# [Wet Thumb Forum]-My first highlight planted tank



## sherry (Sep 30, 2005)

This is my 35 gallon acrylic cube after it's first month. I haven't started co2 injection yet, but I have been dosing excel. Plan to add co2 next week.


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## Jane of Upton (Jul 28, 2005)

Wow, Sherry - its gorgeous!

You've really managed to enhance a sense of depth (front to back)...... that's always a difficult thing to do, even in a cube!

Is this a laterite type substrate, or did you do this one "el natural" (sorry, I can't recall). Do you really need CO2, and will it be DIY or a pressurized canister system?

What is the plant in the front left quadrant - its got long, lance-shaped leaves with gently wavy margins, and a very short leaf stem - it almost looks like some type of green barclaya to me, or reminds me of the houseplant "birdsnest fern", but with short leaf stems. 

Very nicely done Sherry!
-Jane


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## sherry (Sep 30, 2005)

Jane, 

the tank has eco complete (a bag and a half from the old tank and 2 new bags). I'd love to take credit for the sense of depth, but I've actually got 20 inches to play with, and it has been really nice.

Ah.. I think you mean the Spatterdock Cape Fear.. I was given that as a gift after a friend felt sorry for the tank disaster that preceded my actually getting this cube. I love it. 

I have been wondering if I need the co2 too, but friends have been warning that I've been enjoying a honeymoon of sorts without it and that I will be better off with.

given my low kh /gh 2 and 2, with ph 6.5 co2 is an adventure that I'm a little afraid of.. 

thank you!!

the only real trouble I have right now has been a minicycle I didn't anticipate since I was using old gravel and filter and water....

I have been neurotic about water changes daily (small but frequent) but I think I'm losing the third of three farlowella's to the disaster.. and that makes me sad, they were my favorite (twig catfish)

right now ammonia back down to 0, nitrite .2


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## KRiley (Jun 30, 2005)

Very nice tank Sherry! Once you add CO2 BAM!!! You gonna have plant city! Well done, nice sense of depth.


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## sherry (Sep 30, 2005)

> Originally posted by Riley:
> Once you add CO2 BAM!!! You gonna have plant city! .


I don't know if I can fit more plants.. Although I'm dying for some Ludwiga Glandulosa.. alas Robert's been out.. I'd get that and a little blyx if both are in stock at the same time.

how do I get my reds to pop?. Nitrates are already only 5.. and actually too low for phosphates at 2.


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

The tank is looking great Sherry!!! You have done a great job. Keep us updated on your tank. When you add CO2 its going to be new and exciting experience.

Hawk


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## sherry (Sep 30, 2005)

> When you add CO2 its going to be new and exciting experience.
> 
> Hawk


THANKS, BUT I do wonder.. is it possible that I'd be better off WITHOUT co2? or will the tank ultimately crash?


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Tank looks great Sherry! I understand your reticence for CO2 with a kh of 2 - that's about the limit, but plenty of folks could tell you how to do it with even lower kh's. Why do you think your tank would 'crash'? If you're referring to pH, as I said, plenty of folks raise their kh via artificial means to be able to have stable pH with CO2. 

In any case, your tank is a testament to the fact that Excel does indeed work!


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## sherry (Sep 30, 2005)

Actually I'm a little afraid of speeding up the plant growth... I don't know that I have that much more room. 

I do worry about the buffering thing, but I know you can all guide me there... I am just wondering if I am in a honeymoon of sorts, where the lack of Co2 injection hasn't hurt me... yet... 

so there you have it.. will I have a sudden algae explosion without it.. will I Have untamed growth with it..

I'd love to see some pearling.. but I want to be able to manage what I've created. 

Do you think I should be thinking of extracting some of the stem plants for slower growers if I start co2 and if so, which ones... 

I focused so hard on getting to this point, I'm not sure where to go next!


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

If you have good growth without any algae problems there's no real reason to add CO2 unless you just want too. I have a 75gal tank that I am thinking about turning into a low light tank without CO2 just to cut down on the maintenance. With CO2 in a healthy tank you have trimming to do all the time. It just a matter of how much work you want to do. The draw back to having a nonCO2 tank is it limits you on plants. Some of your red plant need CO2+high light.

Hawk


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## sherry (Sep 30, 2005)

> Originally posted by Hawkeye:
> If you have good growth without any algae problems there's no real reason to add CO2
> Hawk


this just became a moot point because I today saw my first tufts of bba. yuk. so I will fill the co2 tank tomorrow.

NOW buffering.. I have kh/gh 2 and 2. do you guys like baking soda, calcium carbonate or crushed coral?

oh.. and a ph of 6.5 pretty much out of the tap.

NYC water comes directly from the mountains upstate!!


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