First attempt at planted tank

Hi a few pics on my attempt to do a planted tank. It's a Nano 60L. I don't know the names of the plants, so maybe someone can identify it for me. I'll post full tank shots soon. On pic two you can see some diatoms on the leaves. I think that's what its called. The plants are much bigger now. I have no CO2 and thought seeing that the plants are really growing nicely, no CO2 is needed. Am I correct? I have 6 Tetra Neons and 4 Guppies and I will keep it at that.

 

looking forward to seeing the full tank shots Bri....the plants in this picture look great

 

Hi Bri - my best shot on plant ID is ..............
1st tank - Blue Plants
2nd tank - Green Plants

 

Thanks. Algae frustrating me a bit. Not a big problem, but I just don't want it there.

Good one

 

Forgive yet another stupid question... But, where do you get that blue moon light? What are the benefits, is is good for the fish, etc? I've never seen this before?

 

This is a aquarium designed for marine fish keeping, but I adapted it for freshwater, because I thought the aquarium to be too small for marine life. For that I will get a much bigger aquarium. The blue LED's are common in marine aquariums. It's more for nocturnal creatures that are active at night. So it allows for night time viewing for creatures that are not too active when the main light tubes are on.

I use it as a overlap light. Meaning before I switch the main light tubes on in the morning, I switch the blue LED's on. After a while I switch on the main light tubes. I have found this is less of a "shock" to my fish. This also goes for switching off the lights at night. I switch the LED's on before switching off the main tubes. The blue LED's looks spectacular as well at night .

I don't leave it on for more than an hour a day. I don't have a major algae problem. Just a nuisance to me really to see the odd algae spot. The plant with the diatoms on I have taken out. The other plants don't have this problem.

 

is this a boyu tl 550 tank

 

Updated pics... hint hint


Plants look good. They look like general plants that we all keep... vallis something for the furry one and the long leafy one is some kind of sword.

Are the plants still in teh baskets you bought them with? The green photo looked like I could see the plastic pot. If so... take the plants out the plastic pot and plant the roots directly into the substrate. You might also find that you have more than one plant per pot. The fluffly spongy stuff that comes with the plant is actually dangerour to the fish. It breaks away slowly and can get stuck in the fish's gills.

If yo have planted as I describe above... then at least someone else will have learnt something new.

Oh... if the plants are growing, then obviously your lighting is good enough, and CO2 not necessary.

You could look at putting in liquid ferts... might help combat the algae too. I believe Prof. Dirk's fertz are the best. Haven't personally used them.. in the proces of ordering.

 

Its not the 550. I can't remember the exact model name but its a 60L Boyu

The plant growth is good. I have to trim a lot otherwise it’s a forest in there. All plants
Are planted directly into Tetra plant substrate and I think the marine lights really helps with the growth. I have a small problem with hair algae now. I have liquid fertilizers that does a good job in my view, but just looking for an something effective against algae. All in all I think my first planted tank is a good one. Sadly I want to let go of this tank soon and get a bigger tank in the 250L to 350L range. Thanks for the info Zoom!

Oh updated pics very soon.

 

in the green pic, the easy to id ones are, thin leafy plant, middle front is probably Vallisneria spiralis (straight vallis), the fluffy plant behind it, (grows radially around stem) is Limnophila sessiflora (Ambulia), dunno for sure what the broad leaved plant in middle back is, and its hard to id front left without a better shot of the leaves

 

isnt that broad leaved one at the back amazon sword?

 

One at the back loos like a Sword or an Aponogeton. Probably a sword.

The one on the left in front of the sword looks a Hygrophilia. Probably Polysperma.