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I wasn't sure whether this should be under planted aquaria or aquascaping. Hope I'm in the right place.

I'm making plans for aquascaping my 42-gallon hexagon tank. It is stocked with balloon mollies (all female), swordtails (all male), guppies (all male), a german blue ram, Keyholes, and a clown pleco. The pH is 7.0 and the temperature is 80F. I use RO water and add Equilibrium to replace some of the minerals. I add freshwater aquarium salt (following the direction on the packaging) each time I do a water change. Water changes are 20% each week. It is filtered by an Emperor 280 bio-wheel filtration system. I currently have a bubble stone in the tank. The gravel is very fine.

I've come up with a fairly elaborate plan and I want advice on whether it will work. Click here for a diagram of my plan

MT = monosolenium tenerum
SS = sag. sublata
HD = hygrophila difformis
E = echinodorus 'ozelot'
CC = crinum calamistratum
CN = crinum natans
BC = bacopa carolinia
C = cabomba carolinia
AB = anubias barteri var. nana 'petite'
RR = rotala rotundifolia

1.) Does my list of plants seem reasonable for a beginner? Do they require a lot of maintenence? CO2? or ferts? If possible, I'd like to avoid all of that. Please suggest alternatives for plants that you would remove.

2.)Will this layout be as attractive as I'm imagining? I tried to use an assortment of leave shapes and colors.

3.)Should I add all of the plants at once? If not is there a preferred order?

4.)What kind of lights will I need? (keeping in mind that the tank is approximately 2 feet deep).

5.)Can I leave activated carbon in the filter?

6.)Can I leave my bubble stone in the tank?

Sorry for so many questions. I've been half heartedly trying different plants and I want to get it right this time. I appreciate any help anyone can offer.

edited to updated link


Last edited by zoeandmaia at 10-Oct-2005 09:59

I think you made the right choice in placing this in planted because most of your q's are suited for here.

Your stocking, pH, filtration, Water changes(though plants love frequent WCs), and temp all look great for plants.

Is there any specific reason you use RO water? I'd say that unless you have unreliable tap water or well water, I'd just use dechlorinated tap water, my plants love it and pearl after every water change. Also, the aquarium salt can have some negative side effects on plants that aren't used to high salt concentration. So this may be something you might want to reconsider.


The plants you have chosen will require at least medium lighting which would be over 2WPG of flourescent lighting. Some of the plants will greatly appreciate more. The best way for you to get this lighting might be compact flourescents, or you can try shoplights from a home improvement type store. Once you get up to medium light, I found it is MUCH easier to avoid algea and get more plant growth if you use CO2, this can be cheap if you use DIY yeast, or you can go all out with pressurized CO2. Eventually some of the fast growing plants you have chosen will use up the nutrients available and liquid or tab ferts may be necessary. To avoid all this I'd do a search at tropica for low light and slow growing plants like java fern and anubias species. Some people, including myself have a hard time with plants and very fine gravel or sand. sometimes the roots have a hard time growing, or may get crushed. However, some people do just fine.


2.)Will this layout be as attractive as I'm imagining? I tried to use an assortment of leave shapes and colors.

I believe the colors and shapes you have chosen would look attractive in any thought out aquascape. Yours looks great, but the folks in aquascaping would be the most helpful with this question.

3.)Should I add all of the plants at once? If not is there a preferred order?

I like to add all the plants at once, seems to tip the balance in favor of the plants over algea IMO.

5.)Can I leave activated carbon in the filter?

Carbon will remove nutrients necessary for the growth of your plants. It's pretty easy to cut a small opening into the top of the penguin filter pads and get the carbon out.

6.)Can I leave my bubble stone in the tank?

The bubble stone will reduce the amount of CO2 available for plants in a BIG way if you are adding CO2. I would suggest taking it out.

Good luck

matt

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Thank you for such an informative response, Matt.

I visited a couple of LFS today and looked at lights. My current hood can only handle a 19 watt bulb. The stores didn't have any other light strips that will fit my tank. The highest wattage bulb I saw was 65 watts. With a 42-gallon tank I would need at least 84 watts, right. I guess I'm not understanding how I get that kind of lighting on my tank. They had some 24-hour daylight/moonlight systems. Is that what I should be looking at? They also sold blue lights which are supposed to be better for plants.

I'm so confused and would appreciate any guidance.

Thanks.

Zoe,

Nice choice of plants. I think it will be as attractive as you think. Your layout looks very good and obviously thought out as all the plants are in appropiate locations.

1.) Does my list of plants seem reasonable for a beginner? Do they require a lot of maintenence? CO2? or ferts? If possible, I'd like to avoid all of that. Please suggest alternatives for plants that you would remove.

They are all fairly easy plants which have no particular requirements that would be difficult to supply. The possible exception is the Cambomba. It needs a lot of light do do really well. It can work in less light but doesn't look it's best. A possible alternative is Asian Ambulia, which looks almost identical but needs less light.
Without Co2 addition your need for ferts should be minimal. You may need to occasionaly add some liquid fert but wait to see how the plants do first. It really depends on how fast the plants grow and how many you have. Just keep an eye on the tank and plants for a few weeks. Measure Nitrates if you can keep them in the 5-10ppm it's fine, if it drops below 5ppm you may need to add, but don't do anything until you need to. Same with liquid ferts just watch the plants , if they don't look healthy you may need to add. My own experience was in my heavily planted tank before I added Co2 I hardly ever had to use fertilizers.

2.)Will this layout be as attractive as I'm imagining? I tried to use an assortment of leave shapes and colors.

I think it will look very nice. When the tank settles you can always replace some plants as you progress. But I think you be happy with this one.

3.)Should I add all of the plants at once? If not is there a preferred order?

Yes. Yes. Yes . This is one of the most important things you can do to get a good start up a planted tank. Resist the urge to plant little by little. Plant all together as much as possible. This immediately closes the door on algae and severely limits the opening for them. The less plants the wider the door is open for algae to enter.

4.)What kind of lights will I need? (keeping in mind that the tank is approximately 2 feet deep).

Well you are going to need about 80 watts. Problem is that tall Hex tanks are a bugger to light because of the shape and lack of surface area. Your current hood lights is just going to cut it. Really with a tank that size and shape you will need Power compact bulbs to light it efficiently. You can buy retrofit kits to convert your hood. Or just dump the hood and put your own light fixtures on top. Somehow you have to find a way to increase the lighting. I think this will be your most difficult part.

You don't need fancy bulbs. Plain old daylight will do. With the height of the tank light fixture with a set of decent reflectors will help enormously to get the light down. A higher spectrum of 10,000k may help also (but don't go higher then this).

5.)Can I leave activated carbon in the filter?

Depends who you ask. Personally I've never seen much difference between using it and not. A good compromise would be to use it for about a week every month or so.

[qoute] 6.)Can I leave my bubble stone in the tank?

Why would you want to ? Leaving aside the question of Co2 being driven off, a bubble wand in a planted tank just doesn't look right. It takes away from the natural look you are trying to create. If you are doing it just for oxygenation no need - the plants will do a better job of supply oxygen then the wand ! I would say don't use it.

They had some 24-hour daylight/moonlight systems. Is that what I should be looking at? They also sold blue lights which are supposed to be better for plants.

No your lights should be on only 10-12 hours per day. No more , no less. Avoid the 24hr systems. Forget the blue lights they are mainly for saltwater tanks.

One last point. Salt. Plants don't like salt. Is there a reason for using the salt, is it for the mollies ? (I can't imagine the rams would be too happy with the salt). Unless there's a particular reason for it, I would stop with the salt addition. I've kept mollies from day 1 (they are great little algae munchers) but never used salt and they are fine.

Hopefully it will work out. As I say I think your biggest problem is going to be getting enough light. Maybe a post in Technical Tinkering will get some suggestions on a diy lighting set ups that would fit.


Last edited by bensaf at 03-Apr-2005 23:02

Last edited by bensaf at 03-Apr-2005 23:05

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

No prob zoeandmaia ,

As for the hood and lighting, you might have to make a hood yourself, or just leave the tank open, and hang the lighting above the tank. I usually recomend all glass versa tops, but it seems that they don't make hex tops, which is a bummer. Sounds like a great reason to just buy a whole new(and bigger) tank IMO
.

Oh I forgot, Shop lights are easy and cheap at home depot, which is where I got mine. You would most likeley be able to hang those above your tank as well.

matt

Last edited by mattyboombatty at 04-Apr-2005 12:04

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

You guys have been great! I appreciate all of your help. I'm pretty excited about getting started on this project. I'm going to start working on finding the lighting now. Since we're moving into a new house in two weeks I'm not going to buy the plants until the tank is in its new home.

To respond to some of your questions about my questions:

I use RO water because when I first started (Dec 2004) I was having some trouble controlling the hardness of the water. I only use dechlorinated tap on my Tanganyikans. I'll start reintroducing tap water over the next couple of weeks with my water changes and see how it affects the hardness.

My LFS suggested that I use Doc Wellfish's aquarium salt in the molly tank. I add 1T for every 5-gallons. I also use it on my other tanks when illnesses pop up. I'll discontinue that practice since it will have a negative effect on the plants.

I have air wands or stones in all of my tanks except the chocolate gourami since he doesn't like movement. If the plants will replace the air, I'll remove the bubbles from the molly tank. I have another tank that I eventually want to plant. It is a 29-gallon with panda cories and kuhli loaches. I hate to remove the wand because they
love to play in the bubbles. Maybe I could replace it with a powerhead???

I'm nervous about removing the activated carbon. I had to remove it while treating for a mild case of ick. I ended up with a tank of brown water and lost more fish than I care to recall. Will the addition of plants somehow perform the job the activated carbon is supposed to perform? I'll probably try bensaf's suggestion and still use it for a week each month.

matt, I'm in luck! my tank came with a glass top. So I guess I just need to go to a home improvement store and look for shop lights that can handle the kind of wattage I'm needing to use. I can continue using my current light strip with an 18 watt bulb and get the power compact bulb 65 watt bulb that I saw at my LFS the other day. I need to check the spectrum. I'll also look for reflectors. Another positive is that in the new home this tank will get more natural light than it currently does, so that should help.

bensaf, I appreciate your suggestion to use asian ambulia instead of the Cabomba. I've never seen it around here though. I'll find out if my LFS can order it. If they can't I may go ahead try the cabomba since it is readily available here. Then if it doesn't work I'll order the ambulia online. I'm also considering Ceratophyllum demersum or Egeria densa as substitutes for the Cabomba.

Once I aquire all the lighting materials and get the tank settled at the new house I'll have my LFS order my plants. Then I'll be able to install the new lighting and plant all of the plants at once. Thanks to you two I won't be doomed for failure. Yea! I'm so excited! /:'

Zoe,

No probs. Hope it all works out well and of course we'll need pics when it's up.

If you can't find Amublia (this is just a personal opinion but I find both the Water Sprite and Densa to be both ugly and a nuisance) you could try some Myrophyllium (Foxtail). Again very similar to Cambomba (some would say prettier) though less demanding on light. I believe Matty still has some in his tank .

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Though I no longer have it in my tank, the myrophylium did well in ~2wpg that I had. I ended up deciding that cabomba and the foxtail were just barely too fragile for my clumsy hands. I also decided against the look of it(personal taste) and went for some green hygro, which appeals to my senses and is sturdy enough to withstand my rough trimmings.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients