Planting A Tank From Scratch?

[aaronnorth]

Glad we cleared that up, was a bit confused why you were objecting.

Ade

lol, for some reason i didn't think you meant in the filter - especially with your knowledge

 

[Dave Spencer]

As to using zeolite in a filter, only reason I can think of for doing this would be to remove ammonia, which shouldn't be neccessary in an adequately filtered and mature aquarium.
Ade

I use Zeolite in the filter of a newly set up tank, even when I use mature filter media from another tank. It gives me a little security from early algae issues and, once it is exhausted, it provides a good source of media for bacteria to colonise.

Dave.

 

[Wolfenrook]

I agree with almost everything you said Andy, and probably would have gone for a plant medium during set up all those years ago if they had been about at the time, and the ones that were were even more expensive than they are now. lol. Heck API Laterite was fairly expensive back in those days. . So I made myself a DIY substrate that has served me well for many more years than some of the more modern plant substrates seem to be doing, with people talking about having to replace theirs after 3 years. Me I just 'recharge' mine with some root balls.

As to the lighting, yup I have to stay on top of maintenance big time. Dropped my dosing back down a bit though from 9mls a day of TPN+ to 5mls a day. In tanks the size of mine and smaller TPN+ dosing is fairly affordable, and it is one of the best ferts out there. I can see though why those with much bigger tanks would find it too expensive and so look to alternatives like EI or PMDD+PO4. I also have to keep my CO2 levels very stable (hence pressurised kit) and prune my fast growing plants VERY regularly. My nymphae for example has just grown 4 inches of stem in the space of 24 hours. I tend to find myself pruning at least once or twice a week, but been from a family of keen gardeners, and living in a 1st floor flat, I enjoy this a lot as it's my 'garden'. For folks new to the hobby to cut their teeth on I would advise 1.5-2 wpg (perhaps 1wpg for T5HO tubes) as you can grow a good 60-70% of plants under this, without all of the work. I started out with less than 1wpg of T8 though, and would never recommend this, even java moss used to die on me in my 18 inches deep tank. lol

I like you Andy don't do 'project' tanks, for this reason I don't call myself an aquascaper (hate the term), instead I call myself an aquarium gardener. Apart from adding more plants, and juggling the wood around (all done with water and fish in situ) my tank has been pretty much unchanged 'scape' wise for many years. I have managed to slot in upgrades to lighting and CO2, and new plants, into what I had already (apart from binning a shed load of vallisneria), The lilly in there has been in there for more than 6 years, vanishing for months whilst it rests every now and then. It's bulb is about 4 times the size (at least) that it was when I bought it.

Just read up on that leonardite, and it sounds perfect for a planted tank, you could use that to replace the peat as well, and if it's structure is similar to that of activated carbon then that as well. I'd probably mix it these days with some zeolite for the extra surface area. Definitely not in my planned shrimp breeding colony though (might stick some zeolite in there to boost biological capacity) as this is going to be focussing on the well being of the shrimp, with just mosses and similar with no fert dosing.

Oh and my tank is even more of a juggling act, as not only to I have plants and fish, I also have 3 species of freshwater shrimp in there. lol

Ade

 

[SuperColey1]

This is the Leonardite which was put on top of the mulm layer before topping with Tropica and then playsand.

It's a sand texture. It is supposedly like 'old coal'.

Andy

 

[Cooper2085]

Wow lots of replys ;P Iv changed my tanks now, pics are in the pictures section of this site.