Starting a Planted Tank

[Jimbo]

Ok I have this 20g setting here and changed my mind about a frag tank. So I'm going to setup as a planted tank. A couple of questions

1. Is 80 watts of light enough or should I put in 160. I'm overdriving a couple of phillips daylight bulbs to 40 watts a piece. The alto bulbs are cheap at HD
2. Is a hang on filter good enough?
3. Should I put in a small MJ for circulation
4. Are those yeast co2 generators ok, do they produce enough co2 for a small tank.

Thanks

[Wiskey]

80W is plenty! I have 330 W over a 180G tank.
The HOB filter will be plenty for flow.
The DIY co2 will be plenty if you keep up on them, I used 2 2-leiters for a 50G tank and kept it at 30 PPM.

Whiskey

[Jimbo]

Thanks Wiskey

Thought of a couple more questions

As to substrate should I use sand from HD (my HD does not have southdown). I read somewhere that people use swimming pool filter sand. What about flormax is that necessary?

[Wiskey]

Not sand, PH is too low it will desolve. I personally use 1 inch of potting soil, under 1" of 2-4 MM inert Pea gravel.

But since your doing a high tec tank this is not a good idea for you, look into "Florite" substrate, either the red or normal varity, and the "Florish" line of ferts.

Whiskey

[abigtroutt]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

But since your doing a high tec tank this is not a good idea for you, look into "Florite" substrate, either the red or normal varity, and the "Florish" line of ferts.

Whiskey

I have 64 Watts on a 10 gallon planted tank and my tank looks great and growing

[Jimbo]

[Jimbo]

I was thinking about getting aquatic planting soil for the substrate. How deep should it be. Would 25lbs be enough for 12x24", should I put something under it?

[tabwyo]

I used a 1 inch layer of peat moss covered with 1 inch of special kitty cat litter then 1 inch of chipped red clay substrate (haveing a brain fart right now and can't rember the name). I ran a two in devider across the middle of the tank (side to side) to contain the peat & cat litter. Pool filter sand will not disolve as it is silica and effectively inert. I used silica sand in front of the devider. All of my deeper rooting plants went in back in the fertile soil and the sand acted looked wonderfull. Sand is gerneraly too fine for planting, has little/no nutrients for the plants and may smother the roots. This was a great tank until I messed with fate and tried to be lazy. I added 15 sticks of broken in half Jobes fertilizer sticks in the peat moss and I guess it leached into the water. i had such a horrible algea problem i had to give it up.

[Wiskey]

I like my substrate to be at least 2" deep, but I don't know how many pounds you will need because I've never used the stuff your talking about.

Whiskey

[Jimbo]

Whisky what kind of potting soil did you use. I picked up some pea gravel at lowes. Dosn't the pea gravel tend to sink to the bottom. How did you prepare the potting soil, just dump it in with some water pack it down and put rinsed gravel on top?

[Wiskey]

I don't think the potting soil would be a good choice in your situation, if you are going that route, don't overdrive the bulbs, just stick with 40W, drop the ferts too.

I used 1 inch of potting soil (Not miricle grow or any other artifisally ferted soil, the cheap stuff) and one inch of 2-4MM pea gravel. The pea gravel does not sink if you leave it alone. Also this tends to yellow the tank water at first, so you will need to do some real water changing at first, and run carbon, but after a few months it will stop.

The method I am refering to is the "Walsted" method of planted tank keeping, this comes from her book.

If you are interested in exactally how my tank is seutp shoot me a PM, I have a build thread that starts with a pile of lumber and the last update was about a week ago.

Whiskey

[Jimbo]

Do you have a link to it. I have a pile of stuff here also. Need to make the light enclosure, but I wanted the top to have an open look. so it sticks up several inches in the front and back , that way the plants can stick out of the water some.

[Wiskey]

Link sent to you in the IM.

Whiskey

[Jimbo]

Thanks Wisky.

I put the soil in and rocks filled it part way and then changed the water twice, still cloudy but better.

One more question, whats the maximum depth for the potting soil? I might of put to much in the back, I wanted a slope.

I should have the light built by the end of the week. I was thinking of ordering a plant kit from that pet place for a 30g.

I probally should get that book, does it have plant information in it?

[Wiskey]

It's the best book I've ever read on planted tanks. It doesn't have plant ID if that's what your asking.

1" is the deepest, you may be able to pull off a little more but you really don't want to, then 1" of pea gravel for 2" total.

It will get yellow in a day at first, then every 2 or 3 days, then it will be about 2 weeks, and it will keep going like this for a couple months then the water will perty much stay clear. Make sure you run carbon it will help.

Whiskey