New Planted Tank Information Please!

[dave_oddballs]

i am planning to set up my first planted tank (well not my first tank with plants but my first hi tech set up for plants), i am getting the co2 sorted but when i look at pics and vids off planted tanks they look crystal clear but have no water movement!?!? i obviously want mine crystal clear, i want to look at keeping crystal and cherry shrimps and mabe a small shoal of rainbow fish or similar, i need to know what type of filter to use that will keep the tank clean but leave the water motionless, the word ' impossible' pops into my head, but obviously can be done. and info greatly appreciated!
also substrate for plants i am especially interested in a carpet covering everything, well apart from mabe a rock and some bogwood, i meen covering the whole of the substrate! something that will plants will take to well, help them grow but not float around the tank!
just basically info for everything!!
its only 60L, 2'x1'x1'. trying the small tank to see how it goes. if all goes well i'll transform one of the bigger tanks!!

thanks for any help

David

 

[aaronnorth]

when pictures are taken the equipment is removed from the tank for photography purposes, so that is why there is no water movement. Usually there is about 10-20x turnover. so you should aim for about 600-1200l/ph either through a large filter, or buying a powerhead. On my 60l i used a fluval 205 with 660/ph (11x turnover)

How much are you willing to spend on the substrate? An specific colour or look?
Also:

light wattage & diameter?
fertilisers?
CO2?

 

[dave_oddballs]

at the moment iv only got a single arcadia 15-18w with a 15w interpet tropical reflector. I know this isnt sufficient to sustain the plants but hopefully i will attain information pointing me in the right direction! I have ordered a co2 system, just a simple disposable canister one, it cost £30 and £7 for re-fills, baring in mind its 60 litre and my 1st attempt i feel it will be sufficient and if all goes tits up im not loosing a vast amount of money! Lighting is something i dont mind spending money on as in the same situation could be used elswere. What sort of lights would be best for the 2 ft tank baring in mind it has to fit inside the lid of more or less equal size to the tank? T8's?
So if i get a external, mabe 205 as you suggested, how would be best for its return? Eg. Spray bar etc.
Substrate, colour is not a problem, i just want it natural, mabe soil colour? What ever is best, not too keen on sand in planted tanks though! Basically i want the substrate to be covered completely with mabe riccia or similar so theoretically it wouldnt be seen anyway.
So the main problems are, lighting, filter return and substrate.
Your info and advice is appreciated! Thanks
David

 

[aaronnorth]

if you are wanting a high tec tank, then i would get another 15w T8 tube (30w - 2wpg). This will be enough for lots of plant species.
You could get away with a 24w T5 if necassary.

What CO2 systeem have you ordered? Also you will need a drop checker to measure the levels. See my sig for a DC guide.

Spray bars are ideal for improving the flow throught a larger proportion of the tank. Some still prefer to use the standard output, or lily pipes.

Substrate wise, the "best" are eco complete and ADA Aquasoil. These are stand alone substrates so they are quite expensive.
Alternatively you could buy something like tropica substrate and cap it with gravel or sand. This is the cheaper way to do it.

Have you considered fertilisers? You could use dry powders which are cheaper, or liquid fertilisers.

 

[dave_oddballs]

i use nutrafin plant grow in one of my other tanks but thats it as far as my experience with fertilizers goes! i will get another t8 light and as you said 2wpg should be sufficient for most plants, i know this wont help much but im not entirely sure about the make and full spec of the co2 system, i asked the guy at the lfs (which i known for years since iv bought fish, plants and equipment etc from there for about 12 years!), he explained it was a disposable canister, a co2 injection system, but it is simple, unadjustable, with a diffuser, i will tell you more on the spec when i pick it up in a week or so!, expense as far as the aqua soil is concerned is not a problem, i believe the choice i make will have to bee a good one if i want good results, i shall order the aquasoil from the lfs in the next few days.
the lilly pipes, would they fit something like the suggested fluval 205?
i could order one of the net soon if this is the best thing to use!
thanks
David

 

[aaronnorth]

right, for simplicity i would use tropica plant nutrition+ for a fertiliser, and dose daily at a rate of 5ml per 100l.

It sounds like it may be the tetraoptimat CO2 system which isnt that good. You need to have a reliable source of CO2 that will help you get sufficient levels. If it is low or fluctuating then you will end up with algae, particularly Black Brush Algae. You could dose easycarbo alongside it which would help though.

Aquasoil is hard to get hold of as it is from Japan, so The green machine are the only UK stockists.

You could buy some clear hosing, (12/16mm) then attach lily pipes. I am not sue if the attach to ribbed hosing or not. My guess is no.

 

[dave_oddballs]

got it set up now, just waiting till after the weekend to sort the lights out, instead of having 2 t8 sets im getting the t8 double one which will add up to just over 30 watt, the substrate i got was aqua gravel and eco-complete, eco complete being on top, for now i just got a fluval 2+ with spray bar, and yep its the tetra optimat co2 thing. i know its not the best and very simple but i'v never done this before and its not worth me paying over £100 on it for a 60 litre tank just got a couple of rocks in it at the moment, blue sodalite or summet like that, and waiting for my first plant, i forgot its name but its a carpeting type and apparently comes like a piece of turf! what bulbs would you suggest for plants, i think the set fits the 18 inch t8 bulbs.

thanks

David

 

[aaronnorth]

here is a list of bulb sp
http/www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.p...amp;filter_by=7

 

[dave_oddballs]

i meen bulbs for the light not plants.

David

 

[Underwurlde]

^ LOL

 

[aaronnorth]

it's because you were going on about a carpeting plant lol

ehem, right... I would get the tubes from lampspecs, there is also a good guide here showing the different colours etc: http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/lighting.htm