KISS

Alice · 02-21-2004, 12:09 PM

My kids want to set back up at least one of the FW tanks. In the past I have kept these as plain ol' community tanks, nothing fancy with just a few low-light plants.

My kids like the African frogs, neon tetras, the usual community-tank fish but I really developed an interest in the planted look.

These are 10 gallon tanks, there's not room for anything larger in the kids' rooms. I read the posts on substrate but what kind of lights can I put in a standard (flourescent lighting) 10 gallon hood that will allow me to keep a wider range of plants?

Using the KISS method, how would you set up a tank like this?

Thanks!

Alice

Stang69 · 02-22-2004, 11:35 AM

You can use just the basic gravel Alice but if youd like to use the other it is called lateralite(sp).

As far as lights go you could retro a 32 watt pc setup into a 10 gallon light top. As far as plants go you should be able to keep the standard Swords and the likes and will make for a pretty nice setup for a small tetra and community tank.

HTH

Jeff

Alice · 02-22-2004, 11:59 AM

Thanks Jeff

I have these little tiny clay pots and I've been wanting to put some plants in there...and I want to find the right plants for the foreground... and well, I have all kinds of ideas.

The boys will have to have the treasure chest/skeleton, Miranda wants a castle but they'd be perfectly happy with plastic plants. LOL

Stang69 · 02-22-2004, 01:03 PM

Heck ya need to get a diver to go with them too.

Jeff

dwall174 · 02-22-2004, 04:24 PM

hellolights has some clearance PC lights & a nano ballast that might fit your hood? I would also go with the Flourite Substrate & a simple C02 System That will make a world of difference! I also use RO/DI water with Equilibrium added to replace what's needed for the plants!

dwall174 · 02-22-2004, 04:59 PM

HERE'S Some more information on the C02 system & how it works. Also check out the Aquatic Plants Forum!

Stang69 · 02-23-2004, 12:35 AM

Although I do agree with Doug. Alice said she wanted to KISS it

KISS = Keep it simple Silly

Yes the suggestions he made Alice would work better than mine but I was thinking simple is all hehehhe

dwall174 · 02-23-2004, 02:09 AM

I didn’t even get into Halide Lighting, Algae Scrubbers, Heated Substrate, Regulator & Solenoid controlled pressurized CO2 Injection, PH Controller, ETC

Yea that was probably a little more than Alice asked for but those little DIY Yeast reactors & the Flourite substrate will make a big difference. That was as simple as I could get!

Stang69 · 02-23-2004, 08:24 AM

Yup they will I agree 100% hehehhe

Jeff

Deborah · 03-03-2004, 10:14 AM

Hi Alice:
Your kids might like some Amano Shrimp in their tank (and they help eat the algae). There are some cool little red shrimp around too, but more expensive. Lots of folks have had success breeding them in planted tanks - but they don't seem to have many, if any, fish.

Deborah

Stang69 · 03-03-2004, 11:03 AM

Hows It coming along Alice?

Jeff

Alice · 03-05-2004, 09:19 AM

LOL, I haven't had time to even dig out the tanks yet.

But hey, I have this weekend off so who knows what I might get up to?

Thanks for the info, everyone

OodleyBoodely · 03-12-2004, 12:09 AM

I kept a planted 10g brt. It was a simple setup and looked good and didn't require a degree in botany or electronics either. Go to WallyWorld and buy a bag of common river sand (fine gravel/not sugarfine) and add a 3" layer to the tank. You can place a thin layer of laterite on the bottom first if you like, I did but you can probably do without it if you use planttab fertilizer. Carefull not to mix the laterite into the gravel or stir it up later or you'll have muddy red water for a week. For winter or in colder climes buy a reptitherm heating pad and stick it to the bottomside of the tank to keep the gravel warm. The smaller size works fine, the larger size may get too hot. I used an Aquaclear 200 power filter, and two single bulb regular flourescent light strips. I was limited in the selection of plants with this but I also did not have to supliment with co2.

The plants I used were Java moss (cover stones, wood, or ornaments for a dark green mossy look), Water sprite (for pale green floaties and rooted), cryptocoryn wendtii red and green (for mid-height thickets) Aponogeton crispus (the common apon bulb-hardy and reliable good for background screens) Anubias nana and Aglaonema simplex-Borneo sword (large attractive and love dim lit corners) and for a gorgeous centerpiece an African tiger lotus. I had good luck keeping these low light plants with just two standard flourescents. More light creates more problems even if you can keep more plants. Hope this gives you some ideas.

Alice · 03-12-2004, 09:42 AM

Definitely! And thanks for the correct names for the plants

Deborah · 03-12-2004, 12:34 PM

And if you get that horrible black algae that looks like little tufts of hair growing on the edges of the plants get a couple of siamese algae eaters! I put three in my 30 gallon last week and they have been diligently removing the algae. They are fun to watch, too. Sometimes they grab the algae in their mouths and shake themselves back and forth to pull it loose (kind of like a scrappy, little terrier playing).

KISS

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