Planted Tank Help!

[madness]

Hi people of the planted section, I could really do with some help.

A while ago my girlfriend bought me this tank, http/www.ndaquatics.co.uk/?pg=details&ii=46. I have kept tanks in the past but only community tanks.

I originally got this tank as I was going to enter the salty side, but due to work commeitments I had no time to give it the attention it required.
Since then the tank has been sat in my living room empty and the other half was not happy with it so I decided to try a planted tank, but only low tech.
However it failed miserably, the fish are all ok, but the plants just basically fell apart and turned to mulch which did nothing good for my water quality.
I think I have been incredibly naive when it came to lighting the tank.
With my other tanks I just had only one light fixture, and I did the same thing here. I bought a grobeam 500 single unit.
I dont think its quite up to the task but I could be wrong I dont know.

So I was wondering if anyone could help me shed a little light on the situation and if you could give any other information about a lowtech planted tank that would be great.
What i would like to achieve is a tank nice and green that I could potencially leave for a week at a time with the better half to take care off it doing water changes, feeding etc.

Any info would be greatly appreciated thanx!

 

[DrRob]

Depends what plants you're struggling with. Low tech calls for slow growing plants, which need less light, and therefore less fertiliser. A fair number of stems will prefer medium levels but will cope in low tech. Some plants "melt" once you've bought them, because the trade grows them out of water and they have to change their leaf type once they're in the tank. Sadly the crypts and the amazon swords, some of the better low tech plants, are both susceptible to melt when you plant them. So don't despair too quickly, they may have just melted and will come back.

Let us know what you're trying to grow.

Nice tank by the way.

 

[madness]

Thanx I was very impresssed with my girlfriend when she got me it bless her.

Ill throw it out there straight away I am no good at all with plant names.

What I tried to do originally was have the corner opposite to the wier to be densly planted and I have some nicely shaped pieces of wood for there also.
I like broad leaved plants and the tall thick grasses for the back corner.
Then in the foreground I like small grasses but would like to have the space at the front very open.

I also like floating plants errrrr is it amazon frogbit or water cabbage something like that, I like how part of it hangs into the water.

So any idea what i need to achieve this plant names would be helpful if you no any ill have a look now see if I can make it a little easier.

 

[ian]

don't worry to much about light...lower light just means slower growth, the more important thing is to ensure flow is good and getting all around your tank. This way you know your plants get what they need.

as for plant names have a look here

http/www.tropica.com/en/home.aspx

 

[madness]

Im alright with slower growth I would just like them to stay as green as they are when I put them in.

Love the website by the way looks like I will be busy for the next hour.

When I first set up the tank I had no plants in it all I had was a layer of substrat and a layer of sand on top.
After an hour or so the sand had moved around a lot so i dont think flow around the tank would be too much of an issue.

Does having a sump on a planted tank have a negative effect on the gas exchange?

 

[ian]

not if you're keeping the tank low tech, sumps are fine. I would advise to use some decent substrate though...I'm a big fan of the aquasoils, there's the ADA ones, but they are expensive. I use Columbo Florabase and it works wonders in my tanks. I also would still advise a decent trace element dose once or twice a week though.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

This is really useful for me too, I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread! I'm starting up a 120L, low tech planted tank journal (link in my sig). It's my first planted tank.

I'll have 2x 15w bulbs so not much light at all for a 120L tank. I'll be using Eco Complete, too. wasn't too bad where price is concerned, I think £20 ish per bag from Charterhouse Aquatics. I'll be getting most of my plants from Aqua essentials, though. Hope everything goes Ok for you!

 

[madness]

Well tomtomtom if you have any questions feel free to ask them here!

So if I have enough flow and have a decent substrate and dose once pre week I will be ok keeping the current lighting system I have?

 

[ian]

I think you'll be fine with that. Plant heavily from day one though, and decent tank husbandry for a couple of weeks after planting should set you right. What substrate are you using?

 

[madness]

Plant heavily? Why is that?

The substrate was I think jbl complete can't remember the name then I capped this with play sand.

Think I'm going to try an aquasoil like you've suggested.

What good trace elements products do you recommend?

 

[madness]

Bump

 

[DrRob]

Plant heavily as there will be nutrients, and if the plants don't use them, something else (algae) will.

 

[SO19Firearms]

Plant heavily as there will be nutrients, and if the plants don't use them, something else (algae) will.

 

[twingogeekeo]

Im out the house from 6.30am - 6.30pm on week days so i have a timer on my tank light. From 6am til 2pm i have the white light it then turns itself off with the help of the timer and comes back on at 6pm once i get home i switch the white light across to the blue light on the tank as it runs though one power lead just with 2 switchs built into the hood of the tank. Then it turns itself off again at 10pm then i just switch the to lights back ready for the morning.

This is the timer i use.

http/www.robertdyas.co.uk/P~147766~Masterplug-24-Hour-Mechanical-Timer

On top of this the tank gets a water change and a little clean up every week to keep the tank nice!

I only have

2 Gourami
6 Cardinal Tetra
3 Guppy
3 Plates

Im going to get a bottom feeder that also eats algae to help the cleaning of the tank aswell as it does build up algae a little but i cant help this as i need the light for the plants.

 

[SO19Firearms]

it does build up algae a little but i cant help this as i need the light for the plants.

There'll be a reason for the algae. If you can identify it, you can eliminate it. - Algae guide