New Set up 125 gallon planted tank. - 02/09/2007 The tank is 48"L x 24" deep. I have a Eheim 2250 canister filter (2)  950 power head, Water heaters etc. It is now time to buy light fixtures and CO2 injection system. I am a rookie whose only experience has been fooling with a 10 gallon the past year and reading as much as I can on the subject. <Good to have some practical experience> The more I read the more confused I am. I want lush grass type plants out front and some Swords in the back with Anubas. <Mmm, Anubias, not the Egyptian god> I wish to float some hornwort. This will be a community tank of Livebearers , Black tetras, some dwarf gouramis and some cichlids if possible. <Small/Dwarf ones of the last> I wish assistance with choosing the fixture type for my lighting scheme and some help/advise with CO2 injection. I am in no particular rush in setting   up/cycle the tank. I have no money to waste in these final steps but I want the best bang for my buck. <Good> please make your suggestions easy to understand. Do you  have any suggestions/preferences for stocking at plant time. <Oh yes> I plan to use 2-3  inches of Eco-complete substrate mixed with a bag or two of fluorite. <A good choice... is what I use> Fred Jordan <Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/AquariumGardenSubWebIndex.html  The articles and FAQs files on Planted System Light, Lighting... CO2... Bob Fenner>

New set up question, planted tank set-up, plt. sel.   2/2/08 Good afternoon all. I have had two aquariums going for about two years now. One for goldfish and one for tropical fish. I have now decided to upgrade to a planted tank with fish. <Ahh!> I love the look of a planted tank but also do not want the aquatic gardens that I have seen in many pictures as I am a big fan of the fishy inhabitants too. Following is a list of my planned aquarium and would like your opinions since I have been reading non-stop for about a month now. Thank you for any help you can give me. Jorge 1. 50 gallon glass aquarium 2. Coralife 2x65w 6700K lighting system <Mmmm, may need, want more light intensity than this> 3. 48in 24LED White moonlight 3/4w each <I'd switch this to more daytime...> 4. Cascade 1000 canister filter a. Filter floss b. Zeolite c. Bio rings 5. HOB power filter for mechanical filtration only 6. HOB 150w Heater 7. Root Therm 160 substrate heater <Nice> 8. Red Sea CO2 Bio reactor w venturi pump 9. Aquarium Plants.com <http://plants.com/> Substrate with associated pellets (Trace elements, Iron etc.) 10. One extra power head, not sure if necessary for water circulation? <Mmm, of use here with the canister filter> Flourish additive Tap Water: GH= 70-75 ppm or 4 and 5 degrees kH= between 120 and 180 ppm Do these parameters and pieces of equipment seem good for the following plants (ordering from you guys when all other equipment is set up): 1 bunch Rotala indica 1 Ludwigia palustris 1 Ludwigia peruensis 10 Corkscrew vals 1 Indian Red sword 1 Alternanthera reineckii 1 Limnophilia aromatica 1 Anubias nana on driftwood 1 Java fern 1 Crypt Wendtii v bronze 1 Crypt Undulata 1 Tiger Lily Red 1 Dwarf lily <Mmm, the lilies will not likely grow here> 10 Sagittaria subulata 2-3 clumps of Riccia grass <All else can/could adapt to the water, light conditions listed... best to start with the lower growing plants first... introduce the taller plants a month or two later. Bob Fenner>

Converting to planted tank - 1/31/08 Hello! Billy from Boston here, first I'd like to thank you for providing such a wonderful service to the hobby. <Neale from Berko happy to be here too.> I've been maintaining a freshwater tank for about 4 years now, and aside from a recent ich outbreak to which my clown loaches succumbed, I've had a fair amount of success. Specs: -46 gal oceanic bowfront -Aquaclear 110 power filter w/surface skimmer (recently replaced my emperor 400 ? didn't like the micro bubbles it produced, and I enjoy the flexibility of the Aquaclear) -several plastic plants, resin rock -river rock style aquarium gravel Livestock: -6 tiger barbs -3 pictus (polka dot) catfish -2 kissing gouramis -1 red-tailed shark <All sounds nice.> The tank seems a bit bare, though eventually I'll get more tiger barbs to enhance their schooling. <Indeed.> I've always been intrigued by and hopeful to start a reef system eventually, but unfortunately my current resources and living space won't allow for it. However, I have been seeing some VERY impressive planted tanks lately and have decided to start working towards one in my 46. I'm still fairly early in my research, though I think I have a fairly good handle on the hardware aspects (I'm an engineer and consequently more adept with that aspect of the hobby). But to be quite honest I haven't begun to put together a plant stocking plan ? too many choices and I don't want to have a mishmash of different plants just to have them. <Hmm... before going further I must make this point: having big fish AND having a planted tank is difficult. Big fish pollute the tank more rapidly than small fish, and nitrate and phosphate promote the growth of algae. While you can have sufficient plant growth to compensate for this, it is much less easy to get the balance than it is with teeny-tiny fish like Neons or Dwarf Cichlids.> I was hoping to basically run my plan by you and get some constructive criticism. Any advice is tremendously appreciated. Ultimately (though over a period of time and as funds allow), the existing gravel will be replaced with a 2? bed of eco-complete substrate, the Aquaclear 110 will be modified to handle primarily biological filtration (and occasional chemical as needed) with an Eheim 2028 performing mechanical filtration ( I figure I'll exploit the strengths of the two technologies). For lighting I plan on a 36? Current USA Sundial T5 HO 4x39W fixture (w/LED lunar lighting included, though I haven't researched enough on its effectiveness ?sounds kind of gimmicky). <All should work well.> I'm unsure on a Co2 injector/reactor thus far so I still need to look into that a bit further. Ditto for a substrate heater, I've heard mixed opinions, and unsure if it'll be necessary. <CO2 does make a difference, and tanks with it work better for plants than tanks without. As for substrate heaters, I've used them, and yes, they work well. Are the essential? Perhaps not. But nice, and certainly do keep the tank looking more natural that some big glass heater stuck to the back of the tank.> One of my concerns is with using the Aquaclear and whether that will negatively affect Co2 concentrations due to surface disruption. <Always a risk; again, with small fish, it's easier to balance CO2 and O2 issues, as well as filtration rate against CO2 dispersion through too much water movement. Do spend some time researching these issues. There *is* a reason why Amano-style tanks have hardly any fish. If you're happier to go for something less plant-dominated, that's fine, but to some degree those big lush tanks filled with plants aren't really the sorts of tanks for people who want to keep interesting fish. The fish are, if anything, an afterthought.> I realize the Eheim would probably provide sufficient biological filtration, but the flow rates on those filters leaves something to be desired and I wanted to increase circulation without adding powerheads. Also, from what I've read I believe my current livestock would be compatible with live plants, but please correct me if otherwise. <Mostly yes, though Kissing Gouramis are large and will eat soft plants.> Thanks again! <Cheers, Neale.>

Questions about planted aquariums and such 12/20/07 Hello. <Ave!> Let me fill you in on what my tank is before I start asking you questions. I have a 55 gallon freshwater aquarium, with the dimensions of 48" long x 12" wide x 21" high. For lighting I have two 18" long Aqua-Glows that are 15W each. <Likely not enough light for plants. Do bear in mind you need at least 1.5-2 watts of lighting per gallon of water for most plants to do well. Under low light conditions plant growth is weak and algae becomes a REAL problem. Since your tank is relatively deep, you will probably need to aim for lighting above the baseline, especially if you choose light-hungry (and algae-busting) species like Hygrophila and Vallisneria.> My filter is a Top Fin 60 power filter. I have two Corys and one African Dwarf Frog in the tank as of now. <Although widely sold as aquarium novelties, Dwarf Frogs aren't a great addition to community fish tanks.> pH: 8.5 <A bit high for soft water fish. Fine for livebearers and other alkaline water fishes.> chlorine: 0 <Good.> total hardness: 120 ppm GH: 120 KH: 240 <Again, on the high side. The KH is what is keeping the pH at 8.5. Really too alkaline and basic for Corydoras, tetras, etc. But fine for guppies, swordtails and other livebearers, as well as other fish adapted to such conditions, like Mbuna and Tanganyikan cichlids.> ammonia: .25 ppm <Too high. The tank is either immature or you're adding too much food.> nitrite: 0 ppm <Fine. Given this is zero but the ammonia isn't, I'm guessing the filter is immature. Proceed with caution!> nitrate: 80 ppm (I don't know if this is because I don't really trust the test strip I used. It's very poor quality. I will talk about nitrate later on.) <This isn't great. As a rule, you want to aim for less than 20 mg/l with community fish, and certainly no more than 50 mg/l.> temperature: 78 degrees F <Fine.> So enough about my tank. I want to start a live planted aquarium and am a TOTAL absolute beginner and newbie when it comes to live plants. I love how they look and decorate the aquarium and I heard they are very nice to have to keep nitrate levels low. <Planted tanks are lovely. But in many respects they are hard work. They also require an investment up front. While you can cut corners (for example by using epiphytes like Java ferns and Java moss and Anubias) most plants demand the following: [a] strong lighting and [b] a rich substrate. Neither of these things is really all that expensive, but they're also things most newcomers to the hobby ignore, at their peril! As a broad rule of thumb, you'll likely need 4 fluorescent tubes the full length of the tank, with metal reflectors behind them, just to provide enough light. There are many ways to do the substrate, both low cost and expensive. The expensive methods tend to be cleaner and easier, while the low cost routes require a bit of intelligence when choosing things like soil, sand, and gravel. Cut according to your cloth on this one. In terms of maintenance you also need to prune the plants regularly. If they're happy, aquarium plants grow VERY quickly, and you need to stop them smothering one another. Another aspect of their maintenance is fertilisation. At the very least, you need to add an iron and other minerals supplement once every 2-4 weeks. You may also need to add carbon dioxide. This isn't essential by any means, but it makes a BIG difference, especially with the more finicky species. I would encourage you to buy one of the many excellent books on aquarium plants before proceeding.> First of all, I have an issue with nitrate. I did a 25% water change the other day to try and eliminate some of the nitrate, but it is still the same. I was using AmQuel+ because it said that it gets rid of ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, chlorine, and chloramines all together, but it didn't work. I might just go back to using the Nitra ban I used a long time ago. Do you have any other suggestions for getting rid of nitrate? <First check the nitrate in your tap water. If your tap water has this level of nitrate, then almost nothing you can do will lower it EXCEPT for passing the water through a de-ionising or reverse-osmosis filter of some type. Nitrate-removing filter media tend to be overwhelmed by this level of nitrate.> Here is another question. So for lighting...I have read that the rule for lighting is 1-2 watts per gallon. For me that would be a whopping 110 watts! What would I do for lighting in this case? Would the Flora-Glow light by Hagen available at PetSmart not be the greatest choice for me? <Plants -- unlike corals -- generally adapt well to a variety of tubes, so choosing these isn't critical. There certainly are better and worse options, but the variation isn't huge provided you pick a tube in the 5500 to 6500 Kelvin colour temperature range. Secondly, quantity of light is very important. 2 watts per gallon is the minimum for the popular fast-growing species like Vallisneria and Hygrophila and Cabomba that are going to help you deal with algae. The happier the plants, the less algae is an issue. Algae problems are largely a feature of planted tanks with slow-growing species under weak light. Nothing much does well at less than 2 WPG except things like Java moss, Java fern, some Cryptocorynes, Anubias, and other shade-tolerant species. While lovely in themselves, these plants have little to no effect on algae. Indeed, Java fern and Anubias are both easily smothered with algae. You also need a timer. Regular lighting is quite important. Plants want 12 hours of light.> Now about substrate. So I have read that Fluorite is a great substrate for live plants. I read that you can blend it with gravel, but to just make sure the mixture is 50% gravel and 50% Fluorite. Since Fluorite is fairly expensive, would this be a good option to combine it with gravel? Or will that not be the greatest? The rule for substrate in general is 1 lb per gallon correct? <There are many different approaches here. I've never used fluorite (note the correct spelling if you're doing Google searches on this stuff). Laterite makes a good alternative, and is mixed with one layer of fine gravel, and then topped with plain gravel. In my planted tanks I happen to use aquatic soil (basically nitrate-free loam) mixed with sand, and then topped with gravel. For your first tank I'd warmly advise you not to try and cut corners too much here. By all means size up the options -- fluorite, laterite, and aquatic soil -- but don't skimp once you've made your choice. A good substrate will keep your plants happy for many years; a poor substrate will not save you any money because the plants will grow poorly without regular additions of relatively expensive mineral supplements to the water.> Is fertilizer necessary? It sounds really messy and some people say that you can do without. What do you recommend? <Yes, it is necessary. Think of it this way: imagine you stuck a garden plant in a terracotta pot filled with plain gravel. Would it grow? Of course not. While some aquatic plants can extract some or all of their nutrients straight from the water, many cannot, so you need to plan for that.> Another question I have is about CO2. I have read about some CO2 machine or whatever but it's pricey. Are there chemicals I can add to the water instead of using the pricey machine? <There is no cheap alternative to a CO2 machine as such. There is variation in CO2 machine cost though. As a rule, the cheapest machines tend to be more expensive to run, because they need CO2 cylinders. The more expensive machines are powered by yeast fermentation and cost very little to run. CO2 isn't strictly essential, but it is helpful for many plant species. Do research this topic VERY carefully, since the CO2 amount required depends on the pH and carbonate hardness. Since you have a high pH and high carbonate hardness, the amount of CO2 required will also be very high. So choosing a weak, underpowered machine will be a complete waste of money and not bothering with at all.> I also read that you need to add macronutrients and micronutrients. Will Leaf Zone do the job well for macronutrients? I also heard Flourish is good for micro. Should I get Flourish or Flourish Iron? <Try them out in turn and see what you think. They're all good. There's no real magic formula for plant fertilisation and most work well, especially alongside a decent substrate.> So I want to get platys and danios. However platys require pH between 7 and 8.5 don't they? <Indeed they do; Danios not so much.> And plants can't handle hard water. <Not true at all. Many plants PREFER hard water, e.g., Vallisneria, Egeria, and Cryptocoryne ciliata. Things like Java fern, Java moss, Amazon swords, Ceratopteris thalictroides, Cryptocoryne wendtii and Anubias couldn't care less. In fact most hardy plants will settle right down in a hard water tank when given good lighting and a fertile substrate. Only a relatively small group, things like Barclaya and some of the less common Cryptocorynes, are particularly fussy about pH and hardness.> So would I not be able to keep platys? <With planted tanks the mantra is this: set the tank up for the plants, and then add (small numbers of) fish according to the prevailing conditions. If you go hard water, then Platies or Endler's guppies or something like that would be ideal.> I see photos of platys in planted tanks all the time, so would I just keep the pH at 7 to make the fish and plants happy and make the water a little less hard? <If you're a beginner to fishkeeping, I strongly urge you NOT to mess about with pH and hardness. These are both much easier to 'adapt to' than 'change'. So accept what you have, and choose fish and plants accordingly.> Do I need to alter my water's hardness? I read that plants don't do well in hard water, but platys live in that kind of water. Or can platys handle somewhat hard water? I couldn't really figure out what hardness plants like. <Any decent book on aquarium plants will list the preferred hardness and pH. You can also read over the online database of species at the Tropica web site. http://www.tropica.com/default.asp They're a grower of plants in Europe, and have an above-average reputation for quality.> What plants do you recommend for beginners? I like those plants that look like there is a like a lawn growing on the bottom of the tank. The short grass like stuff. Is that beginner? <I suspect you mean Echinodorus tenellus. It's a lovely plants, but not easy. It needs very bight light that can "punch" it's way to the bottom of the tank. It also needs a rich substrate, and just as critically, no big or messy fish that will uproot, smother, or otherwise harm it.> How would you do water changes with that kind of plant. <Slowly and carefully!> I have the vacuum thing and I don't know how I would get the rocks underneath. Can I use that vacuum for my whole planted aquarium or do you have to clean your tank completely differently? Are you allowed to trim your plants also? <Vacuuming the aquarium is probably not an option. That's why these tanks are very lightly stocked, so vacuuming isn't required. And yes, you MUST trim the plants. In a good site, things like Cabomba need WEEKLY pruning!> One last question. I was wondering how many plants one should put in their aquarium. What is the rule of thumb for that? I heard it was supposed to be like only 1% of the tank. Is that true? <Never heard of the percentage rule. Anyway, this is difficult to answer. It depends on what you're after. Some tanks look good with big rocks and just a few dramatic Java ferns or Amazon swords. Other tanks look good filled to the gunwales with a tangle of Hygrophila and Ceratopteris. To some degree the best thing is to add a few plants at first, see how they do, and then add more or replace as required. If they're happy, after a couple of months even a small bunch of plants will quickly spread out over the tank.> Sorry for the tremendously long letter. I just don't want to put my tank in the hands of a PetSmart worker and ruin my whole tank and waste money on plants that die because my tank wasn't set up right. <I suspect your first purchase should be a nice aquarium plants book. There are several out there for all price points. I happen to like Aquarium Plants (Mini Encyclopedia Series) by Peter Hiscock, but there are truly lots and lots of alternatives.> I hope you can help. Thanks! <Good luck, Neale.>

Re: questions about planted aquariums and such 12/21/2007 Hello Neale. <Katherine,> Thanks for all your help! I just have a few more questions. So when you say I need to aim for lighting above the baseline, do you mean that I need to do maybe 3 watts per gallon? <Quite possibly, yes. Depends on the species of plant: some need more light than others. But going for 2 WPG works well for average sort of plants.> You also said that since my nitrite was zero but ammonia was .25 that my filter was immature. I have had that tank running for two or three years now. Can tanks go from mature to immature? How could I make the filter mature again? <Should be mature. So I'd look at other issues: ammonia in the tap water; wrong sort of dechlorinator if you have chloramine in the water supply; overfeeding; clogged filter pump.> Then you said that I would need 4 fluorescent lights along the length of the aquarium. Do you mean two on each side? Because mine are 18 inches long, so would I buy 4 18 inch lights? Or four 48 inch long lights? <Likely the latter, though more likely only 4 x 42" lights will fit in the hood. Doesn't really matter how you do this, so long as you get 2+ WPG.> If I DID perchance buy the Flora-Glo light at PetSmart, which is like 20 watts per light, would the plants get enough light if I left my window blinds open or even bought a light bulb to place facing the tank to make up for the light they aren't getting per gallon? <Nope, this won't work. Sunlight tends to promote algae, especially blue-green algae, while incandescent bulbs work too inefficiently to be of any value at all.> So I tested my tap water to see if that was the cause for the nitrate problem. It had the lowest rating for GH, the highest for KH, a 6.0 pH, and 0 nitrite and nitrate. So the nitrate isn't caused from my tap water. Could I possibly be feeding them too much? <Perhaps. Halve the food over the next week, and see what happens.> So I agree with you that I shouldn't cheap out on the substrate, because that can cause all sorts of problems that I don't really want to create for myself. Fluorite is what is easily available to me, so would my plants be healthy if I got like 30 lbs of fluorite and mixed it with fine gravel and/or sand? Maybe mix the fluorite with sand and put a layer of gravel on top? <If you want, yes. There are lots of ways to do this. Do also remember smooth silica sand, pond soil, and plain lime-free gravel can be purchased from garden centres at a fraction of the cost of identical substances sold in aquariums shops.> Would fluorite count as fertilizer, or is there a totally different thing used as fertilizer? Would Leaf Zone and flourish be considered as my fertilizers, or are those JUST my macro and micro nutrients? <Both. The iron in the fluorite sand will gradually be used up, so you need to top-up with fertilizer pellets/drops. Failure to do this sufficiently results in yellow leaves, so you'll know if you're under-fertilising quite quickly.> For CO2, since my tank would require a lot of it, could I use the Hagen Plant Grow Natural System with CO2 that treats 20 gallons and ALSO use the Green NRG Natural CO2 Plant System which treats up to 39 gallons to get a total of 59 gallons getting treated? Or should I buy 3 Hagen Plant Grow Natural Systems? Because I want to do what's best for my plants and my aquarium, so I want to provide at least SOMe CO2. <Whichever, or even neither. CO2 is extremely helpful but not absolutely essential. Hardy plants will do fine without it. So cut according to your cloth.> Well I am not a beginner in fish keeping. I have been doing it for years. I am just a beginner in live plants. But I don't want to mess with the pH and hardness anyway. What would be some good beginner plants that are hardy and need hard water that I can possibly get? <Among the plants I've found consistently hardy and easy to keep are Hygrophila polysperma, Anubias nana, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Java fern, Java moss, Vallisneria spiralis, Crinum calamistratum, Aponogeton crispus, Ceratopteris cornuta. Most aquarium plant books will rank plants by their easiness.> I will also buy those books you recommended to help me along the way. Thanks for the recommendations! They look like VERY helpful books. <Cool.> So should I consider buying my plants from that European site rather than PetSmart? So when I DO clean the tank, do I just not mess with the gravel and clean out the water? <Plants don't like being moved about once planted, so if you WANT to clean and re-landscape the tank, do it upfront.> Thank you for ALL your help! I definitely use WetWebMedia as my first option to get info from. Thanks again :-D. <Cheers, Neale.>

Planted tank suggestions, sys.  12/7/07 Greetings, <Hello Brandon.> Looking for some advice on substrate and plant choice. I have: 72G bow-front (with overflow), Glass canopies, Coralife fixture w/ (2) Colormax 6700K bulbs and (2) 10,000K bulbs, all at 65 watts each, for a total of 260 watts (and it also has the lunar LED's). Filtration wise, the tank is currently running a Mag700 on a wet-dry (I do possess (2) HOT magnums as well as (1) Magnum 350, and a power head (not sure of type). I was looking around, and Eco-complete seems to be a promising choice for a substrate, but am open to second (and third, fourth, etc.) opinions. <I have used and do like this substrate. Check out this link and related FAQ's for other options. http://wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/soilags.htm > Figure around 140 pounds of that should do, right? <Should be plenty.> Also, would it be wiser to use canisters instead of wet/dry, or just ditch the bio-balls in the wet-dry to let the plants do their thing, maybe having four returns instead of two to create a good current all around? <I would opt for the canister filter if you have a choice. You will not want too much current in this tank.> I'm looking to do a fairly lush set-up, selectively keeping fish (sorry Plecos, Balas, and Geophagus L.) in the order of tetras and maybe barbs, low key and not too destructive (or large). <Agreed.> Basically, I suppose my questions would be: A) Is the lighting enough (I believe it is, about 3 watts a gallon), <Yes.> B) Is the substrate choice and quantity halfway right <Sounds about right.> C) Should I lose the canopies <Personal choice, I would keep them unless you have heat issues. Just keep them clean for light penetration.> D) What filter(s) should I employ <Canister, it will not out gas your CO2.> Lastly (and perhaps most important), would hard water (on the order of 23 dGH) be detrimental to plant health? I live in Florida, so our water is outrageously hard, but RO is an option to "create" optimum hardness, but stability would be better ensured using hard tap water and de-chlorinating it. Thoughts? <I would definitely use the RO. You can mix the RO with tap to achieve the desired hardness for your livestock. You can be very stabile by repeating your mixing ratio. Tap water can vary in quality throughout the year anyhow.> Much thanks to you for your assistance, your site is the best source I've ever come across for aquatic help! -Brandon <Welcome and thank you. Good luck with this new set up, Scott V.>

Re new... FW tank set up    5/15/07 Lesley here again, <BobF here this time...> Hi to you all again you have all been so helpful regarding my thoughts on setting up my new tank.  Well it gets delivered in a few days <Oooh, exciting> and I  have now decided that the occupants will be.  Angels, Dwarf Gouramis, clown  Loaches and possibly the Cockatoo dwarf cichlid, all of which after a lot a lot  of research should live quite happily do you agree, do you have any other  suggestions? <Mmm... no prev. corr. included... there are twenty or so of us here... and though I "put away" all, I don't recall much in the way of particular circumstances... I do hope this system is large enough... to accommodate all, esp. the Angels and Loaches as they get much larger...> I would love a planted tank, I am going to include mainly vines and would effect decor securing some to the rear of the tank with aquarium silicone.   My head as they say here in Scotland is minced with all the options for substrate.  I as I originally mentioned was going to use play sand but don't  know if this is wise with the external filter and you mentioned it would not support the rooted plants. <Correct. You have read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsubstrates.htm and the linked FAQs file above?> Wanted something simple...is there any such  thing?  Can I use aquatic compost under gravel? <Yes... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/soilags.htm and the linked...> the kind you buy for  outside ponds.  Is gravel enough if I add the fertilizer tabs you can  readily buy. <Maybe... one approach is to rely on fish wastes... but not really satisfying in most cases...>   i know the gravel cant be to large in size.  your  thought would be much appreciated.   <These are posted... Please learn to/use the search tool, indices on WWM> The tank itself is a Regency 100 and holds 220 litres of water and comes supplied with the external filter  and heater.  I as you mentioned  will go with the fishless cycling.  Should i buy any of these help along  products or just add some flakes on a daily basis. <The flakes will do... again... this is archived... along with much ancillary material... You would do well to read.> thanks <BobF, still>

Planted Tank Set Up  - 10/22/06 Hey guys, I have used your website for research on aquarium related topics for quite a while and am impressed with the depth of information you give out. I've decided to start a freshwater planted tank for the first time. I keep lots of African cichlids right now and thought it would be fun to try something new. I just recently acquired a 58 gal show tank that I want to make into an amazing planted tank with colorful, active, and peaceful fish. I would like your thoughts on everything from substrate to CO2 injection. And if possible I'd like to save some money doing it, but only if that doesn't sacrifice quality. I'll just start with some of the ideas that I have had. I want a dark substrate, so I was thinking Estes deep river regular gravel mixed with fluorite to act as a fertilizer. What ratio of fluorite to gravel would be ideal and how deep should the bed be? <Use as much Fluorite as possible then us the other gravel for appearance.> Or is there a better product than fluorite? < Fluorite is pretty darn good.> I know that the type of plants I plan on keeping probably has an influence on a lot of your answers but all I know that I want is a large variety of different plants and possibly some different colors. For lighting I have done a lot of research and believe that VHO lighting is the direction I'd like to go. How many watts do I need for a 58 since this is a little taller than a standard tank? Or do watts even matter so long as I have the right spectrum? < Try 3-4 watts per gallon for starters. The bulb color should be around 6500 K.> One of the other areas I need some advice is in CO2. What kind of a system would be high quality while still being realistic? < CO2 is needed with stem plants and plants that require very high light. A DIY system is available that utilizes yeast as a producer of CO2. Not needed for all tanks but helpful.> That finally brings me to filtration. I would like a canister filter and have had success with Eheims 2026 Pro II filter on other tanks. Is it good to have a large canister filter for planted tanks (or does the surface agitation greatly reduce the CO2 in the water?) , and if not is there a smaller one that will still get the job done well? < Canisters are a great choice for planted tanks for the reasons you have already pointed out. The bigger the better as long as you service it regularly.> I guess the last thing to ask is about the inhabitants of the tank. Does the inch per gallon rule still apply to a planted tank or do all the living plants let you get away with a little more? < Forget the formulas. Check the nitrates. Depending on the fish the nitrate levels should be pretty low because of the plants. Start out slow and add additional fish as you go. Quarantine tanks are extremely important for a planted tank. Medications used to treat diseases can be harmful to aquatic plants.> I think that's about it unless there's something else you think I should know. Thanks for all the help and please reply quick! I can't let this tank sit empty much longer! Thanks for all your advice, Josh < Check out the Aquatic Gardeners' Association for real detailed info and suggestions on how to get a real planted aquarium up and going. Not enough space here to really give you all the info you need.-Chuck> Discus, Rummynose, Filtration, CO2 - 06/20/2006 Hi there, I was planning on setting up a 55 gallon planted discus tank with some Rummynose dithers. First off, could you tell me how many discus I could fit in there comfortably, <Ultimately, likely only one or two pairs.  However, until they pair off, you can "pack in" as many as the tank's biological filtration will realistically allow.  Discus, while still quite young and small, find great security in numbers.  If you plan to grow 'em up from bitty babies, start with a lot, and as they grow, pare them down - sell the ones you remove, and end up, in the end, with one or two pairs of adults.> as well as how many tetras? <Probably a dozen or two.> I plan on 130 watts of 6500K lighting with tons of plants, Glossostigma, Microsorium, Eleocharis, all covering the bottom, anchored on driftwood etc. What kind of CO2 system should I use? Nothing too fancy please, I have maybe 60 bucks to spend CO2 injection. <Might look into DIY methods on this budget, or consider used items.> Also, I was looking at the Rena XP2 for filtration. Is this a good choice? <I think so, yes.  I use and recommend the Eheim Professionel II models, but they are VERY pricey.  If you can find them used, as I did, you may find them more affordably - but the Rena will be fine, I believe.> The Eheim (drool) is waaaaaay out of my price range, except for the Ecco, which is even a bit on the hefty side of cheap. Any suggestions would be appreciated. <I also like some of the newer Fluvals.> Thanks again, Eddy <All the best to you,  -Sabrina>

Planted tank question Hello Bob!  <James here today> I have a large 96x30x30 tank that I am wanting to make into a freshwater, planted tank. I am looking for opinions on filtration for a tank this size. I was thinking about a large wet dry filter, versus 3 Eheim 2228 filters with the built-in heaters. The tank is reef-ready with one large, center overflow. Also, not wanting to go crazy with plants, is CO2 a necessity? <CO2 is not a necessity. More important to have a nutrient rich bottom for the plants to feed on. Fluorite is one product, but there are several. The wet/dry will definitely improve oxygen levels in the tank as one plus, but will also help rid the tank of CO2 due to the large amount of gas/air/water exchange. You may want to check Pentair's (formerly rainbow) filtration systems. They have systems large enough to filter a tank such as yours. Drs. Foster & Smith is one place that I know that carries them. I'll also post a link here that has FAQ's about wet/dry filters and planted tanks. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/tksstdsagFAQs.htm. James (Salty Dog)>

Planted Tank Water for Sea Salt Mix?? Hi Mr. Fenner, <Hello Jose> Let me start by saying I really appreciate all you do for the hobby.  Your site is wonderful.  One of the things I like most about your site is the philosophy of keeping things natural and balanced. That said, let me tell you about my tanks: 1 outdoor 55 gallon rectangular tank with lots of anacharis and Vallisneria, several livebearers and a 1 inch dovii, <Ummm, did you put this last fish/mention in to see if I was awake?! Hee hee! Am sure you know how large... this cichlid will become> no heater or filtration except for the plants; 1 outdoor 165 gallon pond with several lily pad plants , 1 pair of blue eyed cichlids, 1 ?? inch dovii ( I wanted to compare growth rates with outdoor aquarium dovii), a feeder goldfish that grew to 5 inches and a butterfly Koi of 4 inches, plus a lot of anacharis for oxygenation, there isn't any filtration in this pond except for the plants; indoors I have a 55 gallon rectangular tank with a pair of 4 inch discus, 7 German rams , and a pair of double red Apisto.. agassizi( I'm getting more females soon), 4 huge Amazon swords, 6 giant cryptos , 10 small cryptos, java moss, micro sword, fluorite over sparse layer of laterite, 20 pounds of driftwood, large lava rock with lots of caves, and a centerpiece Madagascar lace plant, <Sounds very nice... but will be very crowded> mechanical hardware consists of a small air pump to a 10 gallon sponge filter , and heater; I also have a 12 gallon eclipse with 4 inch sand bed, 10 lbs of premium Fiji live rock, 10 lbs base rock which has turned premium, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 emerald crab, 2x13 PC , 1 fire fish goby, 1 small orange starfish, 30 medium brown w/green center zoanthids, 1 frag of zoanthids w 8  bright orange & green polyps, 1 red finger gorgonian,  sun polyps (about 10 individual polyps), 1 small red hermit, 2 small blue hermits, 2 medium Mexican turbo snails, 2 large Mexican turbo, 2 smaller Astraea?? snails, small blue sponge, several purple sponges, lots of pineapple sponges, bristle worms, fan worms, macroalgae (Caulerpa), and lots of pods. the mechanical hardware consists of a high quality submersible heater and an medium powerhead.   <Good descriptions> Now most places I research tell me discus , rams, Madagascar lace plants, and apistos are really difficult fish and plants to keep. <Mmm, these are likely older references... this life is much easier to keep than it used to be... due to captive bred efforts, shipping improvements mainly.>   Yet , I perform  hardly any maintenance on my tank and everything has thrived since 1/2/03 without any loss of life or illness.  I have turned the heater off and left it off for several days and the fish still never became ill, even in temperatures below 70.  I have neglected water changes for a months with no ill effects (not doing that anymore). Its a beautiful tank that gives me lots of pleasure with low maintenance demands. I should add that I throw in a pinch of regular peat after a water change to soften the hard water local to my area and started a compost bin to feed the fish earthworms regularly. I was nervous about starting a nanoreef because of everything I  read.  Maybe the experience with planted tanks helped me out because my tank is going great.  The only deaths (2 small damsels) in the tank I've suffered were from aggression caused by a yellow tail damsel I had. Everything else has thrived and most of the stuff I have was given to me by LFS because it was in bad condition ( this hobby is expensive and I have to cut corners where I can) or sold cheaply. Since money is a factor in how far I can lose/or find myself in the hobby, I look for ways to save.  Since I don't have a R/O unit and have to purchase DI water at the LFS.  I was wondering , What if I used the water from the discus tank to mix the sea salt???  rivers flow into the ocean right? and most reefs are near land right?  I tell you, the water I siphon out during water changes grows my terrestrial plants like nothing else. I hoping it does the same for my soft corals.  The people at the LFS think I'm slightly crazy for some of the stuff I do, but my stock never seems to get sick( knock on wood) and grows and glows , and I think you have to be bold sometimes to learn new things. Thank You for your time, your site is great! Jose Saldana <Mmm, in general I would not do this... for fear of introducing more organic and inorganic nutrient material than you likely want... I do suggest you do the math though re buying, running your own RO or DI water purifier. Some of these units are under a hundred dollars... and considering the cost of transport, your time... it's not long before just buying your own makes sense. Cheers, Bob Fenner> Planted Tanks, Lighting, and More Hello there, I'm planning on buying a 46 gal. bow front aquarium in a few months.  I plan to keep a low tech planted freshwater community tank.   <Sounds like fun!> I have read many articles on different aspects of the proper setup and I wanted to ask your opinion on a few choices that I have.  First off I plan to buy compact fluorescent lighting.  Which combination is best (1x96 + 1x36, 1x96 + 1x55, or 2x55 + 1x36). <Personally, I'd scratch the last (2x55w + 1x36w) off first, as the more bulbs you've got running, the more bulbs you have to replace yearly....  the cost does build up.  Other than that, frankly, it's more up to you and the plants you want.  Of the remaining two options, I'd go with the 96w and 55w myself, just to have the extra light :) > They all have approx. the same wattage. I was thinking about a 10000K for the 96 wt and a 6700k for the 36 or 55wt.  Do you think this is too much light for a low tech tank?   <It really, really depends upon the plants that you want.  For instance, if you only want, say, Anubias and java moss, spending boo coo bucks on PCs would be ridiculous.  If you want some moderately light-demanding plants, it should be a good route.> Is once a year the correct length of time between bulb changes? <To my understanding, yes.> Substrate.  I'm thinking of Seachem Grey fluorite, Eco-complete, LFS Sand, or Seachem Onyx gravel (I'm a bit worried about the onyx because we have hard water) <I would skip on the Onyx, then.  The Fluorite or Eco-complete would definitely be more nutritious on your plants than sand.  I like to use a mix of sand and fluorite, myself, as I like how well the plants seem to root in the sand, and the ease of planting.  Might also want to take a look here:  http://home.infinet.net/teban/substrat.htm and consider a good book on planted aquaria....  "Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants" by Peter Hiscock (for real, I didn't make that up) is an excellent book to help get you started.> More importantly would all those be compatible with plants( crypt, anubias, swords, banana <"banana" plants, Nymphoides aquatica, are tremendously demanding in lighting (among other things).  I would not recommend them for such a tall tank, especially if being lit with PCs.  These generally fare very, very poorly in aquaria, I'm afraid.> and the Cory catfish I plan to get?   <Cory bellies are pretty tender; you might consider covering any rough or jagged substrate you decide on with a thin layer of larger-grade, smooth/'roundy' gravel.> CO2 would be a DIY pop bottle reactor or two Hagen co2 plant systems <Sounds sufficient> and heating would be 2 Visitherm 100 or 150wt heaters.   <Personally, I'd go with the 150w....  Should one fail completely, the other would be able to uphold the tank nicely.> Now for filtration, would an emperor 400 be too much for this tank (I plan on some Gourami, tetra, Cory & Oto catfish, SAE's, and rasboras?) or would you recommend 2 sponge filters with power heads or a canister filter.   <Of these, I would *definitely* recommend a canister.> The emperor is my preference because of it's ease in cleaning but I'm worried that the flow is too high for fish <Not an issue there.> and bad for the CO2.   <Major issue there.  The surface agitation provided by a power filter like the Emperor will let far too much CO2 out of the system, IMO.> I've read that canister filters are great but I'm a bit intimidated by their seemingly complex care. <It really isn't as complex as it appears.  Take a trip to the fish store, get one out of the box (er, with permission, of course!), and play around learning about it, how it operates, how to maintain, etc.> If canister filters are best, can you recommend a good one for a beginner?   <Eheim is far and above my #1 filter choice as far as canisters go.  Please do look into these, they are worth the cost.> Thank you so much for your time and advice.  This website is such a wonderful gift for beginners like myself. <And thank you for your kind words!  Please continue to enjoy,  -Sabrina>

Next Stop: Planted Tank, Then on to Reef Hi, <Hello, Yuell, Sabrina with you tonight> Even though I've been in the hobby for 20 years this will be the first time that I'll do something other than a basic tropical fish tank. <Ah, onward 'n' upward!> I want to turn my 75 gallon (48x24x15)  tank into a tropical planted tank with lots of Neons and Cardinals.  In time though I want to turn this tank into a reef tank. I don't want to have to re-buy any equipment if I can help it. This is what I plan to do: Lights: I will have  a retro light kit put into the canopy 4 - 95watt compact fluorescents (this is better than going VHO's right?).   <That's kinda a matter of opinion....  I have VHOs on my plant tank and enjoy them tremendously, but the bulbs must be replaced more often than PCs.  PCs are a great choice for a plant tank, but when you go reef, if you ever plan on very light-demanding species (clams, anemones, more light-demanding corals, etc.), better to just shell out the bucks and go metal halide.> I will run 2 for the planted tank then run all four with the reef (when I get there).   <You could conceivably run all four for the plant tank, and have some pretty awesome, light-hungry plants.> What is a good company as far as lights go or does it matter?   <I hear good stuff about the Coralife fixtures, I also hear good stuff about Custom Sea Life fixtures; honestly, I haven't used PCs yet, and my next hope is to try out T5s - might want to swing by the forums http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/index.jsp and hear straight from folks who are using PCs what they prefer, and what to avoid.> Filtration:  I have an old style Fluval 404 now. I would like to keep it if possible because you see...I have cats.  Cats who love to get into the cabinet below the fish tank (I use the tank as a room divider). They would easily get into the cabinet and drop the 24hour light you are to use with an eco system or wet/dry system into the sump. If they did this, if I am not mistaken, it will cause a short, the power to the system would be turned off, and that loss of power would empty all 75 gallons of water on the floor. This would be bad...I have lots of books.  Unless the eco or wet/dry systems were completely enclosed (like a canister) so that the light can't be dropped into the sump, I see problems.  Is there a way (if I must get an eco system or wet dry with a sump) to keep this from happening (a switch or special tubing that you buy to stop that from happening?   Do I even need a sump or will my old Fluval and  a protein skimmer work?    <The Fluval will do a fine job for your plant tank, but is inadvisable for a reef tank, due especially to an overabundance of nitrates.  A sump is really a much better route.  But when you do the sump, if you do a plain ol' sump, no light is necessary.  If you do a refugium in the sump, preventing the light falling in is pretty simple - cover it with eggcrate (the grid stuff that you see under fluorescent light fixtures in ceilings).  Plenty of air exchange, but no big stuff (including cats and lights) falling into the sump.> Skimmer: I was thinking of a hang on the back skimmer like the Via Aqua Multi-Skimmer.  Is there a better skimmer?   <Oh, yes.  It'll be shelling out more cash again, but go with an Aqua-C or a Euro Reef; truly, you won't be sorry.> Again I don't want a sump if I can help it.  Do I need the skimmer with the planted tank or can I wait till I'm gearing up for the reef?   <Wait.  A skimmer will be virtually (or completely) useless on a plant tank.> The Via Aqua has a 5watt UV light, would this UV hurt the reef or the animals that might eat the algae the UV would kill?  If it does can I use additives and vitamins or should I just not go there. <Again....  Aqua-C or Euro Reef....  But as far as UV goes, some people swear by 'em, some hate 'em.  They'll kill free-swimming protozoan parasites, etc., could be a good thing to have, but is unnecessary, IMO.  More here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marphysf.htm .> CO2:  I'm sure that plants would love it if I went there but I know nothing about it.  If CO2 is a good idea for the plants or reef (is it good or the reef or bad) can you recommend a system? <Eh, well, with the plant tank end of the spectrum, it's really quite easy and inexpensive to do a DIY CO2 generator; consists of a 2-liter bottle, a rubber stopper, some tubing, and yeast - here's the article that got me started: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-narten.html .  There are also much more complicated pressurized CO2 systems, that come with a much higher price tag (DIY yeast could be done under $20 easily), but are regulated and well controlled, and require very, very little maintenance.  Worth studying up on.  Also, if you intend to use a calcium reactor in your reef ( http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcreactors.htm ) the more expensive pressurized canister system will be the better route, and prevent that re-purchasing of equipment you mentioned. can you also recommend a monitor that would monitor / change the PH or Nitrates or whatever automatically? <The pressurized canister systems are usually used with a solenoid that will start/stop the CO2 injection with light hours, which will regulate pH.  The solenoid can also be hooked up to a pH controller, and that will regulate CO2 injection, so that you don't have fluctuation of pH.  Both ways seem pretty efficient.> What else should I do/think about to get this done that I didn't/ haven't yet?  Is there another piece of equipment that I should think about getting or not think about getting?   <Timers for the lights.  Then you don't have to worry about getting the lights on to *your* schedule.  Also, for the plant tank, look into Kent's plant fertilizer line, much good stuff out there!  I would definitely recommend fertilizing your plant tank, and have you considered what sort of substrate you'll use?  And one final comment - if you start this as a plant tank, I fear that you'll enjoy it too much to go reef with it.  You really might wanna take the jump and just go reef now, or perhaps plan on another tank on down the road ;)  Much fun ahead in the tank-planning process!  -Sabrina> Thank you for any help you give me,  Yuell