# New 10 Gallon Planted Tank



## Grin1118 (Jan 25, 2011)

Hello Everyone,

I have just converted my regular tank to a planted tank just in the past few weeks. I got some free plants from a friend and I wanted to know if you would be able to identify them so I could research care/trimming etc. As well, CO2 Generators worth it? I have created one and I have had massive growth in my tank. It is safe?

Here are the link to the video I made of my CO2 Generator. Hopefully you can see and identify the plants I have.

Thanks everyone for your time!


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

The most prominent plant in your aquarium is the aluminum plant. This plant is strictly terrestrial and will die underwater. It belongs in a flower pot on your windowsill or in a terrarium. The next most common plant was Cabomba. It is a true aquatic. There was some kind of fern in the back that didn't look too promising. It may have been a Trichomanes species. These generally don't do well submersed.


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## Grin1118 (Jan 25, 2011)

Thanks for the timely reply!

Alright, I got rid of the Aluminum plant and went to my LFS and purchased a few other Cabombas. Are they easy to take care of for a beginner?

Secondly, what is your opinion on the CO2 generator? Good Idea? Bad idea?

Lastly, are there any DIY LED canopy setups?

Thanks for your time 

WGrin


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## Sketch (Jan 18, 2011)

cabombas are probably the best plants a beginner can start with. i just started this hobby as well, and among all my plants, my cabomba grows the fastest. i use diy co2 and normal fluorescent bulbs. its been slightly over a month now and they've doubled. cut the tops off and stick em in the substrate, and it grows instantly. i have yet to see growth in my pygmy chain swords.

watching your video, i see you dont have a diffuser for the co2. most of your bubbles are just floating right to the top and popping, not dissolving. just my 0.02.


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## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...s/44053-tiny-super-efficient-co2-reactor.html

check out that thread for a co2 reactor you can make. also, are you using a snot/drip bottle? you would typically run a hose from your yeast bottle to another bottle with some water in it, then a hose from that bottle to the reactor. a lot of people put the hose from the yeast bottle into the water, creating a bubble counter of sorts also. you really shouldn;t need the air pump pushing the co2. kinda worries me about your yeast mix gettin pushed into your aquarium water (hence the use of a snot bottle).

oh, and welcome to keeping planted tanks!


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## Grin1118 (Jan 25, 2011)

I want to thank everyone for there 0.02. It is great input.

Actually right after I made this video I did make a double bubbler. Every video I saw had one so I thought I would do the same. Didn't want any goo in my tank.










As you can see there is the double bubbler in the door there. It is still connected to my pressurized air. Is that wrong? I have a stone under the rocks to even out the bubbles. Should I have something different?

*****Also, I have an external water filter, can this be used with the method in the link above?*****(Putting the CO2 in the filter to defuse it?)

Another comment said that the plant I had in the back was looking bad, so I moved it to the center of the aquarium. Here is a picture. Is the plant worth keeping?


















Lastly, what other plants should I be putting in my Tank?

Thanks


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## HolyAngel (Nov 3, 2010)

What kinda light are you running on there?


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## Grin1118 (Jan 25, 2011)

The pictures dont really show my lighting with the flash of my camera. I think this is what I have

Power-Glo Fluorescent Lamps 30 Watts

Thats all I really know. I am wanting LEDs because I can make the stuff myself and they look a lot better.


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## Sketch (Jan 18, 2011)

i suggest you get an airstone, or have the co2 bubbled into your filter intake, that would make it more efficient. my airstone doesnt produce bubble small enough to stay in the water, so i let the bubbles from the airstone get sucked into the filter. the resulting bubbles are so tiny they look like specks of dirt. i spent alot of time experimenting with diy co2, because i didnt see any significant effect in plant growth until i made sure the bubbles are broken up super tiny.

as for plants i have no idea, still too new in this hobby. hope this helps.


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## Grin1118 (Jan 25, 2011)

As I said above, I do have a stone/Airstone connected to my air supply. Its around 8 inches long. is this what you are talking about?

I have one just like "A" In the diagram below


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## Sketch (Jan 18, 2011)

oops sorry i mustve missed that.


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