Fine Sand Substrate And Plants

[johnlandon009]

Hey guys,

I'm new to this so bare with me. I have set up a new 40 gallon tank with very fine sand. I have a AquaClear 70 filter and also have a Penguin 330 a friend gave me. I found out my old T12 coralife 50/50 lighting is not suitable for live plants. All I want to have are low light plants in my tank since higher lights cost too much. I am planning to spend about $100 on a new light fixture with dual T5 bulbs making it 48 watts.

I currently have 5 zebra danios cycling the tank. At the same time I have 1 anubias nana attached to the driftwood and 2 anubias nana planted in the sand with rhizomes exposed. I am dozing the tank with API Leaf Zone Plant Food and API CO2 weekly.

The tank has been up for one week. All three anubias plants have black spots on the leaves and on the edges. Some have a slight yellowish color. Will adding the new T5 lighting solve the problem? Or am I missing something else?

Once I get my tank cycled and plants healthy I want to add a few more like micro sword, java moss, Anarchis, or Hornwort.

Am I okay witht the set up?

Thanks.

 

[KittyKat]

I'm new to this so bare with me. I have set up a new 40 gallon tank with very fine sand. I have a AquaClear 70 filter and also have a Penguin 330 a friend gave me. I found out my old T12 coralife 50/50 lighting is not suitable for live plants. All I want to have are low light plants in my tank since higher lights cost too much. I am planning to spend about $100 on a new light fixture with dual T5 bulbs making it 48 watts.

If you are aiming for most efficient and cheapest lighting, make sure to get an electrinic ballast/starter unit for the first and non-aquarium branded bulbs for the latter.

I currently have 5 zebra danios cycling the tank. At the same time I have 1 anubias nana attached to the driftwood and 2 anubias nana planted in the sand with rhizomes exposed. I am dozing the tank with API Leaf Zone Plant Food and API CO2 weekly.
[…]
Once I get my tank cycled and plants healthy I want to add a few more like micro sword, java moss, Anarchis, or Hornwort.

Please get some more plants sooner rather than later, so the danios are not harmed by the ammonia as much. Fast growing stem plants in particular will help.

The tank has been up for one week. All three anubias plants have black spots on the leaves and on the edges. Some have a slight yellowish color. Will adding the new T5 lighting solve the problem? Or am I missing something else?

How deep is the tank? How long are the lights on for right now? Are you sure the spots are black and not dark green?

 

[johnlandon009]

Is the Zoo Med AquaSun T5 HO Double Light Linear Fluorescent Hoods good? It's around $50-$60 for 24". Can you recommend others?


What type of fast growing stem plants are suitable for my lighting? Are Anarchis one that will help the danios with ammonia levels fast? I am doing 10% water changes every week as well.

The tank is about 18 inches deep. The lights are on 12 hours. Given the current lighting isn't made for plants and low watts. Yes they are black spots one the leaf. The edges are black too looking like it is deteriorating. With a slight yellow on the leaf. I tried rubbing off the black spots but they won't come off.

 

[KittyKat]

Can you recommend others?

This one is efficient: http/www.arcadia-uk.info/product.php?pid=91&mid=10&lan=en&sub=&id=4 and I prefer colour 865 bulbs by Philips/Osram/whoever.

What type of fast growing stem plants are suitable for my lighting? Are Anarchis one that will help the danios with ammonia levels fast? I am doing 10% water changes every week as well.

I pity your fish, do you not know that the ammonia is harmful to them? Permanently, for in the long term. Please do however many water changes you need to, to keep the ammonia below 0.25 ppm and as close to 0 ppm as possible, using warm, dechlorinated water. The dechlorinator should be one which "deals" with ammonia and you should use a double dose. Most fish-in cycles involve 95% daily water changes to keep the fish alive and well.
Any of these stem plants should be fine: http/www.tropica.com/plants/difficulty/easy.aspx (pick ones which do not require brightest lighting) and floating plants would work well too, although you may need to increase the lighting to 14 hours. If the plants start suffering from the lack of light, let them float at the surface: they are not for looks, they're for keeping your fish from dying.

The tank is about 18 inches deep. The lights are on 12 hours. Given the current lighting isn't made for plants and low watts. Yes they are black spots one the leaf. The edges are black too looking like it is deteriorating. With a slight yellow on the leaf. I tried rubbing off the black spots but they won't come off.

Apparently this can be caused by overdosing fertilisers. Yes, with no plants in the tank adding any fertilisers is overdosing. No, three small Anubias do not count when that's the only vegetation in the tank. Two T5 tubes may be more than you need for a tank that deep, unless you're going heavily planted.

 

[johnlandon009]

I ended up ordering Dual 39 watts T5HO AquaticLife fixture. I was able to get 15% off.

Today I did a water change and added AquaClear Ammonia Remover Filter in the filtration system. Hope this helps. I should be getting the fixture in a couple days along with fast growing plants.

I'm assuming 78 watts or 1.95 watts per gallon should be good to grow light to medium plants without much of a problem.

Thanks for your help.

 

[KittyKat]

Today I did a water change and added AquaClear Ammonia Remover Filter in the filtration system. Hope this helps. I should be getting the fixture in a couple days along with fast growing plants.

The "ammonia remover" (probably zeolite) will temporarily keep the ammonia low, but once it is used up, the ammonia will rise again. If you place the ammonia remover at the last stage of the filter (so last before water goes back into the tank), then your filter will cycle very slowly, as with all fish-in cycles. It would still be well worth you shifting your focus towards a silent cycle by heavily planting the tank immediately.

I'm assuming 78 watts or 1.95 watts per gallon should be good to grow light to medium plants without much of a problem.

That is 1.95, which is rather a lot. With that amount of light, unless you do heavily plant, you will get algae. I do not dabble in high-tech setups, but in a low-tech one, I would be recommending a lot of floating plants.

 

[johnlandon009]

I bought Glossostigma Elatinoides that is potted. The only way for me to plant it was to leave 1/4" of the sponge intact with the roots. I covered it up with sand.

Can the sponge cause any harm to the fishes?

 

[KittyKat]

Can the sponge cause any harm to the fishes?

Some people say yes, some say no. I say yes because I find the wool very irritating to my hands: it always leaves a rash which lasts for a few days. I like to minimise the chances of the fish nibbling at it by removing it.

Are the danios still alive?

 

[johnlandon009]

Can the sponge cause any harm to the fishes?

Some people say yes, some say no. I say yes because I find the wool very irritating to my hands: it always leaves a rash which lasts for a few days. I like to minimise the chances of the fish nibbling at it by removing it.

Are the danios still alive?

Alright I'll try to remove as much as possible but still leave some on so the Glosso can stay planted.

As more of it spreads and grows elsewhere I'll remove the sponge entirely.

Yep the Danio's are still alive. I tested the water and my results are:

PH: 8.0 (It's pretty high but at least it is a constant 8.0 with no fluctuations.)
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .5
Nitrate: 20


I bought and planted the following yesterday:

-2x Cryptocoryne, Wendtii, Bronze
-2x Cryptocoryne, Wendtii, Green
-1x Glossostigma
-2x Green Temple Narrow Leaf
-2x Java Fern, Lace (inserted in cracks of driftwood)
-2x Ludwigia Needle Leaf
-2x Ludwigia, Broad Leaf
-1x Sword, Red Rubin

 

[KittyKat]

Those readings are high enough to harm the fish in the long term, please do try to never let ammonia and nitrite reach 0.25 ppm. More stem plants would also help, only Ludwigias will make much of a difference out of those (although all help, of course).