Stocking help! (75g)

Termato

Can you post a full stocking list of your tank along with a full plant list when you post the picture?

I have some plant recommendations but I don't know all that you have right now.

ytownxj

Ok, I'll post some pictures and try to remember the real names of all the plants I put in my tank tomorrow sometime. I'd really like some ground cover of some sort, I think that would look really good. The tank is still not quite what I imagined, I think I need to choose just a few plants and have big bunches of them so they really fill out and look less like the tank has just a bunch of random plants thrown around.

And still waiting for my big piece of driftwood to sink...

ytownxj

Ok, so the driftwood is still not sinking but I have some updated pictures and questions.

Mid algae crisis picture:



After the UV sterilizer cure and three days:



Clear again!

Now my questions are how do you keep your planted sand substrate tanks fertilized? Do you use tabs or liquid fertilizer or both? What are some good sand substrate plants as well as a nice looking floating plant? There's a floating plant in Byron's 115G tank that I really like and was wondering what that is as well...

Since my light is good for some low light plants I think I will be sticking with plants that do better in those conditions especially since the fish seem to like lower light as well.

Any help would be great! Thanks everyone

ytownxj

Actually, I just realized Byron replied to my question about the floating plant already, it's Ceratopteris cornuta so I've already got some of that rooted in my tank so I'll have to float some of them to get my floating plants started! What I have in there currently isn't very pretty like that is.

Byron

I would get a couple more of those large swords, Echinodorus bleherae. Three or even four for that sized tank. If you do, don't have them equidistant, but stagger the plants.

On the fertilizer question, a complete liquid is all-purpose, since you have floating plants and substrate-rooted. Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement or Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti are both good; with either, make sure it is exactly the one named, as they make other products in these lines. It also wouldn't hurt to use substrate tabs for the large swords; not essential with the liquid, but it does make a difference. Seachem's Flourish Tabs, not sure if BA make a tablet but they may do.

Byron.

ytownxj

Thank you for the information on fertilizing. Now I have a question about lights again. I am considering purchasing AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture - includes 2-48" T5 HO 54W 6,000K lamps, 2-48" T5 HO 54W Roseate Lamps, 4-1W Lunar LED's for night viewing. I am still not proficient at calculating the watts per gallon that would supply. Tank height is 18.5 inches from the bottom of the sand substrate. I am considering the light fixture for aesthetics and because I believe the light is too low in the aquarium.

The link for the light is AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture W/ Lunar LEDs - Freshwater

Byron

First, that is only a 24-inch wide fixture so it will not fit across your 4-foot tank. Second, even if it did, it is double the light you need. Earlier in this thread some of us were suggesting that new tubes in your present dual-tube fixture would be fine. Forget the watts per gallon, with all this new lighting this is rather meaningless.

ytownxj

Great, it is reassuring to hear what I have is fine and I was just reading too much and getting worried. Thanks for all your help, I'm getting some more swords like you suggested soon to make it look more complete and filled out in the tank. Also once I put that driftwood in there and the plants I'll take some more pics. Also got 6 Julii Corys to add to the tank and they look very happy in their new home. Thanks for all your help!