Hello everyone at ukaps.
Firstly thanks to everyone at ukaps, awesome site!
I'm new to this forum and in the process of beginning my first ever planted aquarium. In the past I have had success with marines and reef keeping but have had to down grade due to cost and time. Some info about me, I'm 20 y/o living in Staffordshire, starting a Games Design course in September at Stafford Uni. I've been a reader of PFK for sometime now and found this site after reading about Tom Messenger.
Current Equipment
The tank I have is from the Jewel Rekord series and measures L=100cm, W=30cm and H=40cm with a volume of roughly 31 US Gallons (120'ish litres), the tank itself is currently in the process of being painted as I'm sick of using vinyl films . I have removed the hood and replaced it with an Arcadia Luminaire consisting of four T5 tubes. I have removed the marine tubes I was using on my reef tank and replaced them with 39W full spectrum bulbs. I plan on only using two of the four T5's otherwise I believe the light intensity would be far too strong. I worked it out at 2 - 2.5WPG giving me medium/medium high light levels (please correct me if I'm wrong). Filter wise I will be using an Aqua One Aquis 750 and my heater is the standard Jewel one.
The Plan
Originally I wanted to try some aquascapes using different types of mosses, but after further reading I have decided to try something more interesting using some simple but good looking plants such as Crypts and Java fern along with some Java Moss. Fish wise, maybe some Neon Tetras, I definitely want really small fish.
Because I'm a total newbie to planted and freshwater tropicals, I plan to use the " Simple but Stunning, Low-maintenance planted tank" guide in Issue 9 of PFK. (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... sue_id=99#)
I will be using aquatic soil for the planting substrate along with a top layer of dark coloured gravel.
Plants I plan to use are:
Microsorum (Java Fern) on the drift wood.
Wendtii
E.tenellus
Echinodorus
Vallisneria
Java Moss on the drift wood.
Please let me know if any of these plants are tough to maintain or if you have any better suggestions on plants to use, or if I should make my list shorter.
I don't plan to use C02 just yet but it may be a consideration in the future once I get more experience keeping planted aquariums.
Well that's it, thanks for reading and sorry for such a long introduction.
Rob.
Firstly thanks to everyone at ukaps, awesome site!
I'm new to this forum and in the process of beginning my first ever planted aquarium. In the past I have had success with marines and reef keeping but have had to down grade due to cost and time. Some info about me, I'm 20 y/o living in Staffordshire, starting a Games Design course in September at Stafford Uni. I've been a reader of PFK for sometime now and found this site after reading about Tom Messenger.
Current Equipment
The tank I have is from the Jewel Rekord series and measures L=100cm, W=30cm and H=40cm with a volume of roughly 31 US Gallons (120'ish litres), the tank itself is currently in the process of being painted as I'm sick of using vinyl films . I have removed the hood and replaced it with an Arcadia Luminaire consisting of four T5 tubes. I have removed the marine tubes I was using on my reef tank and replaced them with 39W full spectrum bulbs. I plan on only using two of the four T5's otherwise I believe the light intensity would be far too strong. I worked it out at 2 - 2.5WPG giving me medium/medium high light levels (please correct me if I'm wrong). Filter wise I will be using an Aqua One Aquis 750 and my heater is the standard Jewel one.
The Plan
Originally I wanted to try some aquascapes using different types of mosses, but after further reading I have decided to try something more interesting using some simple but good looking plants such as Crypts and Java fern along with some Java Moss. Fish wise, maybe some Neon Tetras, I definitely want really small fish.
Because I'm a total newbie to planted and freshwater tropicals, I plan to use the " Simple but Stunning, Low-maintenance planted tank" guide in Issue 9 of PFK. (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... sue_id=99#)
I will be using aquatic soil for the planting substrate along with a top layer of dark coloured gravel.
Plants I plan to use are:
Microsorum (Java Fern) on the drift wood.
Wendtii
E.tenellus
Echinodorus
Vallisneria
Java Moss on the drift wood.
Please let me know if any of these plants are tough to maintain or if you have any better suggestions on plants to use, or if I should make my list shorter.
I don't plan to use C02 just yet but it may be a consideration in the future once I get more experience keeping planted aquariums.
Well that's it, thanks for reading and sorry for such a long introduction.
Rob.