My New Planted Community Tank

[Jon1706]

Hi all im new to this planting game. My tank is 63 litres and as one 15 W T8 tube, ( want to add another light but not sure what to get to go with the one i have). I have planted the plants in to the gravel and used root tabs to help them. Here is a list of my plants.

Cryptocoryne Wendtii "brown"
Cryptocoryne Wendtii "tropica"
Hygrophila Corymbosa "siamensis 53B"
Vallisneria americana "mini twister"
Echinodorus Bleheri "amazon sword"

My fish are silver tipped tetras x6 cardinal tetras x6 and platys x 2

any help on the planting would be great or where i need to go from now. Thanl you very much Jon

 

[aaronnorth]

you sau white tip tetras but they look like cardinal tetras to me.

you can keep the light you have and stick to plants like crytocorynes, anubias, microsorum sp, hygrophillia polysperma. moss balls, java moss....

if you are wanting more light then upgrading to a T6 tube (from aqua essentials) will give you 40% more light. They will still fit in the original light fixture you have now.

 

[Jon1706]

yes i have some they just hide in the plants. So I dont need more lighting for the plants i have? ( will be ordering the light tomorrow) And i was wondering about c02 do i need that or is that a little ott for what plants i have got? I want to keep this as a low maintenance tank and one i can show the fish of in. (will be getting some guppys at the weekend as the g/f like them lol and a butterfly plec) i was wondering what fertilisers i would need,i am using root tabs at the min and the fish waste and that is all(my lfs sells Tetra Plantamin i was wondering if this would be ok. Ty for your help jon

 

[aaronnorth]

lighting is fine for plants, co2 WILL HELP WITH PLANT GROWTH, ALTHOUGH NOT NECASSARY. The plants may survive without a fert, but adding the plantamin weekly will be helpful.

ps. Sorry about capitals lol.

 

[Jon1706]

lighting is fine for plants, co2 WILL HELP WITH PLANT GROWTH, ALTHOUGH NOT NECASSARY. The plants may survive without a fert, but adding the plantamin weekly will be helpful.

ps. Sorry about capitals lol.

Hi dont worry about it. Ive been in touch with the people at Aqua Essentials and i've got some EasyCarbo and Easy-Life ProFito im not going with the co2 yet getting used to planting a tank, i might get the Tetra C02 Optimat in a few weeks but im sticking to these for the time been fingers crossed everything will go well lol

 

[Jon1706]

I've just got my easycarbo and profito. It says on the easy carbo that i should use 1ml per 50litres, I have a 63 litres and my tank as a lot of plants. I was wondering if anyone use this and how much should i go with in my tank. And the same with the profito that is 10ml for every 100 litres i was wondering if i should go with 5ml every week.

and do i need a drop checker with the easy carbo? or should i wait and get it when i get the Tetra C02 Optimat ?
Been planing in my tank again and now i've got it right. here is how the tank looks now. oh can some one help me work out my lighting levels i have a single 15w t8 tube.

 

[aaronnorth]

nice tank now ou have a beter pic

for the eascarbo i would dose 2ml daily, simply because you dont have CO2 injection.
easycarbo wont work with a drop checker, cut short - when the gas lowers the ph the colour changes - easycarbo cannot change water chemistry.

watts/ US gallons = wpg

15/ 15g = 1WPG

 

[Jon1706]

Ty Aaron, I will need to get a drop checker when i get the Tetra C02 Optimat. and Profito am i ok putting 5ml in once a week?. I am hoping to get some more pictures been using my g/f cam and my moblie cam. Will have my cam back tomorrow and will post some pictures soon.

 

[aaronnorth]

5ml weekly sounds ok to me, because of the low light, so plants do not need as many nutrients to grow.

The optimat is rubbish, it can sometimes need refilling (the diffuser) twice a day, IMO i would go DIY: http/www.fishforever.co.uk/carbondioxide.html

 

[Jon1706]

Ty for the link aaron and that systm be fine for my tank then?

 

[aaronnorth]

yes, i would use 2 bottles then connect them both into one airline by a T piece. You can then change one midweek, and one at the weekend. This way you can keep a steady supply of CO2 to the tank.

 

[Jon1706]

im going to give it a good where do you get the bits from? and what kind of pipe do you need ?

 

[aaronnorth]

2L fizzy drinks bottles,

you dont have to use brass nipples, but they do provide a better fit so there is less chance of leaks, i am not sure where you get them from, but i assume they wil be available from a hardware/ DIY store.
the other option is to drill the hole 1mm smaller than the size of the CO2 airline ( http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...p;cPath=196_252 ) then cut the end of the tube at a 45 degree angle, push it though, you may need some pliers to pull it through, silicone around the joints.

you also need a diffuser, a bubble ladder wil work well: http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...roducts_id=1755

or you can run it through your filter, but this only works on externals.

 

[Jon1706]

Ty for the links mate will be getting some bits on friday. when i get paided. been looking on there would this work i like it better then the one you sent on the link. http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=646

 

[aaronnorth]

yes it will work, it requires more pressure for the CO2 to be pushed through, so that is why the other will be better, but it wont matter to much.

here is another guide

http/www.aquatic-eden.com/2006/10/build-...-generator.html