The Greatest Planted Tank In The Universe

[Lynden]

Hello, Planted Tank forum!

I am selling most of my fish including my big guys. I was going to keep my 9'' Oscar but she died recently...

So, I figured I'd give plants a go. I've grown some before but never with any great success, mostly because I didn't have the slightest idea of how to take care of them.

But I have done some general research, and I think I am ready to give it a try.

Tank specifications are:
-77 U.S. gallons in volume
-47'' L, 16'' W, 22'' H.

I plan on using a mud substrate, and using either Mercury Vapour or Compact Fluorescent lighting.

Some of my fish in the 37 gallon (which I know is grossly overstocked) will be going into the 77. The rest will be sold or given away, not because I don't like them but because I honestly want them to go to better homes, perhaps with more fish like them. I really want to keep the Ropefish and the Dragon Goby though.

I brought some plants home from a lake we live near (Moberly Lake), which I know should generally be avoided, but they were such lovely plants I couldn't resist. After cleaning them, I put them in the tank and observed several small wriggling worms swim into the water so I treated the tank with Malactite Green.

I have grown the "bushy" plants before and the ones I have now seem to have an excellent root structure. But I don't know what they are, so I figured the good members on Tropical Fish Forums could help me with that...

The "bushy" stem plants. My Red Devil got in front of the camera too! Also excuse the tank's pitiful condition at the time being. (As well as my camera's pitiful resolution)

Another picture of the same species:

A "seaweed" type plant:

And another plant:

Thank You!
-Lynden

 

[Lynden]

I do have some more questions:

#1: Is there a particular reason that Cardinal Tetras are more desirable than Neon Tetras?

#2: How many watts of Mercury Vapour Lighting should I aim for?

#3: What species of plants do you guys reccommend?

The tank is going to be a "low-tech" setup (I believe that is the correct term?) and I understand I will need to fertilize the tank every so often. Is there a specific brand that you guys reccommend?



-Lynden