New To Planted Tank

[kcourt]

Hi Everyone,
I am new here and starting up a 29 gal planted tank. HELP!!! It seems the more I read the more confused I get about what I need to start with! Right now I have on order, 60lbs-eco complete, a Coralfe 1-bulb 65 watt aqualight, a Twintube glass top, a Jager 100 watt heater, and a Ecco 2232 canister filter. I was thinking of starting out with Drs Foster and Smith plant basic plant package. For now I will try my luck w/o C02. I was wondering if 2.2 wpg is too much light w/o C02? Also, once I have everything planted what Fertilizers should I use and when? And if there is anything else I need to make this work out please let me know. Thanks,
KC

 

[SuperColey1]

Americans and their light. lol
2.2WPG CF is way too much without CO2. Do not apply the WPG rule to CF as the WPG rule was calculated on the T12 years and years ago. At a stretch it is a guideline for modern T5/CF etc. 2.2WPG of T12 is too much without CO2. Reduce the light or add pressurised CO2 to your shopping list

I would go for the next heater up @ 150W.

Filter is no good if you want a heavily planted tank. You want to aim for 5-10x volume as your output so for your tank between 145 and 290 gallons per hour. The 2232 is 80!!!. The reason you want the higher output is because you want good circulation within a planted tank. The circulation needs to carry the nutrient and CO2 (wether you add these or it is natural) around the tank and have no 'dead' spots. Remember that 80USG per hour is the max flow that this filter can do. Then take into account that the filter media will slow this down. Then take into account that as the media performs it's job this will slow it down further. So you need not be worried that you are going to have a whirlpool as you will not achieve the 10x unless the filter is empty and the hose is 1cm long!!! Also ECCO has a bad reputation. If you can get hold of Marineland then they do a version similar to Eheims better stuff. In europe it is called the Tetratec and there is a 600, 700 and 1200lph version. Some people with your size over here use both of these types. I would suggest the 700lph for your tank.

Being in the US I would check out the Seachem website as they are one of the best ferts companies. There is a fertiliser routine on there and Seachem is reasonably cheap in the US whereas it is expensive in the UK (as is everything. lol)
LINK TO SEACHEM SITE - PLANT DOSING CHART LINK IS ON BOTTOM LEFT.

Is there anything else you need to know? Yes patience is the key to success. You won't achieve what you want to first time unles you are extremely lucky. Use the mistakes you make to learn for the future. The people that never made the mistakes often think they have it cracked only to fall down later on and not know why whereas someone whos first scape or 2 is a complete failure YET perseveres and stays determined is the one who ends up having a superb tank. Also remember that most of the photos you see that look stunning are not working tanks. They are created normally for the photoshoot/competitions and then broken down for the next scape to be started. If you want your planted tank to be a more prolonged thing then settle for something slower.

Good luck
Andy

 

[aaronnorth]

Hi & welcome, 2.2WPG needs CO2, preferabbly pressurized. once you get above 2WPG the the high light drives the plants to take up more nutrients & CO2,

a good quality fert is

seachem flourish

tropica plant nutrition (TPN) - designed for heavily stocked tanks

TPN+ - for lightly stocked tanks as it contains N&P

 

[kcourt]

Americans and their light. lol
2.2WPG CF is way too much without CO2. Do not apply the WPG rule to CF as the WPG rule was calculated on the T12 years and years ago. At a stretch it is a guideline for modern T5/CF etc. 2.2WPG of T12 is too much without CO2. Reduce the light or add pressurised CO2 to your shopping list

I would go for the next heater up @ 150W.

Filter is no good if you want a heavily planted tank. You want to aim for 5-10x volume as your output so for your tank between 145 and 290 gallons per hour. The 2232 is 80!!!. The reason you want the higher output is because you want good circulation within a planted tank. The circulation needs to carry the nutrient and CO2 (wether you add these or it is natural) around the tank and have no 'dead' spots. Remember that 80USG per hour is the max flow that this filter can do. Then take into account that the filter media will slow this down. Then take into account that as the media performs it's job this will slow it down further. So you need not be worried that you are going to have a whirlpool as you will not achieve the 10x unless the filter is empty and the hose is 1cm long!!! Also ECCO has a bad reputation. If you can get hold of Marineland then they do a version similar to Eheims better stuff. In europe it is called the Tetratec and there is a 600, 700 and 1200lph version. Some people with your size over here use both of these types. I would suggest the 700lph for your tank.

Being in the US I would check out the Seachem website as they are one of the best ferts companies. There is a fertiliser routine on there and Seachem is reasonably cheap in the US whereas it is expensive in the UK (as is everything. lol)
LINK TO SEACHEM SITE - PLANT DOSING CHART LINK IS ON BOTTOM LEFT.

Is there anything else you need to know? Yes patience is the key to success. You won't achieve what you want to first time unles you are extremely lucky. Use the mistakes you make to learn for the future. The people that never made the mistakes often think they have it cracked only to fall down later on and not know why whereas someone whos first scape or 2 is a complete failure YET perseveres and stays determined is the one who ends up having a superb tank. Also remember that most of the photos you see that look stunning are not working tanks. They are created normally for the photoshoot/competitions and then broken down for the next scape to be started. If you want your planted tank to be a more prolonged thing then settle for something slower.

Good luck
Andy

Hi Andy,
Thanks for the advice. I have the tank set up with a female Betta in it but no plants yet. I am waiting on a Hagen diffuser I ordered so I can use diy co2. You were right on about the Ecco not moving a lot of water. I also will look into a new filter or power head down the road. The plant package I want to order has nine plants. I hope thats not considered heavy planting for a 29 gal tank. I also plan on using Seachem ferts and have Excel on order. KC