• 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

Begginer wanting to set up simple planted nano, advice neede

Zero_one

Seedling
Joined
11 May 2008
Messages
2
Hey everyone, great forum btw! Im ash,

Ive been lurking loads of forums over the past year attempting to learn all i can about planted tanks co2 etc without much luck hehe and been following pfk articles about planted nanos. Ive finaly got the guts to do a planted nano. Ive kept tropicals when I was much younger and ive been running a reef tank for almost a year now. Ive decided I would like to set up a planted nano as they are very relaxing to sit and watch (which I need with all the coursework :lol: ) I need your help basicly, I dont really have a clue about how to dose, what to dose, how much light a planted tank needs etc but thats why im here to ask for your guys help. Im looking at getting the arcadia arc tank (35l version) I will be changing the filter for a Aqua Vital 300lph hob (is this too much or should i get the 160lph for the tank size?) I basicly would like to create a mountain scape (i now everyone does but thts what i like the look of :p) I read the article in the tutorial section about the java moss carpet on peices of slate, and was instantly hooked on the idea of this, so I was thinking of having a 3 stone layout in the tank with a black form of fine/smallgravel base and then have small patches of java moss on slate scatterd around. thats basicly all i would like to achieve in this new tank hardscape and plant wise suggestions welcome :). how much maintenance would this take? i now the lite that comes with the arcadia isnt the most powerfull but I do have two IKEA 40wtt desk clamp lamps that I could place of the tank if this would help? stock wise i would like to keep a small shoal of WCMM as thier pretty and hardy which i thought would be good as im a begginer at this, also then I dont know if this would be possible but i was thinking of having either some shrimp in there or maybe an otto or two to help look after the tank. also I would like to note i would like to avoid co2 injection if possible (again funds and knowledge is scarce on this topic)

so basicly in short :p

is it possible to create this tank with low maintanence? (busy student life lol)
what do i need to do dosing wise for java moss carpet?
have i got enough light? if not what do you suggest?
would the stock be compatible in this tank together?
could you advise on weekly maintenence so i dont mess it up? :D

Im looking to set this up over the summer depending on funds and also ill be going to the phillipeens so i may not stock untill i come back in august.
sorry for the long post :p just dont want to balls this up and hurt any livestock in the process

Thanks in advance

Ash
 
Hi Ash and welcome to UKAPS!

Your plan sounds nice.

I always recommend planting heavily with fast growers to start with, especially with a new filter, as the bacteria isn't present to deal with early ammonia spikes etc. The fast growth of plants with minimise these spikes. If you can get mature media, and/or some old substrate, then this will help too.

I'd wait until that tank has been established for a good couple of months before planting moss-only.

The bigger the filter the better. I'd consider a small external canister if budget allows. Flow rate 400-600lph.

As for light, 24w PC T5 over 35 litres is fine. Or you'll need two of the Arcadia units (that are too pink for my taste). Your desk lights may work - worth a go!

If you want low maintenance then consider dosing Easycarbo instead of CO2. This also acts as a mild algaecide which is helpful.

A good all-in-one liquid fert is Tropica Plant Nutrition+. This wouldn't be too expensive for dosing a 35 litre. I'd recommend changing 50% water at least once per week and dosing 3ml 2x per week if planted heavily. Less for moss-only.

I keep Amano shrimp, red nose shrimp and crystal red shrimp successfully in my 12 litre nano, unheated. Cherry shrimp would be fine too. I've read that most freshwater shrimp prefer cooler water (20-23C) anyway.
 
Hi guys,
It really depends on your definition of "Low Maintenance". To me that means "low tech" which is conditionally interchangeable with "low light". 24 watts T5 over an 8 gallon tank is quite a bit of light in my opinion, which as George mentions will require some form of CO2, whether that be gas or liquid dosing. 24 watts T5 is nearer to the regime of "High Maintenance" which will require either daily or 5X weekly dosing of nutrients and better filtration.

If you want Low Maintenance that necessarily means you'll have to lower the lighting sufficiently to lower the CO2 demand to near ambient levels. This also means that you would only have to dose nutrients once a week or every two weeks and there would be no need for water changes.

Cheers,
 
I wouldn't consider 24w PC T5 high light over 8 gal. personally.

My 2.5 gal. has the same light and I'm not dosing CO2, only Easycarbo 2x per week, along with TPN 2x week. Very low-maint, as I've only pruned the plants twice since set up over 10 weeks ago. ;)
 
Hey guys thanks for the replys! also goerge nice vid at pfk watched it last nite between the coursework battle i had, very informative! also thanks for the help so far, ill take a look at the externals and lighting, and a bit of research on the lighting side, as i said im in no rush but eagerr to learn. what would u suggest for fast growing initial plants to help? i have no clue on plants tbh or their scientific names. after watching your vid i definitly thought using the easy carbo is a must as id rather not have to use co2 injectors in the begging and ill look into the TPN+, also how do you figure out how much you need to dose? or is that explaind on the bottles of easycarbo etc?

thanks aswell ceg4048, by low maintanence i mean low tech if thats possible for java moss as this is what I idealy would like to keep eventualy, also by low maintanence i mean a smaller regime of dosing with weekly water changes if this is possible? It also does not bother me if this means the plants take alot longer to grow compared to if they had higher lighting dosing etc patience pays off hehe.

thanks to the both of you, all the advice is much appreciated, is there any books online or physicle or articles you would suggest reading? as like my marine I would like to now as much as i can before jumping in e.g. researched heavily for 7 months before i started my marine tank lol.

many thanks

Ash
 
There aren't many planted tank books around with regard to setup, maintenance etc. One book which is worth a read though is Diana Walstad's "Ecology Of The Planted Aquarium". This is aimed more at low tech setups i.e. soil substrates, no/low CO2 etc. It does have some theories such as aleolopathy (sp?) which some have raised doubts over, but worth a read anyway.

Also worth looking at are the Takashi Amano "Nature Aquarium World" books for inspiration, although more hi-tech.

Hope that helps.
Graham
 
Hi just a word of warning of the Dian Walstad book, if your looking for easy to read and easy to follow instructions or advice, then i would think twice about this book. Its more of a science journal rather than a how to book. If you know all about fossolippid bilayer, etc then you will be fine with that book.

To be honest, the best place for free info and help is the net ( Ukaps baby ).

For inspiration, look at the amano books, look through our links page and keep asking questions and keep reading all you can.
So, i would sugest going through the links page and reading and asking questions and you will be clued up in no time. We are here to help.

P.S, welcome to Ukaps, its the only place to be!

Graeme.
 
Graeme Edwards said:
If you know all about fossolippid bilayer, etc then you will be fine with that book. Graeme.

Haha fossolippid bilayer. Nice one. Just to let others who might be confused as to what that is, it's meant to be phospholipid bilayer. The basic component to every cell intergrity.
 
daniel19831123 said:
Graeme Edwards said:
If you know all about fossolippid bilayer, etc then you will be fine with that book. Graeme.

Haha fossolippid bilayer. Nice one. Just to let others who might be confused as to what that is, it's meant to be phospholipid bilayer. The basic component to every cell intergrity.

Lol

Welcome to the forum!!!
 
daniel19831123 said:
Graeme Edwards said:
If you know all about fossolippid bilayer, etc then you will be fine with that book. Graeme.

Haha fossolippid bilayer. Nice one. Just to let others who might be confused as to what that is, it's meant to be phospholipid bilayer. The basic component to every cell intergrity.

Thats what i meant. Science and spelling are not my strongest areas. :rolleyes:
 
Back
Top