Im Going For It !

[markandhisfish]

right i think im finally ready to set up my 1st planted tank. , just a couple of things to double check 1st tho . mainly my lighting . the built in light unit in the tanks hood has 2 20w t8 tubes . the tank is 112L 800x400x350 ( mm) . im going to replace the tubes with new ones and add some decent reflectors . what sort of limitations is this going o put on my plant selection? i will be running pressurised co2 . i could squeeze a 3rd tube in if necesary but if i dont need it i would rather spend the money on other things for the tank .

lighting seems to be a contentious issue . depending where you read you can either get away with less , or some placws sat you need lots .

as this is my 1st serious planted tank i wont be going for the expert plants , but id like to at least have something not "simple" " beginners" or run of the mill .

i deffinately want a dwarf hairgrass lawn in the foreground

so far my provisional shopping list is as follows .

2 replacement tubes and 2 reflectors
2kg co2 fire extinguisher
co2 regulator / solenoid
co2 tubing/checkvalve/diffuser ( il make a bubble counter myself)
circulation pump
drop checker / kdh4

and obviously things like substrate , ferts , plants etc

any last minute advice? got a few days before i start ordering as im just waiting for a cheque to clear so ive got time for some last minute adjustments as necessary

 

[JoshuaA]

Don't forget timers for your plugs!!

 

[ian]

You will read all over the net that you actually need high light...believe me Mark, you don't. You will be just fine with the light you have. It is now known that flow and nutrients are just as important. You will read that plants get tall and leggy without high light, this again is rubbish. Poor flow to the substrate stops the plants from getting rid of Ethylene, the gas builds up and upward growth occurs.

stick with the light you have!

 

[markandhisfish]

Don't forget timers for your plugs!!

knew id forgot something . timer for the lights and 1 for the solenoid .

cheers ian thats what i thought . the plan is that once the co2 equipment and circulation pump get here il fill the tank up and have a good play with flow/co2 etc and get that perfect 1st . then il start to think about planting it out .

 

[JoshuaA]

By forgotten, I hope you mean you had forgotten to list them not forgotten to buy them!

Most crucial equipment going I think in my eyes

 

[markandhisfish]

forgotten to list them . i havent actually bought anything yet . well apart from the tank itself that is .

heres the tank as a blank canvas . i got it for £80

and im thinking about ordering this piece of redmoor for my hardscape
http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/redmoor-wood-h5-p-5023.html

 

[JenCliBee]

right i think im finally ready to set up my 1st planted tank. , just a couple of things to double check 1st tho . mainly my lighting . the built in light unit in the tanks hood has 2 20w t8 tubes . the tank is 112L 800x400x350 ( mm) . im going to replace the tubes with new ones and add some decent reflectors . what sort of limitations is this going o put on my plant selection? i will be running pressurised co2 . i could squeeze a 3rd tube in if necesary but if i dont need it i would rather spend the money on other things for the tank .

lighting seems to be a contentious issue . depending where you read you can either get away with less , or some placws sat you need lots .

No need for a 3rd tube mate, what you have should be fine for most if not all plants.

as this is my 1st serious planted tank i wont be going for the expert plants , but id like to at least have something not "simple" " beginners" or run of the mill .

i deffinately want a dwarf hairgrass lawn in the foreground

so far my provisional shopping list is as follows .

2 replacement tubes and 2 reflectors.... The tubes may actually be an unnecessary purchase, alot of reading sort of suggest that bulbs only deterioate by 5% or so within ther lifetime).... Don't take that as gospel but ive read a few articles on UKAP's from DW which are quite interesting regarding light.


2kg co2 fire extinguisher

co2 regulator / solenoid.... This is another ground to consider, many people, including me.. will suggest a separate solenoid to the diffuser.. simply due to a possible fail in the solenoid... if the solenoid fails on a reg with solenoid built in the whole unit needs replacing.. if you have them separate (connected to each other by little bits of airline), if the solenoid fails you only have to replace one solenoid..or vice versa.

co2 tubing/checkvalve/diffuser ( il make a bubble counter myself)..... For the price of a bubble counter, i would buy one.. at least you are far more gareenteed for it to be airtight.. and wont leak co2... just precationary part to conserv a potential waste of co2 if a leak does happen
circulation pump

drop checker / kdh4..... 4dkh

and obviously things like substrate , ferts , plants etc

any last minute advice? got a few days before i start ordering as im just waiting for a cheque to clear so ive got time for some last minute adjustments as necessary

Good luck with it all mate

You will read all over the net that you actually need high light...believe me Mark, you don't. You will be just fine with the light you have. It is now known that flow and nutrients are just as important. You will read that plants get tall and leggy without high light, this again is rubbish. Poor flow to the substrate stops the plants from getting rid of Ethylene, the gas builds up and upward growth occurs.

stick with the light you have!

Mirror what Ian has said in regards to the light and plant growth.

Ian i am curious thought to the plants growing upwards because of excess ethylene, ive herd this but can never find any basis scientifically to back it up.. any chance you have any..... interesting information if it is actually true rather based on alot of assumptions.... i think it could potentially be a high factor but not the only factor to why plants do take a room upward root, i also think it would factor on particular plants rather than all species.

Anyways any info you have, i would be very interested to have a read of

forgotten to list them . i havent actually bought anything yet . well apart from the tank itself that is .

heres the tank as a blank canvas . i got it for £80

and im thinking about ordering this piece of redmoor for my hardscape
http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/redmoor-wood-h5-p-5023.html

Nice mark, should look stunning once started... that redmoor piece though may not be big enough..size wise and amount of branches?... to give the feel you want. Nice peice though

 

[markandhisfish]

yesterday i ordered circulation pump , reflectors, drop checker , 4dkh/bromo blue , co2 tubing , diffuser and bubble counter , but thats going to have to do for now .

 

[JenCliBee]

yesterday i ordered circulation pump , reflectors, drop checker , 4dkh/bromo blue , co2 tubing , diffuser and bubble counter , but thats going to have to do for now .

Well on the road to a fully planted tank mate... good luck .... looking forward to your journal and how it progresses

 

[markandhisfish]

yep just need to get the fe/regulator and solenoid and thats the hardware completed , altho its probably going to have to wait now as ive got some pretty heavy expenses coming up which unfortunately are more important . i need to renew my cscs card , and my cpcs forks ticket. or i cant work . so the tanks going to have to take a back seat for a little while . frustrating , ever time i start to make progress life gets in the way i get my tax return in a couple of weeks , so im hoping that after renewing all my work tickets il have enough leftto finish the tank/start the journal

 

[simonas]

B and Q have a offer on digital timers, they are spot on about £2.50 each

 

[JenCliBee]

yep just need to get the fe/regulator and solenoid and thats the hardware completed , altho its probably going to have to wait now as ive got some pretty heavy expenses coming up which unfortunately are more important . i need to renew my cscs card , and my cpcs forks ticket. or i cant work . so the tanks going to have to take a back seat for a little while . frustrating , ever time i start to make progress life gets in the way i get my tax return in a couple of weeks , so im hoping that after renewing all my work tickets il have enough leftto finish the tank/start the journal

Haha, yeh i know that feeling all to well, just as you think your set, something else occurs and puts everything back for a while . Life eh? lol.

I'm sure you will have all the gear and setting it up in no time mate

B and Q have a offer on digital timers, they are spot on about £2.50 each

Im sure there would be a lot interested in this including me ... cheers for the heads up.

 

[markandhisfish]

oooh nice1 simon , cheers for the heads up . il have to nip down and pick some up il need 3 so thats gonna save me a few quid

well true to form warehouse aquatics have given their usual speedy delivery , the irculation pump and reflectors i ordered arrived today .

hooked the pump up in the big tank just to test it . works a treat its a great little pump should be perfect for the planted

 

[markandhisfish]

today my co2 tubing , diffuser , bubble counter , drop checker and 4dkh/bromo blue solution arrived. at the moment im having "fun" trying to get the hang of getting the solution into the ball. its a freakin nightmare!!!! it just wont go in .

edit: got it !! just needed to gently tap it as i turned it over to help release the trapped air in the ball

 

[JoshuaA]

today my co2 tubing , diffuser , bubble counter , drop checker and 4dkh/bromo blue solution arrived. at the moment im having "fun" trying to get the hang of getting the solution into the ball. its a freakin nightmare!!!! it just wont go in .

edit: got it !! just needed to gently tap it as i turned it over to help release the trapped air in the ball

It is a bit of an art, after a while you'll get it in one. The magic tap seems to work every time for me!

Looking forward to see how this tank goes for you!