# Newbie to planted aquarium



## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Hello everyone,

maybe there is already a place for introduction of new members of this forum and wanna-be members of the DFWAPC club... if so, sorry for not posting on the right place but I did not find it yet.

So I decided to resume the "well-planted fish tank" hobby after some 20 years away and it has been a lot of fun learning about so much new information and practices. Overwhelming too! So far I have done most on my own and the occasional help from LFS. Would be great to meet experienced people who share the interest. Would appreciate if one can guide in how to join the club...Thanks! 


For those interested, here's more detailed information on my set-up and my immediate goals. 
I am still cycling my tank (almost a month now), 110g (48'' x 18'' x 28.5''). Ultimate goal is to have a well-planted aquarium and many small American tetras (community tank). Water parameters (pH, GH, nitrites, etc) have been good on the fish keeping side for a while (10 Serpae tetras so far + random snails that arrived with the plants). I already planted an assortment of species with varying degrees of success: swords, creeping jennie(?), valisneria, brazilian pennywort, crypts, java fern, anubias and, floating for quick growth, hornwort and water sprite. Algae has been a issue, I think I have diatoms (black/brown grains/rust growing on leaves) and now some other greenish stuff on the glass. 

Substrate: eco-complete + flourite (sic?), CO2 "low pressure" with CO2 life for 75g, 4x 48"T5 (2 x10,000K each and other 2 that look white) - I consider a "medium light" tank because it is between 2-2.5 w/g but it is pretty deep, filter is a canister type. 

My main concerns at this point is:

1) I have a tall tank... it is a pain to plant.. have to find the right tool/technique to keep them in place while I dig the substrate.

2) How to optimize the syphoning/water change routine.

3) Looking for plants to complete the aquascaping (floating, foreground (mini-swords?) a fast growing for the background and reds!) and finding a new place for all the hornwort and sprite that grew over the last few days.


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

Welcome to DFWAPC Marcio! You have come to the right place. My show tank is 90 gallons so I can give you advice from my experience. The best tools I have found to use is a step ladder and the long tweezers used by reptile owners. The optimal way of changing the water is to use a hose that you can attach to your sink or garden hose. If your refilling with tap water, add Seachem Prime before and after filling to make sure your fish are safe from Chlorine. As far as plants go, you have come to the right spot. We have plenty of plants to share with you at our club meetings. We believe in sharing plants with each other to help keep the hobby going and to have backups in case something happens.

Robert


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## Ekrindul (Jul 3, 2010)

If you are having algae issues, I would cut down on the number of bulbs you are using until things stabilize. T5 is more intense than T8/T12 lighting, which the watts/gallon rule was based upon. That rule generally isn't promoted much anymore since modern lighting doesn't work well with it. 

I would try to use just 2 bulbs for at least a week or two and observe if the algae retreats at all. You should see some improvement and your plants will need less CO2 due to the lower lighting, which will help with their general health. Getting the plants as healthy as possible is key to overtaking your algae issue. You might also consider dosing Seachem Excel for a few weeks as it acts as an algaecide and will also supplement your plants CO2 demand. 

Increasing the flow in the tank may also help combat the algae. A large powerhead, or several smaller powerheads--preferably something like a Koralia, which is low pressure, high volume--should be enough. I would point them at the surface to increase surface turbidity. The extra oxygen will help your bacteria get established. I wouldn't worry too much about CO2 leaching out of the system. Just increase the bubble rate to compensate (CO2 is cheap).

Increasing the number of water changes for a few weeks will also help, as this will pump even more CO2 into the system and remove organics. Say, 70% changed twice a week.

At this point, I wouldn't remove any plant mass from the tank until the algae is gone. At the same time, you don't want to jeopardize the flow in the tank by allowing stems to grow too tall or too close together. Aim for as many plants as possible, neatly gardened.


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

HI we are here to help, I agree with josh and robert... any questions just ask..


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## alexopolus (Jan 18, 2010)

Where are you from Marcio? (Brazilian?)


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## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Hi there,

thanks for the welcoming words and for the advice. 

As for the question above, yes, I am originally from Brazil - Rio de Janeiro. Great country to get started on the hobby since so many "classic" fish and plants are local, abundant and available . I recall going to fishing trips in local rivers and streams and finding tetras and corys. So my goal is to have a "South American fish" tank but I'm no purist... plants are from anywhere (whatever works!) and I plan to add the harlequin rasbora (southeast asia, I believe) just because they are so cool.


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## MacFan (Jul 30, 2006)

You need a set of long handled tweezers for planting. You can get cheap ones that are about 12" long as Elliots Hardware. We have some nice 24" ones we got somewhere online.


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## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Macfan,

thanks for the tip on the tweezer. That looks exactly what I need to improve my handling of plants. Since my tank is 28'' tall, I think I should go for A 24-incher or my arms will get quite wet!

Regrading the suggestion on Hycor Koralia powerheads... I did some research and I am excited about it but it seems the Koralia line is all or nothing" (user cannot regulate the flow) so I have to be careful what model I choose. I am looking for gentle, gentle flow, just enough to prevent sediment deposition on plants leaves but I don't want my tetra to constantly work out against a stream or to mechanically stress my plants... any ideas on what would be the adequate model for my 90g (of water) and where should it be positioned? Right now my tank only has the filter outake flow as a source of water circulation, and the filter intake is on the opposite side. I was thinking the power head would be located opposite the filter intake? And where should my CO2 source be located?

Thanks!


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## Ekrindul (Jul 3, 2010)

Can you show us a picture of the tank? It will make it alot easier to suggest a setup. Without seeing things, I'd put in on the side glass near the front of the tank, as close to the water surface as possible, pointed at the opposite side of the tank and aimed up at the water surface just enough to create a gentle ripple.

CO2 output should be located where it will be circulated into the rest of the tank most efficiently. Near the highest source of flow.

As for the powerhead, something like the 750 shown here, or two 550's:

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4586+21971&pcatid=21971


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

The way I circulate my filter output is to have it run long ways of the tank. On the flow return direction I have a power head pushing the water back long ways to the filter intake. Making one back loop. At night time, I kick on a bubble wall to aerate and change the flow in the tank for the pump to pick up. It seems to be working good with out stressing out my little guppies.


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## MacFan (Jul 30, 2006)

I use Hycor Koralia powerheads in all my tanks to supplement the pump flow. In general, I don't think you can really have too much circulation. I mean I'm sure you can, but it's hard. Even in my discus tank, the discus know where the calm areas are and go there when they want calm, but visit most of the tank regularly. Some fish really like current. In fact, I'm reconfiguring my 150g tank to be a river tank this weekend. I had that before by using an FX5 with the intake on one end and the return on the other. That pump got damaged, so I'm replacing it with a different setup. Anyway, the Hycor Koralia's come in different sizes, pick one you think is sized for your tank, but don't be afraid of circulation. In planted tanks you need circulation so fertilizers and CO2 get to all the plants in the tank.


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## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Ekrindul said:


> Can you show us a picture of the tank?


hi, I am making a few changes to the lay-out (removing excess driftwood, replanting) and will post in a few days. thanks!


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