• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

9 Gallon African Biotype

kkgeorge

Seedling
Joined
26 May 2008
Messages
6
Hey guys,

I finally took the plunge into planted tanks. I have kept and bred several fish species but this is the first time I am attempting to keep plants. Hopefully, I'll do it right the first time around. This is what I have so far:

Aquarium: 14 3/4" length x 11" width x 13" height
Lighting: Current 32W PC turned on for roughly 8 hours per day
Filtration: Eheim 2215
Substrate: Aqua Soil Amazonia, Bacter 100, Tourmaline BC, and Power Sand S
CO2: DIY yeast CO2 (2L with 1 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp of yeast, 2 tsp of protein drink mix, 1 T of molasses, and 1 tsp of baking soda) -- I have not set up the CO2 yet, I'll be doing that this coming week.
Additives: Flourish once to twice a week
Water change: Roughly 50% 2 x a week.
Water quality: Temperature: 76F pH: 6.6; NO2: < 0.02 mg/l; NO3: < 1 mg/l
Plants: Anubias barteri, Anubias barteri var. nana, Anubias barteri var petite, and Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'
Fish: 1:1 Pelvicachromis taeniatus 'Nigeria Yellow'

Currently all the fish and plants are in QT. I will be planting and aquascaping the tank tonight. I plan on adding Bolbitis heudelotii (it's hard to find it in the US), Crinum calamistratum , and Aponogetons longiplumulosus. I'll also be purchasing 6-8 Norman's blue eye (Aplocheilichthys normani).

What do you all think? I'll be posting some pics tonight :D .

-George
 
kkgeorge said:
What do you all think?
Welcome to the dark side! 8)

The plants you've selected are all slow growing and in a sence low maintenance, but if arranged right, they can be very effective. You might want to cut the lighting duration, but your plants will tell you when they've had enough! Watch them as carefully as you watched your (breeding) fish and give them the nutrients they need, and you will be as successful a plant keeper as you were a fish keeper! For a few hints on how to keep your plants happy, check out the Tutorial section here:
viewforum.php?f=34
Baseline: Give the plants what they need and they'll give it back ten fold (trust me, when you start doing your weekly pruning, you'll know what I'm talking about).

Oh... And keep the pictures coming :D
 
YzemaN said:
kkgeorge said:
What do you all think?
Welcome to the dark side! 8)

The plants you've selected are all slow growing and in a sence low maintenance, but if arranged right, they can be very effective. You might want to cut the lighting duration, but your plants will tell you when they've had enough! Watch them as carefully as you watched your (breeding) fish and give them the nutrients they need, and you will be as successful a plant keeper as you were a fish keeper! For a few hints on how to keep your plants happy, check out the Tutorial section here:
viewforum.php?f=34
Baseline: Give the plants what they need and they'll give it back ten fold (trust me, when you start doing your weekly pruning, you'll know what I'm talking about).

Oh... And keep the pictures coming :D

I have the 8 hr lighting period divided into 3 parts with 2 hour breaks in between them, but like you said I'll keep an eye on it for algae growth. Thanks for the link Yzeman. I have a quick question, I been in contact with Orlando from http://www.greenleafaquariums.com, he says that DIY CO2 does not provide enough pressure to push through the diffusers and suggests using a powerhead or limewood stone. But here, I have seen several people recommending using a glass diffuser, is it a waste of money and is better just to connect the CO2 to my Maxi-Jet? Or should I get the Nutrafin's ladder diffuser? Another thing I have noticed is that people recommending bubble counters for DIY CO2 reactors, isn't that kind of pointless considering I have no control over how much CO2 is produced?

I was really impressed with GLA and Orlando. I have been in the hobby for a while now, it's always nice to see aquarium companies giving factual information and not just trying to make customers buy their stuff.
 
This might be stupid question but do you guys vacuum the substrate of your planted tanks? I am using ADA Amazonia Powder and if I try to vacuum the substrate it comes up with the water. Does anyone have any recommendations? How do you guys get the crap in the gravel out?

Also. I have mentioned I use a Maxi-Jet 400 with it's venturi kit at night to increase the O2, but I have noticed that it's not producing any bubbles at all. Is there anyway to fix that?

Any comments or help would greatly be appreciated :D .

-George
 
Basically hover over the surface, a little will come out but it'll take a hell of a long time before you notice any difference.
 
Back
Top