Need Advice On Planted Tank Set Up

[fatelerror89]

I am looking to plant my fluval 180 bow front and i am a beginner when it comes to plants. i was looking to get jbl Aqua base for the bottom layer and Jbl manado for the top layer if that would work?.For filtration iv have been told you need at least x10 turn over and i have looked at Aquamanta Efx400  what has 1400lph what would this be good enough to do the job and not turn my tank in to a washing machine 
 
any advice would be great 

 

[SLIM]

I am looking to plant my fluval 180 bow front and i am a beginner when it comes to plants. i was looking to get jbl Aqua base for the bottom layer and Jbl manado for the top layer if that would work?.For filtration iv have been told you need at least x10 turn over and i have looked at Aquamanta Efx400  what has 1400lph what would this be good enough to do the job and not turn my tank in to a washing machine 
 
any advice would be great

Ok where to start...
Il start with substrate. Yes im sure jbl aqua base and jbl manado will be fine but to be totally honest with you, its not really needed.
Check my tank out in my sig below. All i use is sand and thats all iv ever used in all my planted tanks. Nothing more nothing less. Under substrate fertilisers will become exhausted over time and the plants will absorb whatever they need from the water column itself, so i find myself asking, whats the point?
Soooo in short, in wont hurt BUT its not totally necessary either

Filtration/Flow
You kinda have it right here. Its not 10X filtration you want its 10X flow.
180 liter planted tank ideally needs 1800LPH flow rate. This is minus your filters output.
So if your filter is 1000LPH for example, you will need approx 800LPH powerhead or Hydor.
Having said that, 10X flow rate is normally recommend for High Techs (Tanks which use either liquid carbons or pressurized gas)
However good flow is good practice in any tank as it will make life that little harder for algae to take hold.

Ferts.
Finally depending on how strong your lighting is, what plants you wish to keep and whether or not you choose to use a carbon such as Seachem Florish EXCEL or even inject co2, you will need to dose a fertilisers every day for best results imo

For low light and easy plants such as anubias, crypts vallis etc, all you will need is a trace fert such as Florish or Profito. Thats it

For strong light and more difficault plants like reds stems and carpet plants etc, you will need co2 and you will need to dose trace AND Macro ferts daily too. Macros consist Nitrates Phosphates Potassium and Magesium (You can buy an all in one fert with all this in)

Co2 can either be pressurised gas (best results) OR a liquid carbon such as EXCEL or Easycarbo, which will also need to be dosed daily.

Thats about the basics

 

[fatelerror89]

Hi thanks for the reply well i already have jbl aquabase and manado so just as well use it now. i checked your journal looks a awesome tank set up.
 
Planing on just a low tech planted tank with easy plants and for flow if i went for either aquamanta efx 400 or 600 i think that would be enough flow .
 
my lights in the tank are t5 24w twin bulb and if i can try just use ferts such as Florish but if needed co2. 
 
Would my female bristlenose pleco destroy the plants ?

 

[SLIM]

Hi thanks for the reply well i already have jbl aquabase and manado so just as well use it now. i checked your journal looks a awesome tank set up. Planing on just a low tech planted tank with easy plants and for flow if i went for either aquamanta efx 400 or 600 i think that would be enough flow . my lights in the tank are t5 24w twin bulb and if i can try just use ferts such as Florish but if needed co2.  Would my female bristlenose pleco destroy the plants ?

Thank you
Your lighting is fine for a low tech. Im not familiar with aquamanta myself but the closer you can get to 1800lph flow rate the better.
Seachem Florish will be fine on its own in a low tech and as for BN Plecs, well some people have reported them eating their plants.
I however have never had this problem with any of my plecs. I believe that if they are well fed they shouldnt even think about eating your plants

 

[fatelerror89]

Aquamanta its like maidenhead aquatics own brand of filter they sell but I will look at the efx600 that has 2200 lph. I make sure she is well fed and watch out to see if the plants have been eaten and should I do a fishless cycle with the plants in there or what to the fishless cycle is done?

 

[SLIM]

Well I personally wait til after the cycle as the ammonia will almost certainly trigger Diatoms if you have your lights on during a fishless cycle. Ideally a fishless cycle needs to be done in the dark to avoid this (or at least with lights off)

If you dont mind wiping a vast amount of diatoms off your plants daily, or if you think your plec can handle the diatom bloom then there is no reason why you cant add the plants during a cycle.
Just bare in mind, if plants get totally covered in diatoms for too long it can kill them as it blocks tbe light to them