Live Aquarium Plants

I have always wanted to try an aquarium with live plants, but fear has
stopped me! I would like to start out with a 10 gal. tank to see how it
goes. I have an economy incandescent hood with 2 all-glass 6500k 10
wt. flourescent bulbs to use that a guy in a LSF assured me would be
adequate for most freshwater plants if left on for 12 hours daily.
All-glass advertises that they are suitable for aquarium plants, as
well. Since this is my first attempt, I have a few questions I am
hoping somebody can answer: What is the best thing to use for
substrate? I have read that Flourite is good. Would I need to
supplement with plant food periodically, and if so, does anybody have a
recommendation? Also, I have read that it is not necessary nor is it
advisable to use airstones in the tank as they drive off much-needed
CO2 from the water - do you agree with that? Lastly, is it necessary to
get some sort of CO2 generator, as well, or can I get by with out one?
BTW, the PH of my water is around 7.5 out of a well. Thanks for any
and all advice.

Dave W. wrote:
I have always wanted to try an aquarium with live plants, but fear has
stopped me! I would like to start out with a 10 gal. tank to see how it
goes. I have an economy incandescent hood with 2 all-glass 6500k 10
wt. flourescent bulbs to use that a guy in a LSF assured me would be
adequate for most freshwater plants if left on for 12 hours daily.
All-glass advertises that they are suitable for aquarium plants, as
well. Since this is my first attempt, I have a few questions I am
hoping somebody can answer: What is the best thing to use for
substrate? I have read that Flourite is good. Would I need to
supplement with plant food periodically, and if so, does anybody have a
recommendation? Also, I have read that it is not necessary nor is it
advisable to use airstones in the tank as they drive off much-needed
CO2 from the water - do you agree with that? Lastly, is it necessary to
get some sort of CO2 generator, as well, or can I get by with out one?
BTW, the PH of my water is around 7.5 out of a well. Thanks for any
and all advice.

Lots of good stuff here. http://faq.thekrib.com/plant.html However, it
was written before compact fluorescent lighting and flourite substrates.

Don't let fear stop you. Plants pretty much grow on their own with
enough light, fertlizer and CO2.

Speaking of light, your lighting is what is considered "low" in the
planted tank world. I guess your LFS guy hasn't actually tried to run a
10 gallon planted tank. Small tanks require considerably more lighting
than the 2-3 watt/gallon formula suggests. Also little CF bulbs like
the all-glass ones or hardware store spiral compact bulbs don't put out
as much light as long, straight bulbs. I ran a 5 gallon tank for a
while on 28 watts of 5500K spiral compact bulbs and it was just about right.

Since you have low lighting, start with cryptocorynes (often called
crypts), java fern, and anubias. There are some very attractive
bronzy-red crypts. You may be able to grow a swordplant - hard to say.
Tie the java fern to a small piece of bogwood for an attractive
centerpiece.

CO2 will probably not be limiting in your setup unless you have an awful
lot of plants. Normally, you use an airstone/surface agitation to get
atmospheric CO2 into the tank. If you are supplementing C02 to levels
above atmospheric with yeast or compressed CO2, you turn off aeration to
keep the added CO2 in the water. Flourish Excel is a very good CO2
substitute.

Flourite is good stuff and crypts, grasses, and swords love it. Rinse
it well before putting it in your tank and it will still cloud the water
for a day or two.

An easy start...

Flourite substrate
Plant with LOTS of crypts, anubias, and java fern tied to wood (The
crypts usually will die back and regrow - remove the dying leaves and
don't let it worry you)
Fertilize with Flourish and Flourish Excel
Amano shrimp and maybe a few otocinclus to control algae

Good luck!

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

Thanks for the advice! Is there a decent lighting setup for a 10 gal.
that you can recommend? Perhaps I will invest in something more
adequate if necessary.

On Tue, 09 May 2006 21:23:33 GMT, Altum
wrote:


lot of plants. Normally, you use an airstone/surface agitation to get
atmospheric CO2 into the tank.

Huh? You lost me.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

Dave W. wrote:
Thanks for the advice! Is there a decent lighting setup for a 10 gal.
that you can recommend? Perhaps I will invest in something more
adequate if necessary.


With the plants Altum recommended you should be ok for now. I have a
24-inch 20 watt fluorescent tube on a 15 gallon aquarium and Crypts,
Anubias and Java moss do ok. Mind you, this aquarium gets some indirect
daylight too.

There's not too much point in investing a lot of dough in a 10-gallon
unless you have severe space constraints. A bigger aquarium with
home-made lighting might be the next step .

Dave W. wrote:
Thanks for the advice! Is there a decent lighting setup for a 10 gal.
that you can recommend? Perhaps I will invest in something more
adequate if necessary.

You're welcome. :-) I love planted tanks.

There's no reason not to try what you have first. You can always add
more light and more demanding plants.

If I were setting up a new 10 gallon planted tank, I'd move my 36W power
compact fixture to it. I have it on a 15 gallon tall tank (same
footprint as a 10) and it's not as bright as I would like at the bottom
of the tank. I think it would be perfect for 10 gallons. I bought my
JKS brand 36W fixture locally and it's a small one with a 17" long
double tube and a straight 4-pin base. I've never seen a similar
fixture by mail order but you can ask around.

Coralife Aqualight makes a 20" 28W fixture that would also work. It
comes with a 50/50 bulb so you have to buy a 6700K bulb separately for
it. Buy the "legs" to lift the fixture up off of the tank. CF lights
run rather hot and 10 gallon tanks heat fast.
http://www.hellolights.com/201xcoraqpch.html

You will need to plant heavily and use Excel or CO2 once you're up
around 30W over a 10 gallon tank. Algae is fond of bright light so you
want to be sure the plants establish fast and keep the upper hand.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

On Wed, 10 May 2006 00:00:02 GMT, Altum
wrote:

Dave W. wrote:
Thanks for the advice! Is there a decent lighting setup for a 10 gal.
that you can recommend? Perhaps I will invest in something more
adequate if necessary.

You're welcome. :-) I love planted tanks.

There's no reason not to try what you have first. You can always add
more light and more demanding plants.

If I were setting up a new 10 gallon planted tank, I'd move my 36W power
compact fixture to it. I have it on a 15 gallon tall tank (same
footprint as a 10) and it's not as bright as I would like at the bottom
of the tank. I think it would be perfect for 10 gallons. I bought my
JKS brand 36W fixture locally and it's a small one with a 17" long
double tube and a straight 4-pin base. I've never seen a similar
fixture by mail order but you can ask around.

Coralife Aqualight makes a 20" 28W fixture that would also work. It
comes with a 50/50 bulb so you have to buy a 6700K bulb separately for
it. Buy the "legs" to lift the fixture up off of the tank. CF lights
run rather hot and 10 gallon tanks heat fast.
http://www.hellolights.com/201xcoraqpch.html

You will need to plant heavily and use Excel or CO2 once you're up
around 30W over a 10 gallon tank. Algae is fond of bright light so you
want to be sure the plants establish fast and keep the upper hand.

I'm jealous. My son and a girl lived together and had a baby. My
grandson. My son and the girl and the baby had a nice apartment. My
son wanted an aquarium, he learned a lot from me growing up, he could
manage it without my help. I told him to take his pick from the pile
of tanks overhead in the garage. He took my prized treasure, my 15
Tall. I bought that at a yard sale for $5, and I have never seen one
for sale, so I hate to think what the price is for one of those
babies. What an absolutely perfect shape and size. I want.
My son and the girl broke up. She kept everything in the apartment and
will not give me back my aquarium. She said it was a gift and no take
backs. She happens to be native american and she called me an indian
giver. She is a bitch. She hasn't a clue how to care for it, it is
empty in a closet. Double bitch.

I think Waylon sang something about Mama, don't let your babies go to
bed with bitches . . .

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

On Wed, 10 May 2006 00:13:55 GMT, Altum
wrote:

Mister Gardener wrote:
On Tue, 09 May 2006 21:23:33 GMT, Altum
wrote:


lot of plants. Normally, you use an airstone/surface agitation to get
atmospheric CO2 into the tank.

Huh? You lost me.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

Surface agitation keeps air and water CO2 in equilibrium just as it does
with oxygen and other gasses. If you are NOT adding extra CO2, plants
deplete the CO2 in the tank much as fish deplete oxygen. Surface
agitation helps add CO2 back into the water.

This is the first time I have ever heard that. Because you are you, I
will believe you. But I could benefit from some more opinions to
satisfy my skepticism.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

"Altum" wrote in message
. com...
Mister Gardener wrote:
On Tue, 09 May 2006 21:23:33 GMT, Altum
wrote:


lot of plants. Normally, you use an airstone/surface agitation to get
atmospheric CO2 into the tank.

Huh? You lost me.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

Surface agitation keeps air and water CO2 in equilibrium just as it does
with oxygen and other gasses. If you are NOT adding extra CO2, plants
deplete the CO2 in the tank much as fish deplete oxygen. Surface
agitation helps add CO2 back into the water.

Adding CO2 gas to a fishtank artificially raises CO2 levels above the
normal equlilbrium levels. At this point, you want to reduce surface
agitation because the extra CO2 you carefully added will be driven back
out of the water.


I wonder is you're using the old slide rule, or the new-fangled Texas
Instruments or HP...Your conclusion made haunting good sense. I'm still
swirling it around ......

I have some amazon swords that are sending off new babies faster than
I can nail them into the substrate. They are developing good roots and
new leaves like crazy. Many have several leaves and are 4 or 5 inches
tall with no sign of slowing down. I am thinking about transferring
them to a tank of their own, a tank set up solely to grow these things
out to a sellable size. My lfs would love them, and will pay good
money. I have some tens and a 20 long. Tell me how to set up the ideal
situation for these plants. I am also seeing similar new plant action
from a couple of very old crypts that have begun throwing off babies.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me