# Advice Given



## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

When setting up your first planted tank...

_What advice did you get that was no at all helpful and now that you know better you wished you had not listen and done things differently?_

I got told a few things that was not at all helpful but the #1 thing that stands out is that more light is better. So I spent big money on 130 watts of light for a 20G high, which now I'm only using 65 watts of. Later I found out that it is much better and easier on a newbie to start out low light/low tech. If only I had joined APC and did my research first. I could have saved some bucks and algae woes.

Lets hear the advice that you where given


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## Plattykins (Apr 3, 2005)

My one thing is the... well, two things (since the info came from the same written source) are:

1. The 1 inch per gallon rule for fish

2. The benefits of a UGF


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

The 1 inch per gallon rule is a good one, I think a lot of people are mislead when it comes to stocking their tanks.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

*Embarassed* I sure hope it wasn't me who told you about the light, Trenac! But, that was a misconception I had as well, although I really liked my 148 watts over my 29 gallon (but I just reduced to 65 in the interests of energy conservation, but I may run another 65 for an hour or so a day, haven't decided yet).


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

PG... No it was not you, this was before my forum days. 

Once I get my pressurized C02 set up on this tank, I may also try the 130 watts again. I just hate for the light not to be used to its full capacity.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Oh good, glad it wasn't me  hehe. Yeah, I understand about how it seems a waste not to use it -- that's why I keep toying with running the other 65 watts for an hour or so a day. But, heck, why pay Wake Electric more than I have to? They already get a huge chunk of my paycheck!


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Some of the best advice I got included: (I'm embarrassed to say I learned within the past year that this advice was worth what I paid for it.)
You need to use a layered substrate, preferably with some laterite, but even backyard soil is better than nothing.
Measure, measure, and measure some more, and keep the nitrate and phosphate levels as low as possible.
Too much light causes algae.
You should condition the water for several days before adding it to the tank.
Stem plants should be bunched together and planted as a bunch.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Hoppy... Keeping N03/P04 low to non-existent was some more bad advice I got. We are not in this one alone.


PG... Can you really tell a big difference in your power bills running the extra 65 watts?


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

I'm not sure, Trenac, but I'm on an electric cooperative, and my bills are always really high. My friend less than 5 miles away on Progress Energy uses almost double the energy and my bill was higher! I also cut the wattage on my 55 to 130 watts, the next month by bill was considerably lower -- but, perhaps that was also due to the weather being mild...I don't know. But, I hate paying my power bills!


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