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20 Long - First Planted Tank

3K views 19 replies 6 participants last post by  blake6511 
#1 ·
Lighting: Finnex Stingray
Filter: AquaClear 30
Heater: Eheim Jager 100 watt
Substrate: Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting mix (~1 inch) with black diamond blasting sand (20/40) cap (~1 inch).

This is my first attempt at a planted tank. Going with the low tech approach. Will be adding low light plants that are suitable for a beginner.

My wife does not like the look of most fish stands so we found this piece of furniture to use. We both sat on it (around 285 pounds combined) and it seemed solid. I placed the tank on it, filled with water and left for 3 days to make sure there were no leaks.

Adding the potting mix (rinsed first to try and remove wood particles and anything that floats) to the tank. The rinsed black diamond sand was added around the edges first to keep from seeing two separate layers of substrate.




Thought the tank may have algae issues being by the window so added a black background to help with this. Also added the black diamond sand cap.



The heater and filter are in the mail and I order a piece of manzanita driftwood. Once everything is put together, I plan on ordering the plants. I would like to keep it to just a few types. I would like to add some water sprite, java ferns, java moss, and something red like ludwigia. Open to suggestions on some other background plants and something for carpeting. Have not decided on fish at the moment but would like to add some snails and shrimp to help with any algae issues once the tank is cycled.
 
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#2 ·
I also have as my first planted tank a 20 long with MGOPM capped with black diamond and a Finnex Stingray! I have had all sorts of problems, but I'm five months in and, as long as I don't miss a weekly water change, things are going OK. One thing I've learned is that, for whatever reason, some plants do well and some just didn't. Once I accepted that and focused on having a few species that seemed happy in the setup, it went better. I can post a pic later on today and am happy to give you more details or plant and livestock suggestions if you're interested. Enjoy!
 
#4 ·
OK! I updated my tank journal, which I hadn't added to for a while, with my six major problems. My goal was a very low-tech, no CO2 setup.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...n-long-my-first-planted-tank.html#post8785130

I also have a couple of links in there to threads I started to get help with startup problems, and where to get plants not-at-retail.

I'm excited to see how yours goes! And please let me know if you found anything helpful.
 

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#8 ·
Ordered the following plants:

Foreground: Anubias Petite
Midground: Crypto parva, cryptop wendtti red, java fern
Background: Bacopa Carolinan, Creeping Charlie, rotala indica, water sprite (may float)

Hopefully these will do well. Plants and driftwood should both arrive on Friday.
 
#9 ·
The driftwood I ordered from manzanita-driftwood.com came today. It is currently soaking, but I expect I will have to weight it down. Was pleased with the packaging and the overall customer service from them. I also *attempted* to aquascape the tank a little. Thinking the left side where the taller end of the driftwood is would be the focal point. Also tried to create a little bit of a slope but was concerned about going to deep with the cap. Please let me know if you have any suggestions to make it look better. Also have some dragon stone (4 pieces) I could use if needed. Apologizes in advance for the cell phone pics and the reflection in the background of the tank.


 
#10 ·
Here is how everything turned out 24 hours after planting. I still have about 10-15 stems of Rotala Indica and 3-4 more stems of bacopa caroliniana that would just not stay put that I am going to try and replant today. Not really excited about how it looks at the moment, but was trying to plant as heavy as possible, thinking I can move things around once everything is established. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for plant placement, future plants, mistakes in planting, etc. Also, the non dragon stone rock is just temporary until the driftwood stays submersed and I would like to add some smaller foreground plants.

Picked up a bottle of Dr. Tim's aquatic ammonia in order to start the fishless cycle. Will add that later this evening.

Full tank shot


Left side


Middle
[

Right side


May have been a mistake, but planted some rotala indica in a bunch as it was a real pain to get it to stay put. Used plant anchors from aquariumplants.com on a few of the plants as well as the bunch of rotala indica.

Plant anchors


Rotala Indica bunch


The lighting is currently set to 3 hours on, 4 1/2 hours off, 3 hours on. Plan on slowly increasing that by 15 minutes at a time as well over the next few weeks.
 
#11 ·
Changed the lighting to just 6 hours on at the advice of the LFS. Also dosed dr Tim ammonia per instructions but my API test kit is only showing between .5 and 1ppm. Seems to be a common issue when researching. Any one have a brand that is accurate in measuring the dr Tim stuff?
 
#13 ·
I believe the tank is done cycling as it is turning 2ppm of Ammonia to 0 in 24 hours, but I posted a question in the fertilizers and water parameters section of the forum about it. Hoping to add some fish this weekend. Started dosing seachem potassium, phosphorus and equilibrum and the plants seem to be getting adjusted to the tank. Will try and provide some more details soon.
 
#15 ·
Quick tank shot


Tank finished cycling so I added 3 runny nose tetras. Plan to add more next week. Will also be stocking with some neon tetras.

For plants, looking to add something in the back left corner, maybe something like a Java fern. I want to add some Anubias on the rocks and then something in the front (would love to hear suggestions).
 
#16 ·
Looking good so far, hope to see you update as your tank fills up with plants and fishies!

I have had a 20 Long for 2 years now and had success with some of your plants listed. Like you I have a sunny room (opposite of window as opposed to in front), Low tech and using black sand (instead I use Stratum instead of soil). At first my Indica was great and started really showing some red hues but only if I kept up with iron dosing and root tabs. As of this year though Ive completely given up on any Rotala sp. as it was definitely a pain to plant/keep a certain color and actually grew too much with my finnex planted+ or planted 24/7. (they grew up to the water surface and would block out my lights when continuing at a 90 degree angle) I do still have my original Java Fern and Anubias that multiplied very well and have since separated into 5 other tanks Ive owned helped with over the years.

Good luck with your tank, RummyNose Tetras are cool! :)

Subbed
 
#18 ·
I currently have Anubias, Java Fern, Floating Fern, Willow Moss, Water Wisteria, Ambulia (Marshweed)

My 20 Long is currently a Betta Sorority. But in the past I've had Several Tetras: Neons, Rummy, Bloodfin and also had German Rams ,Several Cories: Peppered, Panda, Pygmy and Guppies. All where in the tank with each other at some point.

I've had over 40 fish in my tank at one point as well as over 50 Cherries, 10 Amanos and 50 Assassins. (Was quite difficult to maintain, hence the reason I switched to Bettas.)

You can see my Signature below for the history of my 20Long since 2013.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Added 4 more rummy nose tetras today. All 7 seem happy and are swimming around in a group, although they are still hiding in the back a lot.

Edit: lost 3 today. The other seem to be doing ok, hanging out in a group but hiding. The ones I lost were having trouble swimming. Tested the water and parameters were 0, 0, 5ppm.
 
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