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First planted tank NEWBIE

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DaiandGems

Seedling
Joined
18 Jul 2010
Messages
8
Hiya we are Dai and Gemma from South Wales and we have jus shut our tank down as had a few problems/diseases and now going to disinfect tank out to start again only this time we want to have a go at a planted tank so want something that will be low tech and easy to maintain as we`re novices. We have a fluval roma 90 and thinking of getting a fluval 205 external filter(not sure if this is to big/small) to replace our u2 internal filter. Have standard lighting but need new bulbs not sure which? need substrate but dont know which. Also plants which are low tech and where to purchase from need ferts but again which are best if needed.Sorry to ask so many questions jus want to get it all before starting tank up again.
 
Reading up through this forum you'll find most of the information you need already archived from years of repition :) But to get you on your way quicker perhaps post the simple stuff first. Such as; tank dimensions, lighting specs, lighting period, CO2 y/n.

Many things have to be taken into concideration and the more the members here know the more usefull information you'll get back. Find out what wattage bulbs you have, or plan to get and it'll make it easier for people to then suggest/advise on what sort of plants, ferts and substrates will be ideal for you first time around. Remember, patience is a virtue...so don't go in under your wellies so to speak right from the off :)

And welcome to the forum :wave:
 
Hiya my tank is 90l has 2 standard t8 lights not thinking of co2 want something low tech to start with
 
Total wattage?
Your best bet is to look at mosses/crypts/anubias/ferns. All low tech and easy to maintain!
Have a scooby at the El Naturel section and i'm sure you'll get loads of ideas. Plenty of people on the forum just maintain one high tech and one or more low-tech tanks, so there are plenty of journals and experience knocking about!
Have fun, and welcome!
Matt
 
Hi DaiandGems and welcome to UKAPS! :wave:

Firstly you need to establish what your goals are.

What's your budget, how much time do you want to spend maintaining, what types of plants do you want to grow, what kind of aquascape are you after?

These are rhetorical questions so don't feel you need to answer them right now, but think about exactly what you want. My best advice is to take a look around at tanks and aquascapes you like and go from there.

Most (not all) 'decent' 'scapes you'll see have CO2 injection. It's not essential by any means but non-CO2 requires lots of patience; something that newcomers to the planted tank hobby may struggle with, as the enthusiasm sometimes isn't reflected by the progression of the aquarium.

If non-CO2 is definitely for you then as mentioned check out the low-tech / El natural section of the forum. Non-CO2 is much less maintenance (minimal water changes) but growth is around 10x slower.

If you wish to go down the CO2 injection route then consider a pressurised system. These are more expensive but are the most reliable. Poor/fluctuating CO2 results in algae.

Another consideration is to go down the liquid carbon route. This almost half way between CO2 and non-CO2. In a 90 litre tank 500ml of liquid carbon would last around 3 to 4 months and cost around £10. You get nice growth rates without the short-term expense of CO2 injection, but it is toxic if overdosed and a few plants are sensitive to it.

With 2 x T8s you can grow most plants nicely. As a beginner I'd stick with what you have.

The Fluval 205 is a good filter and maybe ample for your needs. However, we often suggest a 10x guideline with flow rates i.e. a 90 litre tank should have a 900lph filter. I'd consider a Fluval 305 or 405 personally, or another manufacturer with similar flow rate.

You also need to consider substrate and nutrient dosing (fertilisers).

Take a look through some of the UKAPS articles on the main site, as well as browsing through the pinned topics and journals. These may throw up more questions than answers but we're here to help, especially if we can see you've put some effort into researching a bit before asking said questions. :D

All the best,
George
 
At the moment with having to buy a new filter, plants, light bulbs,substrate and rocks my budget is almost done so will have to start out low-tech and in time when funds are available look into a co2 pressurised system. The type of aqua scape we're after is looking for a centre focal point using seiryu stone and wood on bed of soil on top of sand then plant mosses around base of stones then on the sides of tank plant smaller plants around to taller ones at the back leaving a bit of open space at the front. Not sure about nutrient dosing tho and which plants to use arond sides and back
Thanks
DaiandGems.
 
Having gone to our lfs today we decided to get a new tank. The tank we are going to get is the fluval vinzeca 180l we asked if if they would upgrade the external 205 to the 405 if we paid the difference and said it wouldnt be a problem the tank comes with t5s as standard. So im now thinking of getting a pressurised co2 set up to begin with. The set i was looking at is the d-d complete co2 set(any good).
 
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