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Need help planning a new tank

3K views 22 replies 3 participants last post by  SinCrisis 
#1 ·
ok, so I'm looking at starting my first planted tank. I'm thinking about starting with a 10 gallon.
Substrate - Eco-Complete
Filter - Whisper Internal for 10-30 gallon tanks set up for mechanical filtration only...
CO2 - DIY - I'm thinking of starting with 1 two liter bottle setup and add to it later if I need to
Lighting - 30 or 50 watts (2 15 or 25 watt incadescent bulbs) in the standard hood I have

I think my biggest problem is deciding what plants and fish I should start out with. I still have about 4 overly hardy platys left from my turtle tank... And what you think of my initial thoughts on this setup are... I've never done anything like this before, but I love the look of planted tanks...

Thanks in advance for your help!

Laura
 
#4 ·
That tree is Christmas moss, not java moss. Christmas moss is harder to find and a bit more expensive.

The bottom is not hairgrass, in this picture it is microsword.

You will need to make sure the light bulbs are rated for 6700k or the spectrum might be wrong and cause excessive algae growth since ur running 3-5 watts per gallon.

CO2 sounds fine and the substrate sounds fine.
 
#6 ·
Hmm, i am not sure if incandescent bulbs have the same rating, i know they go by daylight, soft white, etc, but the actual light ratings i am unclear on, maybe someone else here will know.

If not, you could always try the daylight full spectrum kind and see how your plants react, you might be doing a lot of trial and error with these. if the full spectrum ones give too much light and u get messy algae growth, cut back on time or switch them out with another bulb with another rating.
 
#7 ·
For the bulbs, go to a home improvement store (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) and buy some 6700k power compacts (CFLs). I use them in all of my tanks and they're great. They're inexpensive, energy efficient, and a great way to get more light to your plants without spending a ton of money on upgrading your light fixtures.

I've used the regular incandescents with the 10 gallon in a planted tank... they were okay. The plants did fairly well but they were all low light, and the hue was very yellow. They also heated the tank excessively and grew tons of algae. I'd definitely switch to CFLs, just make sure you look at their equivalent light output so you're not putting too much in the tank.
 
#8 ·
well buying the fixture for cfls will be pricey unless you build your own light system. There are many different types of incandescent bulbs, some give off that yellowish tint, but many nowadays are can be bought as the pure-white daylight bulbs.

I think u can get 6700k cfls, they will fit into the same sockets as incandescent bulbs if im not mistaken.
 
#9 ·
CFLs go into the regular light sockets, the same as incandescents. It's not expensive to change to CFL from florescent if that's what you meant. I did it to two tanks and it cost $6 per tank for the dual socket.

And yes, you can use 6700k CFLs. That's what I suggested in my post. If you have a hard time finding them in a local store you can also purchase them cheaply online.
 
#12 ·
Oh yes, I forgot to mention that the full-size spiral ones won't fit into the little 10 gallon light. I almost broke the reflector trying to force it in. :lol:

The mini spirals should work though. They're about half the size of the big ones and have a more appropriate light output for a small tank anyways. I'm not sure how much space you have in yours though; I'm sure it varies depending on the hood.
 
#14 ·
physical stores for the common stuff, but christmas moss will be hard to find in those stores, online ones such as sweet aquatics or thatfishplace might have the stuff you need. I know thatfishplace has micro sword and they are excellent with quality. However, if you order online you might wanna keep it all at the same store since shipping is usually 2-day since the stores usually guarantee live delivery
 
#15 ·
Well, I made a quick trip to the LFS today that "should" have had the stuff I needed... He looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if he had any eco-complete or any planted tank substrate at all... He didn't have ANY screw in CFL's, and his plants... well, left a lot to be desired. I got a couple of 25 watt incadescent bulbs, for now. I'm hoping for better luck this weekend when I can make a trip to another town that has some better shops.
 
#17 ·
i would start with the half and see how your plants fare, up the ratio as you see fit for plant growth. Also watch for fish behavior, if CO2 is high, they may be seen gasping for air at the top of the tank, turn down the co2 if thats the case. Also, i would get a diffuser, a real one not just a simple diy one like airstones or upside-down cups as they are much more effective.
 
#21 ·
flourite and eco-complete are pretty much the same thing, they are both clay based substrates that hold a lot of nutrients. the difference is color options and with flourite, you spend more time rinsing. However, if you plan to use it for under sand, you can get away with a quick rinse and the sand over it should stop it from clouding up your tank too much.
 
#23 ·
Also, if it does cloud up your tank, mine did, you can just give it a day or so and it will settle. With substrates like sand and flourite, clouding is hard to control during the adding water phase. A good way to limit it is to place a dish on top of the substrate and pour water slowly over that to disturb your substrate minimally. After you get it about 6 inches over the gravel, plant your plants. This will keep the dust from getting too our of control and will be easier to plant in. After you plant, slowly fill the tank, if you still have space for a dish, it would be best to keep it there to mitigate the current. When you have enough water, take the dish out and just top off the tank. If you are keeping lots of plants, its possible to introduce fish right away, but if its dusty it might be best to let the dust settle. your filter will also absorb a ton of the dust, you can just rinse the filter pad off with clear aquarium water when you do your first water change.
 
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