Chris' New 40 Gallon (185litre) Planted Journal

[chr15_8]

tank size: (internal dimensions) 46x15x16 (about 41 uk gallon/185 litres/48 US gallons)

lighting: 90 watts t8's + 1 55W power compact t5 with daylight plus giving just over 3wpg (without including reflectors on the t8's)

substrate: tropica aquacare +1.5kg + 'First Layer - Pure Laterite' + 2.8kg tetraplant complete substrate + pure mix laterite form maidenhead aquatics) with 3mm gravel on top (long story why i have so many different substrate will explain if asked as it will probably bore you all)

co2: jbl profi set 2 with a DIY external reator

filter: Eheim 2224 Professionel External Filter with 'flo' glassware

heater: standard heater but will be changing it to an external

fertilizers: EI + trace

Fish:
30ish neon tetra's (will be getting alot more in time)
6 red cherry shrimp
5 amana shrimp
5 red crystal's (low grade )
4 ottos
3 sae
1 borneo sucker
5 kuhli loaches

Plants: will mainly be form greenline + a few tropica

HC 'cuba'
CRYPTOCORYNE BALANSAE
NESAEA CRASICAULIS
CYPERUS HELFERI
AMBULIA AROMATICA
BACOPA CAROLINIANA
HYGRO. SALICIFOLIA

background:
plain black

any question/suggestions please ask/say

thanks
chris

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds good Chris

Sam

EDIT - go on, bore me with the substrate details I insist.

 

[chr15_8]

Sounds good Chris

Sam

EDIT - go on, bore me with the substrate details I insist.

thanks

how many of each plant would you say? im getting about 7 hc and thinking of getting 3 of all the others, except cyperus helferi which im getting around 5/6.

now the boring plant
went to my local maaidenhead aquatics (nearest best lfs) got a pot of tetracomplete they only had the small box. so i decided to make the 45 minite drive to enfield to go wildwoods and many other shops to disscover they have no tropica/tetra complete substrate. so i went to a few more localer ones on had the 'First Layer - Pure Laterite' and the guy said it is for planted tanks and works well (got talking to him and he said he's into planted tanks) so got back and disscoved it wasnt any better than pea shingle (from a member on here)

so ive put the a bag of 'pure laterite' in with a mix of tetra complete and some pure laterite mix from another maidnehead shop. wernt happy with the coverage so ended up spending almost £80.00 with AE for some tropica substate and a new lighting unit

bore you enough?

 

[Themuleous]

Haha yep!

3/4 of each plants should be enough depending on what you want to achieve. Dont forget you'll need lots of fast growing plants to start with for algae control. I also find having fewer species but grouped into large groups, looks better than lots of different plants all that dont have defined groups.

Sam