Planted Tank List

[hexed]

Diss-
This is the part the confuses me, the bulbs LOL! I can most likely get the planting part down to a tee because I have a green thumb but the lighting is what always confused me.
Why would I have to replace the bulbs? I do not understand 10000 and 6700 thing? This is where you need to explain it as easy as you can. The lighting again I just can not understand even with my tanks I have right now, I couldn't tell you anything about the lighting LOL! And yes I am blonde so it makes it even worse when trying to understand LOL!
Frank

[hexed]

One more question. I am planning on what I want the tank to look like and drawing different pictures, which I think is the right way to go. I need to know how deep is the substrate suppose to be?

[jeep8rus]

have a subtrate of 2-3 inches deep or more.

I wouldn't worry to much about your aquascaping abilities at this point. What I have been doing (idea was shalu's) is using plant weights so it's easier to move everything around at first.

Bulb colors don't matter that much as long as you have the sufficient lighting, but most people stick to somewhere in the 5000-6500 range because of how it renders the colors of the fish (more natural lighting). These lights have a high CRI (color rendering index), the lower the rating the less optimum they represent true object colors. I also agree that, if possible, you should be at 2wpg for decent growth, but it doesn't require CO2.

Have you checked AHSupply for lighting options?

The biggest thing I'm still learning more and more about is how to fertilize correctly. This will be what really drives how well everything does. Make sure to download the freeware calculator from Chuck's site: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_aquacalc.htm

It will let you calculate how to set up your own fertilizer mixes. I'd recommend starting on the low scale of the fertilizer range until you know how your tank reacts.

Oh, I'm blonde also and try to minimize my handicap whenever possible...
-Russ

[hexed]

Ok so then what I want to do will work
I want the landscaping layered 3 tiers high but I have to really wait til the driftwood comes so I can take all my drawings and combine them into one. I'm not going to rush into a planted tank. I want to take my time because I have to set it up landscaping wise the way I picture the tank. I just cannot put it together in one day and say ok I will switch it around another day. I need to take my time putting it all together. It's basically the lights that I do not understand and need to learn more about. I am not going to put my discus in until the tank is completely ready and I mean the plant part is where it should be. The hardest part I am thinking will be the walls LOL!
Frank

[Dissident]

5000K yellow
(gets whiter as the K goes up)
10000K white
12000K+Blue (do not use)

if you are using 55W bulbs GE makes a great inexpensive bulb that a lot of hobbiests like. I have never used it since all my fixtures are 96W.

2" is not deep enough for planted tanks you want 3" min, 4"-5" will give roots a lot more room to grow and your plants will thank you for it.

Don't worry about ferts unless you have CO2, (no CO2)+ferts+(high light)=algae

When you first set up the tank do not worry about an aquascape, fill it with a lot of fast growing stem plants first. Once they start growing well you can replace them with other plants, the will keep algae problems down durring the cycle of the tank. Throw a couple of hardy inexpensive fish in there, the plants will keep ammonia and nitrite levels down to almost 0 if you plant dense enough.

[scans]

Here is some good lighting info:

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/People/Darn/darn3.html

[wolfbane]

I like this one better, they will trade out the bulbs for a $30 fee, to what ever you want. Plus they guarrantee the bulbs will work, the other one doesn't. http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-LIGHT-4...QQcmdZViewItem

[pcsb23]

Ok so then what I want to do will work
I want the landscaping layered 3 tiers high but I have to really wait til the driftwood comes so I can take all my drawings and combine them into one. I'm not going to rush into a planted tank. I want to take my time because I have to set it up landscaping wise the way I picture the tank. I just cannot put it together in one day and say ok I will switch it around another day. I need to take my time putting it all together. It's basically the lights that I do not understand and need to learn more about. I am not going to put my discus in until the tank is completely ready and I mean the plant part is where it should be. The hardest part I am thinking will be the walls LOL!
Frank

Frank, when you say the walls, do you mean the aquarium walls, or the walls for your tiers??

Moons ago when I had a tiered tank (and its something I might be doing again!) I got some L shaped bits of terracotta and placed them where I wanted the tier to be, put the substarte in and it held it all in place. Now it needn't be terracotta, anything that is tank safe and takes your fancy will do it, you can use driftwood, again if you need to secure the driftwood, then eggcrate that fits the width of the tank, secure the wood to the egg crate, I used fishing line, then cover with substrate. Hope that makes sense, its a while since I did this but it looked pretty good.

hth,
paul.

[hexed]

First I want to say a big
THANK YOU! to all of you for taking the time and answering my questions. I really appriciate each and every response!

Wolf - that does seem like a better deal, I will ask the other seller if he will do the same

Jeep - It's great being blonde

Scan - Thanks, I'm reading that.

Diss - You are such a big source of info, maybe I will have you come over and set it up for me You have the patience of a saint! Thank you again! I will do 3 inches to start. Now I am leaving the front open to feed the discus can I just use some white sand about 1/4 inch deep for that, there will be no plants in the front?

Paul - Yes walls for my tiers I want to look at the tank so it looks 3 demitional if you understand what I mean. I have the stuff to make my walls but again I have to wait til the driftwood comes. I need to know how I want the driftwood in the tank and then redo my drawing for the walls

Frank

[scans]

The fixture listed above on ebay comes from aquatraders. I have their 72" model and I like it. You can order from them direct:

http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp...TS&Category=25

[hexed]

Thanks Scans!

[scans]

No problem...

[Dissident]

What you could do in the foreground is use (flat) rocks with moss/anaubias/java ferns on them. The you could remove them when you want to clean the tank and just put them back when you are done.

Do not use slate however, the plants will not root to it. The rocks need to be somewhat porus.

You the decision of foreground plants is upto you. I would not go with: Riccia/Glosso. I have found hairgrass to work well it roots well into the substrate and you wont vaccum it all up when you clean.

There are all kinds of aquscapes, to have a nice planted tank does not require a fore-ground to be planted.

Here is one of the best aquascapeing articles out there if you haven't already read it:
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.c...2/m/3876034022

[Alight]

Another aquascaping note that I found to be very accurate and informative.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=17162

I have tiered my tank into two levels. I used flat granite slabs to create a rock wall to hold back deep substrate at the back and sides. These are placed so that there are no pockets for mulm to rot in. I also put a bubble wand deep in the gravel near the rock wall to keep water circulating through the deep substrate to prevent anerobic pockets. A bubble wand is not recommended for planted tanks with CO2, however.

As to lights, I find that 5,000 - 5,200 K is a good range for my red Discus. The blues look nice at this range, too. I found 6,500 too blue for my tastes. This is all individual however, and depends on the colors of fish you have and what you prefer.



As to a feeding arrangement, I like Dissendent's reply. I may go to that in the future, once I figure out how to get moss to grow nicely (what kind of moss do you find does well, sticks down tight soon after it's planted so it can be vacuumed, and doesn't serve as a place to grow algae?

I'm currently using a very thin layer of gravel (you can see the glass through it) at the very front of my tank as a feeding location. I recently allowed about half of this area to become carpeted with water wisteria (hygrophylla difformis) which grows horizontally in a high light tank. Takes lots of trimming is the only problem with it. If kept trimmed, Discus can still graze food in this stuff.

I have 4 inches of substrate in the back of my tank. This is sort of minimum for large swords, crypts and even anubias.

Yes, the fast growing stem plant idea is the way to go at first. I really have to take out some of the cabomba, hygro polysperma, and difformis that I used to get the tank going. It's getting harder and harder to stay on top of the trimming, even though I've pulled out tons of the stuff.

[hexed]

Do you have a picture of your tanks anyone?