Planted Tank Noob Questions

[Laura1812]

Hi,

I've recently bought an Aquamode 600 60-litre tank for cold water fish and have some questions in relation to lighting and planting.

Initially when I set the tank up I placed the plants into the gravel and, unsurprisingly (in hindsight), they all floated away. I've been told that I need a planting mat or mesh to put under the gravel into which the plant roots are anchored. Can someone suggest a link/product that would perform this function.

Secondly, I believe that the standard lighting with the Aquamode 600 won't be sufficient to promote plant growth. The replacement options are listed here. Can someone suggest which lighting tube(s) or combinations would give the best look while promoting plant growth. The Aquamode 600 has two lighting tube slots and independent switches for each, meaning there is the potential to mix and match.

On the subject of the two lighting switches....should both of the lights be on for the entire duration of tank lighting and how many hours a day should they be on. There seems to be a lot of mis-information in relation to lighting duration

All and any advice appreciated

 

[ian]

Hi,

I've recently bought an Aquamode 600 60-litre tank for cold water fish and have some questions in relation to lighting and planting.

Initially when I set the tank up I placed the plants into the gravel and, unsurprisingly (in hindsight), they all floated away. I've been told that I need a planting mat or mesh to put under the gravel into which the plant roots are anchored. Can someone suggest a link/product that would perform this function. The plants should stay put if there's nothing up rooting them, theres needs to be 2" or more of substrate to ancor the plants.

Secondly, I believe that the standard lighting with the Aquamode 600 won't be sufficient to promote plant growth. The replacement options are listed here. Can someone suggest which lighting tube(s) or combinations would give the best look while promoting plant growth. The Aquamode 600 has two lighting tube slots and independent switches for each, meaning there is the potential to mix and match. personally, i would be sticking with the bulbs it's got, two 11 watt bulbs should be ok for cold water planting. I have had a look at the other bulbs and the 36 watts would probably need C02 injection, if using higher light.

On the subject of the two lighting switches....should both of the lights be on for the entire duration of tank lighting and how many hours a day should they be on. There seems to be a lot of mis-information in relation to lighting duration

can i ask what plants you are using in a cold water tank?

All and any advice appreciated

 

[Laura1812]

We have been buying plants off the coldwater section of this website http/www.plantsalive.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=43 Any advice on this subject is greatly appreciated.

Our goldfish seems to dig up the plants, hence them floating to the top

 

[lljdma06]

Well goldfish are diggers.

Now, I apologize, but I'm going to take off my planted hat and put on my goldfish hat now. How big are the goldfish now? 60l seems a mite small for goldfish unless you plan an upgrade? I usually recommend 25g for the first goldfish and 10g for each additional fish if they are just the ornamentals (fantails, moors, etc), but others will recommend even bigger tanks sizes. Just some food for thought. Now, there are several coldwater fish that would do extremely well in a 60l, white cloud mountain minnows, there are some colder water corydoras, some hillstream loaches, some barbs, etc.

Sorry, but I had to say it. You'd get the same if you posted in coldwater.

llj

 

[Laura1812]

Well goldfish are diggers.

Now, I apologize, but I'm going to take off my planted hat and put on my goldfish hat now. How big are the goldfish now? 60l seems a mite small for goldfish unless you plan an upgrade? I usually recommend 25g for the first goldfish and 10g for each additional fish if they are just the ornamentals (fantails, moors, etc), but others will recommend even bigger tanks sizes. Just some food for thought. Now, there are several coldwater fish that would do extremely well in a 60l, white cloud mountain minnows, there are some colder water corydoras, some hillstream loaches, some barbs, etc.

Sorry, but I had to say it. You'd get the same if you posted in coldwater.

llj

Hey,

Perhaps you'll be more sympathetic to the situaton if I explain the background a little. My sister in law won the gold fish when she was 3 years old and she has just turned 18. For those 15 years it was kept in this container (which we now put him in during water changes).

Volvic Bottle for Scale

15 years in there with no gravel and no plants. Often she'd forget to feed him for days or weeks at a time. We looked after him when they went on a 3 week trip to Australia and decided to just keep him. Since then we've spent over £300 on equipment to provide him with a nice tank, lighting (a first), gravel (a first), live plants (a first), and orniments (a first). While I cannot despute the validity of your claim that the 60l tank is too small - you clearly seem to know more than me - I can say this... to this gold fish he's won the bloody lottery

In human terms it's like taking someone who's been on the streets for 15 years and providing them with a council flat, 3 hot meals, a job and a car to run around in