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aquarium plant help !

Discussion in 'Aquatic Plants & Planted Tanks' started by ilovefish123, Dec 24, 2010.

  1. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    ok i was in the aquarium hobby for about 6-7 years i started when i was 9 and now im 15. when i started i was into oscars and jack dempsys and fire eels etc .... around 1 year ago i sold everything i had 60 gallon 55 gallon 2 29's and a 10 gallon.
    now im starting to get back into it and im more interested in the planted tank instead or the big fish side .
    i want to start a 20 gallon long tank, planted and a few small community fish.
    i need help with getting to know what i need to maintain a healthy tank with plants (co2 plant food ...etc ) i dont know where to start with the fertilizers and stuff i need to make my plants healthy
     
  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    First I would figure out how much money you want to spend on the tank. Your big money item will be your lighting. What type you get will depend on the type of plants you want to keep. If you get simple plants then you won't need to spend $250ish on a T5 fixture.
     
  3. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    8tea i dont want to spent lik 500$ on everything i want simple lighting and simple plants ..
    what are good simple plants for foreground and background ?
     
  4. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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  5. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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  6. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    what are some good fish that i can have in a planted tank like 10 gallon to 20 gallon ?
     
  7. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    What smaller type fish do you like or are wanting to keep?

    LIGHTING>Agree with Anthony fully, we'll need to know your total wpg of the light fixture and you'll want to go with plant type bulbs (6700K midday, 10,000K full sun, or the colormax pink bulbs which are moreso just for looks from what I was able to dig up about their spectrum range).

    SUBSTRATE>Start with a good substrate, the best on the market imo is the Eco-Complete Planted Aquarium Substrate (black that looks like dirt). Doesn't alter the water's chemistry, doesn't need to be rinsed first, Does seem the benefits take about a week to kick in from my experience with it in the past (you'll notice the growth kick in). With this I'd simply add Root tabs beneath your rooted plants (like swords)...then IF YOU NEED TO add any additives you may/may not need.

    ADDITIVES>Also, I seen co2 mentioned in your list...why not simply try just doing some "easy" plants BEFORE investing into co2 and/plant chemicals?
    Or trying simply Seachem Flourish and Seachem/API Root tabs?

    PLANTS>Some easy'ish type plants I'd recommend are the cryptocorynes (wendtii), Java Fern (tie to lava rock or driftwood for best results), Moss (moss balls are really neat and shrimp love them).

    HEATER>And don't forget your heater if need be (I prefer the submersible types since you can usually hide them with a tall plant or a strategically placed piece of driftwood/slate).

    FILTRATION>Unless your packing the tank with plants I'd do something like either a sponge filter or hang on back power filter with a pre-filter sponge over the intake. I've used an aqueon brand hob with a fluval prefilter sponge (cheap, effective, prefilter fits the intake perfectly, and you can pull the mfr. filter and replace it with a bag of chemi elite, purigen, or even some broken terra cotta for beneficial bacteria...quite a few possibilities here).

    INHABITANTS>not to be mixed & matched, but...
    Tetras (rummynose's-for 20g, glowlites, neons, hifin serpaes, & hets look great in a planted tank), guppies, a bristlenose pleco (needs driftwood or cholla to rasp), corydoras, honey dwarf gouramis, shrimp...MANY possibilities.
     
  8. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    thanksss dawn very helpful i want a bio cube type tank like a tiny 8" tank nothing big just to start and get going one question what try or fertilizers tabs do i need ?
     
  9. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    if your going with heavy root feeders such as sword types then I'd simply go with API root tabs or Seachem Root tabs (place them beneath the substrate either nearby or directly under the plants roots).
     
  10. FishVixen

    FishVixen Active Member

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    I myself prefer potting soil covered in pea gravel if you don't mind tannins in the water. With a small tank start out with smaller plants as they grow quickly. Dawns advise is right on the button. I would not recommend CO2 for a very small tank as it can build up quickly and kill your fish. A sword plant will fill your tank your tank in no time flat. I recommend getting cutting from others in the hobby instead of buying from a LSF as they are usually better plants and quite a bit cheaper. Be sure the plants you get are aquatic plants as some places sell non-aquatic plants and they will rot and foul your water. Hope this helps.
     
  11. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    thams i decided to get a 20 gallon long tank , any suggestions for plants ?
     
  12. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    I see in the other threads you've posted that you found the plants you wanted already.
    Swords, crypts, vals.

    Crypts are definately the easiest imo, but be aware of crypt melt and that they will come back to their former glory of a plant.

    What fishvixen (Ursi) is recommending with the potting soil is the Diana Walstead method I believe...either way you can't really go wrong.
     
  13. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    the only thing i need help with are the fertilizers and rooting pill things i have the light down and the substrate
    ,
    i need the rooting pills for the sword and i dont know what else ?
     
  14. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    I believe I told you already in one of your other posts (and in this one).
    Either API Root Tabs or Seachem Flourish Tabs to be placed beneath your substrate directly under or nearby your rooted plants and Seachem Flourish is you wish.
     
  15. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    and thats all i need no co2 really dont want to get to technical with that co2
     
  16. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    yep, that's all. AND you can add other items (additive wise) if the need is there, but start simple :)
     
  17. ilovefish123

    ilovefish123 Thread Starter New Member

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    THANK YOU DAWN :D ur the best u know what u talkin bout ;P if anything ill post something thankkkkkssssssss