First Tank (Hard Water) - Any Advice Welcome!

[Miles_hot]

Hi

We've just finished cycling our first tank (53 USG, 33" long) and will be putting the fish in soon. Before we do that we want to plant it with a resonable number of plants.

At the moment we are working our way through the planting / layout ideas and will have some rocks, a branch or two of drift wood to connect the upper and lower sections of the tank and draw the ey across the tank, some open spaces and plants around the place. I am not a gardener however my wife has the green fingers and this is her tank...

We are not currently interested in CO2 as that is just one more thing to get on top of, maybe in the future but not now. We have reasonably hard water (7.6 - 8.2 with 8.0 being the normal). The lighting which came with the ND Tank are:

Arcadia 30in. Freshwater Lamp 25w £14.39 x2
Arcadia 30in. Marine Blue 25w
Arcadia ALR25 30in 25w Fluorescent Reflector x 3
Arcadia Ultra Seal Light Control Unit Single 25/30W T8
Arcadia Ultra Seal Light Control Unit Double 25/30W T8

What plants would you recommend for us? We'll look them up and work out how to place them in the tank for best effect - though if you have any suggests we're hugry for ideas

Many thanks

Miles

 

[stu40]

Hi
try looking that this http/www.fishforum...-planted-links/
Lots of plants to research. If i read it right you've got the option of 25W, 50W or 75W of lighting depending on how many lights you turn on? (this is with the reflectors off)

 

[Miles_hot]

50 or 75w as the two white lights are on the same controller

 

[stu40]

upto 1.5WPG of T8 lights =low tech (no co2, little/no ferts)
Have a look at the planted journals as well (yes, there's a lot).That way you'll see plants in situ, and can work out want you like.Some you might not be able to grow (see link on previous post)
Journals range from low light-low tec to high tec.