New To Plants, Advice Wanted... (Many Questions)

[Madjonny]

Hi guys, I'm still a fish noob however,
I'm really into fish keeping now, and I want to advance myself into live plants, sorry but I have quite a few questions...

This is what iv ordered: http/www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/aquariums/aquarium-bargains/fluval-roma-90-aquarium-and-cabinet-black-titanium-and-zebrano.html

Where do I start?

I have just ordered a fluval Roma 90 aquarium, base is 60cm x 35 cm.

I also have purchased a nice piece of bog wood, and have begun to soak it ready for when the aquarium arrives.

The aquarium comes with some gravel, I also have gravel left over from my edge, so I should be fine for that.

Substrate? Any recommendations and approximate amount needed?

Co2, do I need it right away? Or can I get away with getting the plants in then think about that in the days or week after?

Lighting, the tank comes with 1 aqua glow T8 tube 15w
1 power glow T8 tube 15w. I assume they need to be replaced for a higher wattage?

I only want basic plants nothing too hard to keep, some moss balls, carpet plant like a grass and something very tall and thin, that I can plant like reeds that fish can swim through.
Not sure if that helps.

Any recommendations for plant substrate, or plants themselves?

After I add the substrate and gravel and any decor, what's my next move?

Not decided on fish yet, I really want red scarlet indian badis, but that depends on availability...
They like: ideal plants include Cryptocoryne spp. or those that can be grown attached to the décor such as Microsorum, Anubias or Taxiphyllum species.
(I'm about to research these myself now, but let me know if there's anything on that list that would be difficult to care for...)

Thank you in advance, any help will be much appreciated.

Sorry for all the nooby questions!

 

[mike455555]

that little list you gave is perfect beginner plants, the reed like plant youd be looking for is vallis, theres several types. as for the substrate you have a few options you can go down the DIY method and do what iv done (john innis no3 compost with a sand cap) or cat litter, (theres a cirtain one you want the redish one from tescos, without fragrance)  or you could just go with sand and dose the water collum my sig pic was done in this way. 
 
you have 2 choises of tank, low tech and high tech, or a mid range if you want, high techs use co2 have high light and fertlizers added, low techs dont. id recomdend a low tech to start with, the plants you named will do fine under the light you have, although Dwarf hairgrass wont that needs high light, and co2 (or it looks rubbish) id recomend dwarf sag for your grassy plant 
 
in short you dont need co2, but you may need to dose ferts 

 

[Madjonny]

Thanks that's a good start, I was hoping I wouldn't need Co2 yet, I was afraid of polluting the water and getting it all wrong, not to mention more £...

 

[Madjonny]

Right, is it ok to set the substrate and gravel in the tank?

My tank is coming tomorrow and I want to start the cycling, add my bogwood ASAP as its a long process.

Then order some plants from the Internet... As the plants in my local fish and pet stores were a bit crap and most looked pretty much dead.
Then add plants at the weekend?


EDIT:
Hmm... Iv just come across the post about no need for cycling planted tanks, I'm going to Carry on researching that...

EDIT2: I can't make sense of that post,
Does it mean I don't need to do a fishless cycle if I have a high plant mass? And what about my situation with no Co2?

 

[HHH]

i would recomend a soil subtrate covered in gravel. this way you wont have to dose ferts exculding iron depending on whether or not you added clay. I would research soil substrate tanks if you are interrestes. Some plants i recommend are anubias java fern most mosses and water sprite.

 

[DrRob]

Sorry, missed this one, you're referring to a silent cycle. Essentially a huge mass of fast growing stem plants eats virtually all of the ammonia, leaving trace amounts for the filter to cope with, allowing a very gentle cycle. The plants can then be replaced with more complex plants later.
 
It is somewhat expensive on the plants to start with though, if you've not already got a load growing somewhere.