AshRolls
Member
Hi there,
Firstly thanks for this informative forum, I have been reading through and gaining excellent information from all of your contributions.
I am about to set up my first planted community tank using the low tech non co2 approach and would appreciate if you could run your experienced eyes over my plan to make sure I haven't made any glaring mistakes and offer up any nuggets of advice or wisdom! I already have all the equipment and substrate but have yet to purchase fertiliser / plants / fish.
Tank: Juwel Rio 400 (400 litres, 104 US gal)
Lights: 2xT8 Flourescent 40W (Power Glo, Aqua Glo) (~0.8 WPG) + reflectors
Filter: Eheim Professional 3 2080 (pump output - 1700 ltr/p/h)
Substrate : 50/50 mix of eco-complete and unipac black gravel (inert)
Target Temperature : 24C
Local Water : Very Soft, Mildly Alkaline (Cornwall)
Lights on 8 hours per day (3pm to 11pm)
Maintenance:
Top up water changes only
Fertiliser: (per week, miss a week once a month)
1 teaspoon Equilibrium
1/2 teaspoon Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)
1/8 teaspoon Potassium Mono Phosphate (KH2PO4)
Flora:
Vallisneria spirallis (grass, back of tank)
Java moss - Vesicularia dubyana (tied onto rocks / wood)
Java fern (narrow leaf) - Microsorum pteropus (not on substrate, wrap rhizome around stone / wood)
Hygro polysperma
Chain swords
Lilaeopsis (aquarium grass)
Brazillian pennywort (floating)
Wisteria (needs moderate light)
Fauna:
6x Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
20x Bloodfin Tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi)
8x Oto (Otocinclus vittatus)
5x Peppered Corys (Corydoras Paleatus)
UPDATE Thanks to the advice below I have now decided to do a 50% water change every month. I will also most likely be changing from Peppered Cory to a species that is more tolerant of warmer water, and also changing to another breed of Tetra as well.
UPDATE 2 The substrate will also include a basic soil under layer of Pond Soil.
Firstly thanks for this informative forum, I have been reading through and gaining excellent information from all of your contributions.
I am about to set up my first planted community tank using the low tech non co2 approach and would appreciate if you could run your experienced eyes over my plan to make sure I haven't made any glaring mistakes and offer up any nuggets of advice or wisdom! I already have all the equipment and substrate but have yet to purchase fertiliser / plants / fish.
Tank: Juwel Rio 400 (400 litres, 104 US gal)
Lights: 2xT8 Flourescent 40W (Power Glo, Aqua Glo) (~0.8 WPG) + reflectors
Filter: Eheim Professional 3 2080 (pump output - 1700 ltr/p/h)
Substrate : 50/50 mix of eco-complete and unipac black gravel (inert)
Target Temperature : 24C
Local Water : Very Soft, Mildly Alkaline (Cornwall)
Lights on 8 hours per day (3pm to 11pm)
Maintenance:
Top up water changes only
Fertiliser: (per week, miss a week once a month)
1 teaspoon Equilibrium
1/2 teaspoon Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)
1/8 teaspoon Potassium Mono Phosphate (KH2PO4)
Flora:
Vallisneria spirallis (grass, back of tank)
Java moss - Vesicularia dubyana (tied onto rocks / wood)
Java fern (narrow leaf) - Microsorum pteropus (not on substrate, wrap rhizome around stone / wood)
Hygro polysperma
Chain swords
Lilaeopsis (aquarium grass)
Brazillian pennywort (floating)
Wisteria (needs moderate light)
Fauna:
6x Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
20x Bloodfin Tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi)
8x Oto (Otocinclus vittatus)
5x Peppered Corys (Corydoras Paleatus)
UPDATE Thanks to the advice below I have now decided to do a 50% water change every month. I will also most likely be changing from Peppered Cory to a species that is more tolerant of warmer water, and also changing to another breed of Tetra as well.
UPDATE 2 The substrate will also include a basic soil under layer of Pond Soil.