ideas for my very first planted tank

Hi guys/gals


I have recently been looking into planted tank, and needless to say, the bug has bitten! I have started showing pictures of ideas to my dad, and I think he has come down with a serious case of MTS... He is already planning another 2 tanks...


Ok, so lets start with what I have now:


Aquarium: 15gal/55 litre tank(+-60x30x30)
Lights: Odyssea T5 Quad 60cm 4x 24W Light Unit(I replaced the blue lights with other lights for plants, but cant remember what exactly it is. All I know it has a pinkish tinge to it)
Substrate: Cal aqua labs - Black earth premium
Filter: Tetratec EX600
CO2: As a start I bought a disposable kit, but planning on buying a full canister with proper difusser, drop checker etc. next month
Ferts: I have bought excel and a few other bottles of ferts


I think thats about it. Please tell me if what I have is not sufficient or suitable.



Here's a tank I saw that I fell inlove with:


Could you possibly tell me what plants is used for the carpet, and what is that spikey plant? Would I get something like that in a lfs?


Thanks in advance and feel free to give advice

 

nice im still just starting to get into the whole planted tank thing my self so not that much advice for you other than good luck im sure you will manage it

 

hythe carpet plant is glosso. the spikey plantis blyxia japonica. so you still have the 10000Klights in the unit? try and get 6500k or 8000k tubes to replace them. the other tubes you got, growlux?

 

I currently use 1x54 watt aquastar 10000k and 1x54w daylight 6500k light in my 1.2 metre and works well .
I had 2x39w 6500k , and then 1x54w 6500k and the 1x 10000k it was wat overkill , I got a lot of algae , hair algae , bba etc..
Honestly i think you have a bit to much lighting , not an expert but thats my thoughts.
Why not do the DIY CO2 route ? dirt cheap and really easy .

 

the problem with diy yeast co2 is fluctuating levels of co2 which gives you bba outbreaks.

 

true , I use 2xdiy systems , and they need changing a week apart so I would assume the levels remain pretty constant .

 

where can i get glosso need some ground cover like that

 

think one of the sponsors has (dory's in centurion) but i could be mistaken

 

thanks for the replies so far!

Ryno: I will look tonight and see what lights I have, and will maybe just use 2 lights

byronb: I did consider going diy and just saw an excellent youtube video on diy co2, but I'm still very concerned about overdosing and inconsistency

manicmonkey: Dory's definitely has those plants in their own planted tanks - when I looked at more pictures of it, I realised its the same plants they use, but I'm not sure if they sell it. Maybe Lanzo can help us out?

 

if it is the same then they had some last time i was there

 

you do not need seachem excel and co2 as seachem excel is a carbon substitute, so it is 1 or the other. with your substrate you will prob just have to dose a bit of iron and seachem comprehensive.

 

hi guys, dorry pets have got glosso. if not in the selling tanks, just ask to get a portion of glosso from the display tanks.

 

I'm not a pro with plants yet but I think your lights is abit of an over kill. I started with a 12 hours light but at 8 hours at the moment with no direct sun light.

I started to use Sera product pellets and fluid and seems to get results. My tank temp is 26-28 degrees do 40% water change once a month and 10% every second week.

Just don't get Silver dollars fish they chow almost everything except Java fern that I know of.

Good luck and send some pictures once you get the tank going. Take a picture every month to see tank progress.

 

My lights are on about 8 hours a day, My aquaflora lights is on for 4 hours in the morning, then off for an hour. All the lights come on for an hour, and the last few hours just the 12000k lights are on.

Here is the thread of my new tank

Oh, and no chance of getting silver dollars, this tank is just for small fishies