# [Wet Thumb Forum]-What do you think?



## Jeremy Blaze (Oct 7, 2005)

Okay, it is actually my second plant tank, but the first I just grabed a bunch of bunch plants and let them go to town.


I am thinking of setting up a 37 gallon. I will run VHO bulbs, not sure how many. I have an Ice Cap 660, so I can run 4 bulbs.

I am going to use kitty litter covered in sand for a substrate, as I have had great luck in the past. 2 powerheads, and a hang on Aquaclear filter. Should I run carbon?

I will use RO water and add Iron.

Fish will be some assorted tetras and such.

This is a list of plants that i would like to include, let me know what you theink of them, and if I should not include any. I doubt I will have all these, but they are the ones that stood out to me.


Baby Tears
Contortion Vals
Tiger Lotus
Ludwigia repens
Money Wort
Lysimachia
Myriophyllum matogrossense
Nesqea
Ammania gracillis
Ludwigia glandulosa
Red Cambomba


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## Pete City (Sep 18, 2004)

The tiger lotus will get way to big for a 37gallon. I wish they didn't, I would love one in my 40.
All the other plants look great.


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## Jeremy Blaze (Oct 7, 2005)

Thanks for the heads up.

What about lights? How many bulbs should I run?


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## Pete City (Sep 18, 2004)

I don't know anything about VHO bulbs or what an Ice Cap 660 is. I will tell you what I know, you can grow just about anything in 2.4 wpg, and anything in 3wpg and above, so if the lights you speak of can give you this you are fine.
I don't see any mention of CO2, you will need it, especially if you want to grow the plants on your list, you may already know this and just forgot to post on it.
How are planning on fertilizing?


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## Jeremy Blaze (Oct 7, 2005)

Well, I like the Natural method, which I used on my last tank.


kitty liter ( clay) with sinking goldfish pellets in the clay for food, as well as Iron supplements were all I needed. Did not use Co2 on last tank, but will consider it.


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

have you grown ludwigia glandulosa in low tech?


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## Jeremy Blaze (Oct 7, 2005)

No, and honestly, I am not really sure what i had in the tank. I know I had a big sword that did well, as well as java moss, the other plants I can't tell you.

Does it not do well in natural tanks? What about the others?


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## Jeremy Blaze (Oct 7, 2005)

Oh, and what about carbon? Should i run it?


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## Jane of Upton (Jul 28, 2005)

Hi Jeremy,

I'm intrigued that you were able to grow a bunch of stem plants in a Quackenbush/Kitty Litter setup. I've had several of the kitty litter substrate tanks over the years, and I found I had a LOT more success with substrate-demanding plants like crypts , swords and aponogetons, but noticably less so with stem plants. Water column feeders like java fern also did well. 

What type of iron supplements did you use in the clay layer? I used an osmocote-type slow release fertilizer (rated to be a 12-month slow release, rather than the 3-4 month rated Osmocote brand). How deep were your layers?

I'm asking all this because I'm 2-3 months in to my first soil substrate tank (Walstad method) and I'm impressed with the results. I have a 65 gallon long I'll be setting up in the next few months, and I'm leaning towards using soil capped with coarse sand rather than the kity litter clay capped with fine sand. 

With the clay substrate, I never had luck with stem plants. I'm beginning to suspect that the clay layer became anoxic too quickly, and the stem plants were unable to establish good roots. I belive the problem was compounded by the fact that a majority of stem plants (at least the ones I ordered or bought from retailers) were grown emersed, and were unable to both transition AND establish in the clay substrate. With this soil based tank, The stem plants are finally settling in. They experienced the transition from emersed to submerged growth, but by replanting the new growth, the stem types (cabomba, bacopa, hemianthus (baby tears), myrio) seem to be getting established. 

I've grown some enormous sword plants in the clay substrate, but they seem to be doing well in the soil substrate, and the soil seems to appeal to a wider range of plants, so the 65 gallon setup will most likely be soil, unless something terrible reveals itself in the next few weeks. 

I've never used CO2 (can't afford it, and my schedule doesn't allow for monitoring the DIY) and have had many planted tanks.

If you could, you may want to "try" a small tank with a soil-based substrate before committing to the larger tank with clay.

Glad to "meet" someone who has done the Quackenbush method as well!
-Jane


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I have always grown all my plants in a clay gravel substrate, including stem plants. The most critical thing is light and then C02. Kitty litter, the old fashioned clay kind, is fine. The clay provides iron. Osmoscote provides nitrogen-phosphate-potassium. You only want to use a little and bury it deep.

Jeremey, it sounds like you will have lots of light with a VHO system. If you have over 3 watts per gallon then that is plenty of light to grow those stem plants, but that puts a high demand for C02. Without adding C02 the stem plants are going to grow slowly and you will have more algae problems.


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## Jeremy Blaze (Oct 7, 2005)

Well, I ended up building a sump for a guys reef tank and got a Perfecto 120 gallon in trade! 60"x18"x24"!! This is just the plant tank I need!

I am going to start building a custom stand for it tommorrow.

AS for plants, the same as I listed before, fish I am looking at a school of Columbian tetras, school of rummy nose, school of Von Rios, school of corys, some ottos, school of marble hatchets, and maybe a group of gouromis.


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## KRiley (Jun 30, 2005)

Hey,

Just thought I would chime in. If you dont already have the VHO, I would definately go with compact flourescants. Since you sound like you are fairly handy with the building of stuff, unlike myself, you could go with the retro fit kits from http://www.ahsupply.com I have used those in the past and they are great. Especially with the 120 gallon tank, i would go with 3x96 watt kit. AH's reflectors are the best. As far as carbon goes, i would say no. Carbon pulls stuff out of the water. You would just be back pedaling if you adding Iron to your RO water. I want to add to everyone elses opinion on CO2, i would definately do it with stem plants. Back in the day i did a tank with no CO2 and alot of stem plants. It was a disaster, i know alot of people have good luck with it, but i wouldnt do it personally. Sorry for the rambling, i had to chime in.


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## Jeremy Blaze (Oct 7, 2005)

Yes I already have the VHO set ups and personally do not care for PC's.

I'm gonna have to look into some CO2 kits, I don't want to spend a bunch of money on it, if I were , I would more likely use it to add a calcium reactor to my Reef Tank.

IF anyone knows of inexpensive CO2 kits that would support this size tank, please share.


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