Another Planted Journal

[blackfinshark_3]

Alright i just got a 4ft 90g tank. Hourah!

I wasnt going to plant it since its 90g! but its just too tempting and i cant resist.

But! i can restrain myself.

This is going to be low tech.

I have 2 40w fluorescents over the tank and im not adding anymore.

So pretty much im going to take out the fake plants and dead coral rocks and ill add TONS of driftwood and some low light plants such as java moss and java fern.

Im also gonna go to wal-mart and get some bulbs, in my dp u can see the red plant. I got that at wal-mart

I love wal=-mart by the way

Alright so i have some questions with that low lighting i dont think i need C02 but can i put in ferts or is it useless?

Also in the sand theres some arognite. Will it be a big deal? IM gonna try to lower the ph with the driftwood but i just dont know! B)

Thanks for future help guys!

 

[TrueNoob]

Alright i just got a 4ft 90g tank. Hourah!

I wasnt going to plant it since its 90g! but its just too tempting and i cant resist.

But! i can restrain myself.

This is going to be low tech.

I have 2 40w fluorescents over the tank and im not adding anymore.

So pretty much im going to take out the fake plants and dead coral rocks and ill add TONS of driftwood and some low light plants such as java moss and java fern.

Im also gonna go to wal-mart and get some bulbs, in my dp u can see the red plant. I got that at wal-mart

I love wal=-mart by the way

Alright so i have some questions with that low lighting i dont think i need C02 but can i put in ferts or is it useless?

Also in the sand theres some arognite. Will it be a big deal? IM gonna try to lower the ph with the driftwood but i just dont know! B)

Thanks for future help guys!

yes yes, fertilizer and a co2 fizzler, hagen is known to be the best but is 20g per unit, so u might wanna get 2, 4 at max, alot of people use sand shouldnt be a big deal unless u make it one, if ever u need chemicals for ph do not use liquids, use powders, not tabs niether just powders they work best

 

[Themuleous]

Ferts would be a good idea, but you might want to add small amounts as the plants wont be using it up very much if the light levels are low.

I anit got a clue about the argonite, but I will add that lowering the pH using driftwood doesn't work in my experience, you're better off using RO water or CO2 or just putting up with a higher pH and getting fish that suit what you've got. What is the pH BTW?

Sam

 

[blackfinshark_3]

the ph is 8.4 but im taking out the rocks. im gonna prepare a big piece of driftwood this week AND SEE HOW IT GOES

 

[netcode]

I run a low-tech setup.. here is my advice

adding ferts, the major ones (N-P-K), will most likley cause an algae bloom.
adding trace elements, through something like seachem flourish, is very beneficial to your plants. I have actually noticed a difference in growth after the first 3 days of adding flourish to my tank. I highly reccomend a trace fertilizer.

as for co2... you don't need it. its ALWAYS beneficial for the plants no doubt, but at 90 gallons your going to need a pressurized system and as you said you want to keep low tech. maybe look at seachems organic carbon to supplement in your tank?

your lighting is quite low though i might add. not much grows under 1 wpg. i would recommend at least hitting 1 wpg or higher.

as for your red plant, most plants that are red in color require high light. prolly not a good idea in your setup.

goodluck

 

[lljdma06]

your lighting is quite low though i might add. not much grows under 1 wpg. i would recommend at least hitting 1 wpg or higher.

as for your red plant, most plants that are red in color require high light. prolly not a good idea in your setup.

goodluck

Some cryptocorynes can get a nice reddish underside to the leaf, especially if iron is dosed. If you upgraded your lighting by only a small margin, say to 1.4WPG, you can grow the red variant of Nymphaea lotus and Alternantera reineckii, which both can display stunning red growth. In fact, you would probably be able to grow most anything that's commonly available.

In addition 1WPG in a 90g tank is not the same as 1WPG in a 20g. You can get away with less light in a larger tank, especially when you're over 55g.

Good luck with your low-tech setup.

llj

 

[blackfinshark_3]

Alright i took out the rocks but i havent done anything else tonight so im sure the ph is the same until i do a water change.

Also my piece of driftwood is way to big for the sink or 2 tall for the bath tub. So i cleaned off the bark and debris and sprayed it with the hose but i was thinking that i could just throw it in my pool over night? I know there is tons of chlorine but ill double dose it later.

Is this alright?

 

[Themuleous]

I wouldn't all manner of things could crawl into. And just having it in the pond for one night aint gonna do much, it'll still leach tannins like crazy when you put it in the tank, you have to soak it for weeks to remove the tannis, I just put up with it for a few months, the tank will clear given time though the water changes you do.

Sam

 

[blackfinshark_3]

What do you mean all matter of things? its submerged in my pool which has no water bugs since the chlorine and other chemicals kill them and/or keep them away

I wouldn't all manner of things could crawl into. And just having it in the pond for one night aint gonna do much, it'll still leach tannins like crazy when you put it in the tank, you have to soak it for weeks to remove the tannis, I just put up with it for a few months, the tank will clear given time though the water changes you do.

Sam

 

[Themuleous]

Well in that case try it, personally I wouldn't but that just me! Out of interest why do you need to soak it in the pond before adding it to the tank?

Sam

 

[blackfinshark_3]

where did u guys get pond from lol? i meant swimming pool.

Anyway the piece of wood is in the tank now, ill take pics

 

[netcode]

can't wait to see some pics... always love pics.

 

[blackfinshark_3]

yah pics are good

 

[Themuleous]

Sorry that's the dyslexia kicking in again! I read pool as pond, idiot! Guess a pool would be ok

Sam