New To Planted Tanks

[mmanist]

Hi everyone!! Its been a long time since I have been on here, But I'm back!! LOL

Anyways..... I want to start a planted tank, maybe a 20 gallon? I have always wanted to do a nice planted tank but never really tried that hard to do it. I have a 35 gallon, that I basically gave to my mom after I moved back home. She really liked my tank and my fish so she pretty much took over it. But she enjoys it. So more power too her, just gives me a good reason to start something else!!! Only fish I would want to put in it would be a pair of rams, and maybe bristle nose. Now for my questions!!

1) Do I cycle it any different?
2) what is some good low to med. light plants to start out with?
3) What about wood? I live on the ohio river, could I get drift wood from there and boil it to use?
4) What about sand or gravel?

I would like to make it look all natural!!
Any Ideas are helpful!!
Thank you
Megan

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Right, welcome back, you can cycle your tank as normal but plant it just before you fill it as the plants will use up some ammonia.

Good basic starting out low light plants that wont require ferts or CO2 are:

Java Fern
Various Swords
Hairgrass
Various Anubias
Various Crypts
Various Mosses

Yeah you can use drift wood from anywhere as long as its safe and boiled.

If your going for an all natural look then you could mix sand and gravel, or take a look at some vids on youtube to get some ideas of natural environments and make up your substrate from that.

Sand, gravel, soil etc.


Hope this helps.

 

[mmanist]

Ok thanks! What do you mean soil?? Like reg soil? good garden stuff? LOL Sorry! Wouldnt that make the water get cloudy? Or mucky?

 

[AdamBeat8]

Yes get wood from the Ohio river. No need to boil it. Just soak it in a bucket full of water so it sinks. I got a few pieces of wood in Ecuador and their awesome. Also scrub it with something. Just to get all the dirt off so it doesn't turn your tank brown. Your tank may have a brown tint to it the first few weeks. Mine did.

 

[crago1990]

not too long ago i started my tank again and went with soil and gravel for the natural look and to help my plants. i used john innes compost#3 and then a natural colour gravel on top looks great! would recommend it! if you use compost put a layer at the bottom and then cap it with the same amount of gravel on top and fill your tank very slowly and it wont be messy atall. ive read lots of people saying it was really messy and took ages to clear but i was careful and made no mess and mine was clear straight away so it can be done. good luck with the tank