# New Tank, Stem Plant / Initial Start-up Advice



## dellerino (Jul 10, 2011)

Hello all,

I have accounts on pretty much every plant forum now I think : ) Always good to get different opinions!

After a summer of building stand and CO2 system for my * first * planted tank, a 40 breeder,, I finally loaded in the Eco Complete substrate and planted it Friday Night! (been around 4 days now)

Here is the current FTS - it contains what I bought from the LFS (more on the way see below) : Red Cabomba, Green Cabomba, Red Ludwigia, Crypt Wendtii, Bacopa, Elodea (Egeria Densa I believe is the same thing, also called Anacharis)










I am getting around 90 more stems in the mail tomorrow bought via someone's trimmings : 70+ Rotala Green, 15 Rotala Rotundifolia, a couple Variegated Hygro Difformis, and Mini Macandra

I have made a list below, In Order, of my collection and how i think it will grow for my conditions (2 dual-bulb T5 Normal Output fixtures, CO2 injection, EI dosing) - This is for "initial planting / startup", as in the fast growing stem plants to avoid algae outbreaks at the beginning. After significant growth starts occurring I could begin removing and adding other plants like rooted varieties and more interesting bunches etc.

I made this list so that, if the tank starts to get really packed as I re-arrange it tomorrow night, I can say goodbye to the plants that don't make the cut and don't fit, and don't accidentally toss the best-growing plants of my collection (nothings really growing yet except for a couple stems of the Elodea). For example if I don't have room I'm likely going to get rid of the Cabomba Furcata which comes in at last place of my available plants.

I would love comments if I am right about this so that I keep the right species if I run out of room to plant once I get my hands wet again tomorrow!

The HC lawn will almost definitely be uprooted and compacted into a smaller area so that I can fit more of the stem plants in.

The comments are from the Plant Finder on this site on hardiness, lighting requirements, and growth speed.

Best-to-Worst Plants I have to start algae-fighting growth power in my tank:

1) Bacopa - Very Easy, Low, Fast (Have 25 Stems in tank)

2) Elodea / Egeria Densa - Very Easy, Medium Light, Very Fast (Have 15 Stems in tank)

3) Rotala Green - Easy, Med Light, Fast (70 Stems in Mail)

4) Rotala Rotundifolia - Easy, Med Light, Fast (15 Stems in Mail)

5) Variegated Hygro Difformis (Water Wisteria) - Easy, Med Light, Fast (2 stems In Mail)

6) Bacomba - Moderate, High Light, Very Fast (Have 18 Stems in Tank)

7) Mini Macandra - Moderate, High Light, Moderate Growth (5 stems in mail)

8 ) Bacomba Furcata - Difficult, High Light, Fast (12 stems in tank - didn't realize they probably require more than I can give)

Unranked bonus plants:
Red Ludwigia - have 4 stems but they seem to be losing their color already, unsure if it's new tank shock or T5NO lightning not bright enough
HC - Moderate, High Light, Medium
Crypt Wendtii - Very Easy, Low, Medium (3 in tank)


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Make sure that most plant leaves are genlty moving from the water flow.

Make sure your filter is the largest you can afford to buy. (Aim for 10% of the tank volume if possible)

Change 10% of the water every other day.

Wait till the plants stop growing that VERY carefully start to fertilize the water (starting with K, then Ca, Mg, N, P, K, Traces/Iron)

Do not check your pH - the EcoComplete buffers the pH. It is not the greatest planted tank substrate but it works because very much any gravel works.

Run the CO2 during the day. Turn off at night.

Best lighting is like this: VERY strong light for 1-3 hours in the middle of the day. Very low light before and after that period. 8-10 hours total (morning: 3 low, midday: 1-3 strong, afternoon 3-5 low).

For best results try to find out how the Japanese run their tanks.

--Nikolay


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## dellerino (Jul 10, 2011)

2 x 2217 on the tank which is pretty much the most filtration I've seen anyone run on this size tank - working with spray bars to get plants moving but not blown over! I have 95% of the tank swaying now.

I do have a burkert solenoid on CO2.

The only thing I really haven't done as per your recs is holding off on dosing, I started with the EI right away.


Thanks so much for the comments.

I will have to see how the T5NO lighting fairs.


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