# Very first planted tank



## Candice (May 22, 2005)

*Very first planted tank (UPDATED 2 months growth with pics)*

This is my very first planted tank. It's low light, low-tech.
I planted it yesterday.

Specs:
20 gallons.
Low tech, no C02.
Substrate- Flora base. 
Lighting Life-glo bulb.

Endlers livebearers

Flora:
Wisteria
Hygro
Ludwigia
Christmas moss
Anubias
Lilaeopsis
Lace Java Windelov

I'm hoping it will fill out the way I envision. Don't mind the filter floss coving the intake of the filter. I have baby Endlers in the tank and don't want them being sucked up!


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

It looks like a good first setup. With a tank that low-tech the fill-in of the Lilaeopsis will be glacially slow. You could probably add another bulb and dose excell and get decent growth and it would still be very low maintenance.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I like the look of your tank, looks very natural.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I am guessing that you have a single 15 watt tube over the tank. I think all the stem plants as well as the lilaeopsis will struggle with that little of light. Even if it is a 20 watt bulb, they will still struggle. You best bet is Anubias, ferns, mosses, and possibly some Cryptocorynes.


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## bc_hawaii (Apr 25, 2005)

Looks very nice! Keep us updated, I like the look of the flora base.


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## Candice (May 22, 2005)

I have another hood that has 2 t5 bulbs and a total of 48 watts of lighting. Would that still be a low light tank or would it fry my plants?


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

That hood would be perfect. There are people with close to 100 watts over 20 gallon tanks with no plant frying documented. The 48 watts will give you about 2.4 watts/gallon, which is just about ideal for a low light tank.


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## Candice (May 22, 2005)

Thanks! 

I have changed my hood with another tank hood which has two T5 bulbs 6400k / 48 watts. I'm hoping that the plants will do well and the algae won't invade! 

I'll take pictures and see how it grows.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

You now have an amount of lighting that may require the addition of a carbon source (either CO2 or Seachem's Excel).

The plants will grow much better for a time but may quickly use up all the nutrients and then stop. Once that happens, algae can take over as they'll also love the light and can grow with very low levels of nutrients, much lower than plants.

Keep an eye on it. If you notice the plants slow down and algae start to appear quickly, that means the plants are out of nutrients, starting with carbon.


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## Candice (May 22, 2005)

Some good advice. Thank you.


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## Candice (May 22, 2005)

Updated pics of my planted tank.
I am using 2 t5 high output bulbs (48 watts total) and a nutrafin co2 system.
I have 3 ottos, 3 sae's, 4 Amano shrimp and wild endlers livebearers and an unknown number of trumpet snails.

















Close-ups of the Christmas moss

















I also just moved some plants around. I didn't like my previous "layout." The tank is now almost 2 months old. I've noticed a big difference since adding the co2.

I'll keep taking pics and note the progress.










This is what I started with.

I took out the plant in the back right and also took out the anubia. I moved the ludwigia to the left side. I have about triple the amount that I started with now.

I added chain sword to the left front (got it from my bf) and moved the lilaeopsis to the right side.

I added that red plant on the right just the other day, as well as that new plant behind the chain sword on the left just the other day as well. I'll have to see how it grows in my setup.

I took out the old Christmas moss log and put in a different shaped one. The Christmas moss has literally exploded. I'm loving it.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Nice moss growth.


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## Candice (May 22, 2005)

This is what the new moss log looked like when I put it in on June 23/05


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## Candice (May 22, 2005)

*Timeline*

I think it's easier to guage progress with a timeline. I know it's easier for me to see my progress when putting things side by side.

May 23/05 Brand new, first ever planted tank.








June 23/05 Changed log and added C02.








Aug 2/05 Changed up plant placement and general layout added a few new plants.


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## An t-iasg (Jun 3, 2005)

Very nice! 
In the last close-up picture, what is the plant to the right of the moss?


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## richy (Nov 8, 2004)

Looks like Hygrophila Difformis.


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