insufficient knowledge, none of my real plants (except Java fern and moss) have ever survived. Anyway, I'm looking to add some real plants to the tank before the fish get here, and I need some advice on a few things:
Here is what I currently have:
1. Lighting - Currently the setup has a standard Perfecto Flourescent hood which came with the tank, outputting approximately 40 Watts.
2. Substrate - Standard riverbed (browns) aquarium gravel, about 2-4" deep
3. CO2/Fertilizers - I have some fertilizer pellets that you are supposed to bury into the substrate, but can't remember what they are called
Here is what I want to plant:
1. Java Fern on driftwood
2. Some large leaf anubias plants
3. Maybe some crypts of various heights
4. Probably can't have this, but I really like Amazon swords
Here are my questions (Please remember that I'm on a budget, and thus cannot spend $150 on lights + $150 on substrate, etc):
1. Lighting - I currently have less than 1 wpg, which is very low. What is the most affordable way of increasing this? I looked at buying some new lights, but they all seem so expensive. Should I purchase a new lighting system?
2. Substrate - What is a good substrate to grow these plants? Are Anubias plants attached to wood, or are they planted? Do I need a new substrate? What is an inexpensive substrate that will suffice for this aquarium?
3. Do I need CO2/fertilizers? If so, what are good water colmn fertilizers to purchase?
Thanks for all the help! Links provided are always fantastic, as I can just order from there! Any frther advice on which plants to pick would be appreciated as well. I'm not lookin for a show tank, just to break up the plastic with some live stuff that isn't too much maintenance.
PS: Oh yeah, I currently keep the tank just around 80F
I currently have a 55 US gallon aquarium set up that has no fish in it yet. I have had a mix of live plants and fake plants throughout the years, but because of insufficient knowledge, none of my real plants (except Java fern and moss) have ever survived. Anyway, I'm looking to add some real plants to the tank before the fish get here, and I need some advice on a few things:
Here is what I currently have:
1. Lighting - Currently the setup has a standard Perfecto Flourescent hood which came with the tank, outputting approximately 40 Watts.
2. Substrate - Standard riverbed (browns) aquarium gravel, about 2-4" deep
3. CO2/Fertilizers - I have some fertilizer pellets that you are supposed to bury into the substrate, but can't remember what they are called
Here is what I want to plant:
1. Java Fern on driftwood
2. Some large leaf anubias plants
3. Maybe some crypts of various heights
4. Probably can't have this, but I really like Amazon swords
Here are my questions (Please remember that I'm on a budget, and thus cannot spend $150 on lights + $150 on substrate, etc):
1. Lighting - I currently have less than 1 wpg, which is very low. What is the most affordable way of increasing this? I looked at buying some new lights, but they all seem so expensive. Should I purchase a new lighting system?
2. Substrate - What is a good substrate to grow these plants? Are Anubias plants attached to wood, or are they planted? Do I need a new substrate? What is an inexpensive substrate that will suffice for this aquarium?
3. Do I need CO2/fertilizers? If so, what are good water colmn fertilizers to purchase?
Thanks for all the help! Links provided are always fantastic, as I can just order from there! Any frther advice on which plants to pick would be appreciated as well. I'm not lookin for a show tank, just to break up the plastic with some live stuff that isn't too much maintenance.
PS: Oh yeah, I currently keep the tank just around 80F
