20 gallon long Cryptocoryne tank!

[pianofish]

Hello all,

It sure has been a while since I've been back on TPT almost two years. And boy did I miss you guys!

I've decided that I'm going to get a 20 gallon long tank with my girlfriend. (Its really cool. She actually wants to get the tank with me.) After my past experience with planted tanks, I really want to do a crypt tank with little to no stems (unless my girlfriend wants them) and a few mosses on driftwood.

The Gear:

I'm gonna be taking my good sweet time with this one and hopefully will have it all pieced together in the next few months. I'd rather save up the money over time and then buy it all at once and do things right if I'm gonna do it at all.

Phase 1:

1. $30 - 20 gallon long tank
2. $40 - DIY stand/ Canopy
2. $50 - Coralife 30" T5 2x18 Watt with 1-10k and 1-6700k
3. $55 - substrate: MTSoil with pool sand cap
4. about $150 in plants.
5. $50 Hydor inline heater 200w
6. $140 eheim 2217 classic (I want the increased media space so that I can house more livestock safely, and it is also a good future proofing incase I'm ever allowed to get a larger tank.)
7. $20 DIY co2 (2x 2 liter bottles)
8. $25 dry fertz

Let it get good and settled in, maybe use a couple of cherries to help the cycle.


Phase 2:

(Not quite sure on the final fish list but here's the gist)

1. $50 some male apisto and 2 females.
2. $30 8-9 cory pygmaeus
3. $30ish for some CPD's
4. $15-30ish on either some ottos or 2 longfin bristlenose

(Fish Subject to change on whims of my lady)


Flora:
(Hopefully)

-Background
-C. Ballansae
-C. Spiralis
-C. Blassii
-C. Wendtii "Mi Oya" or "Tropica" I haven't decided yet.
-C. Wendtii "Green"

-Midground
-C. Pontederiifolia
-C. Beckettii
-C. Wendtii "Florida Sunset"
-C. Rosanervig (Another one to come in later once the tank is established)
-C. Ciliata
-C. Lutea
-C. Wendtii "Red" (Has always grown smaller than other wendtii varieties for me)

-Foreground
-C. Parva (I'm gonna sink a good bit into this to plant a nice carpet and see how it fares. I think it could happen maybe?)
-C. "Flamingo" (I really would love this one )

This is the tank where my inspiration is coming from



credit to (keydoc) on TPT. his crypt blog is amazing.

[pianofish]

What do you guys think I should do as far as substrate?
Would Flourite black sand with MTSoil be okay?
Or would ADA amazonia be better for the plants?

What is yall's opinion on doing a dry start for the tank? If I buy enough plants to begin with, would dry starting be worth it?

Thanks a bunch,

[xjasminex]

I would say if you do a dirt layer, you really don't need any fancy expensive toppers, pool filter sand or a small grained gravel should work, having a good nutritious substrate is important because they are root feeders primarily. They really enjoy clay too, so having a layer of that down before the dirt would be a good idea.

Good luck crypts are my favorite!

[synaethetic]

If you do choose to pick out a pricey substrate then my vote is for Aquasoil. Never had any issues with it, and my crypts put out roots that move rocks on the other side of the tank when i try to uproot them.

If you havent bought the filter yet might I sugguest you go with the 2215. I own a 2213 and have been disappointed by the flow rate lately, on my 20g H tank. The 2215 is not much more money.

[pianofish]

Originally Posted by xjasminex

I would say if you do a dirt layer, you really don't need any fancy expensive toppers, pool filter sand or a small grained gravel should work, having a good nutritious substrate is important because they are root feeders primarily. They really enjoy clay too, so having a layer of that down before the dirt would be a good idea.

Good luck crypts are my favorite!

Well thanks! I appreciate the gesture. What sort of clay do you reccomend under the dirt? Same kind that normally goes in the dirt?

Originally Posted by synaethetic

If you do choose to pick out a pricey substrate then my vote is for Aquasoil. Never had any issues with it, and my crypts put out roots that move rocks on the other side of the tank when i try to uproot them.

If you havent bought the filter yet might I sugguest you go with the 2215. I own a 2213 and have been disappointed by the flow rate lately, on my 20g H tank. The 2215 is not much more money.

Hmm, I think with the 20 gallon long, I'd be okay being that the water column is so small and linear, I think the 2213 would be sufficient. I would just hate to get the 2215 and find out that its pushing too much and hurting my plants.




Anyone have any advice for dry starting crypts??

[xjasminex]

I have bought crypt clay from the moderator chad320 and that's what I used in my 55 gallon, but you can also go to a craft store and buy clay too, but unfortunately I'm not sure what kind or brand is best...I'm sure someone else will know though =]


It might be nice to have more cories too, they like bigger groups, like ten or more, and with a large foot print you could have even more!

[hisxlency]

as an FYI I got talked into the 2217 for my 20L. There is a thread under Equipment where some good points were made

Look forward to seeing your progress

[n00dl3]

Cool idea!!! I'm in the process of doing the same except on a bigger scale. I wouldn't do dry start for crypts as you might experience melting going from emersed to submerged. I would go with aquasoil. Great substrate for crypts!

[Mumford]

Originally Posted by hisxlency

as an FYI I got talked into the 2217 for my 20L. There is a thread under Equipment where some good points were made

Look forward to seeing your progress

Do you have a link by chance?


- Mumford

[pianofish]

So I've decided that I'm not going to do a dry start for this tank. Instead, I think for a time I'll go slightly high techish and dose EI method whilst using 2 x 2 liter co2 reactors. I plan on having a system of T connectors that I can use to "shut off" my co2 at night by unplugging a plug and allowing the co2 to go outside my window. What do you think?

My major plan is to increase my photo period at the beginning to accomidate the co2 and fertz and allow my plants to get maximum growth for several weeks/months. Once I am satisfied with all of the growth, I will then dial back my photoperiod and cut out the co2 and then adjust my fertz down to just like once a week dosing or less being that I'm gonna use MTSoil.

Another decision that I've made is that I am going to go with the 2217 filter, because the more I think about it, the more I realize that if I do this tank, I want to do it the right way and be able to 1) keep a good solid flow even with thick plants and 2) be able to keep a maximum amount of fish in the tank with the bioload that the 2217 can handle.

Lastly I'm still looking for a good method of diffusing my co2 into the tank. I was thinking perhaps an in tank diffuser underneath my 2217 output to disperse it throughout the tank.

What do you guys think?
Cheers!
Pianofish

[pianofish]

Things are looking promising for Easter. My girlfriend and I just set a date on April 2nd to buy the tank and all the goodies! And I also just sold $450 worth of old hobby stuff on ebay! So it is looking good for this tank.

As I've been researching more, I think that I will end up using a Cerges co2 reactor, because 1) I here they give great co2 efficiency and 2) it will slow down my filter speed just a hair which will be nice given the massive size of the 2217.

I've also decided to go with a cap of pool sand with MTS underneath. I like the light more natural look of pool sand as opposed to black substrate. I also plan on getting MTSnails so that my substrate doesn't get impacted.

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks,
Pianofish

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by pianofish

Things are looking promising for Easter. My girlfriend and I just set a date on April 2nd to buy the tank and all the goodies! And I also just sold $450 worth of old hobby stuff on ebay! So it is looking good for this tank.

As I've been researching more, I think that I will end up using a Cerges co2 reactor, because 1) I here they give great co2 efficiency and 2) it will slow down my filter speed just a hair which will be nice given the massive size of the 2217.

I've also decided to go with a cap of pool sand with MTS underneath. I like the light more natural look of pool sand as opposed to black substrate. I also plan on getting MTSnails so that my substrate doesn't get impacted.

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks,
Pianofish

for me MTS is like tank herpes, you will never get rid of them once they over take your tank. not to mention for whatever reason a majority dies, the ammonia spike alone will cause havoc with your tanks water quality. AS is a larger granule size which will allow lots of flow around the roots. not to mention its acidic and crypts like acidic substrate. for added ommpff use a sprinkling of laterite at the base as previously mentioned?

[Mumford]

Originally Posted by pianofish

Things are looking promising for Easter. My girlfriend and I just set a date on April 2nd to buy the tank and all the goodies! And I also just sold $450 worth of old hobby stuff on ebay! So it is looking good for this tank.

As I've been researching more, I think that I will end up using a Cerges co2 reactor, because 1) I here they give great co2 efficiency and 2) it will slow down my filter speed just a hair which will be nice given the massive size of the 2217.

I've also decided to go with a cap of pool sand with MTS underneath. I like the light more natural look of pool sand as opposed to black substrate. I also plan on getting MTSnails so that my substrate doesn't get impacted.

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks,
Pianofish

When I read the "set a date part" I thought that was gonna be for marriage and was excited, then I read it was for buying that tank and I was more excited! That's bad right? Hahahaha :P

I'd avoid the snails as well. They're gonna be a plague


- Mumford

[johnson18]

I'm very interested to see how you scape this tank to include some of the taller crypts such as balansae. There are some great visual effects that can be achieved using such a tall plant in a short tank like a 20L.

[pianofish]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

for me MTS is like tank herpes, you will never get rid of them once they over take your tank. not to mention for whatever reason a majority dies, the ammonia spike alone will cause havoc with your tanks water quality. AS is a larger granule size which will allow lots of flow around the roots. not to mention its acidic and crypts like acidic substrate. for added ommpff use a sprinkling of laterite at the base as previously mentioned?

Well you see, the girlfriend likes the pool sand more than the black other substrates, (Flourite and AS were a viable option), and the more I thought about it, pool sand and MTSoil underlayer with dolomite(laterite) pot ash and clay will make for a much longer lasting soil.

Another reason I wanted to do pool sand is because of this thread:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...0&highlight=ph
(He also has loads of MTSnails in his tank)

This tank and the one at the beginning of my thread are serving as my inspiration right now, along with noodl3's awesome tank of course.

Originally Posted by Mumford

When I read the "set a date part" I thought that was gonna be for marriage and was excited, then I read it was for buying that tank and I was more excited! That's bad right? Hahahaha :P

I'd avoid the snails as well. They're gonna be a plague


- Mumford

I wish buddy, I have a few more years until then. But I can see how you might think that. I'm super excited though for the tank, if everything goes well and I feel like I'm ready for the responsibility than I will set this puppy up in April!

Originally Posted by johnson18

I'm very interested to see how you scape this tank to include some of the taller crypts such as balansae. There are some great visual effects that can be achieved using such a tall plant in a short tank like a 20L.

I've always really loved the bending of leaves that plants like vals and C. Ballansae and spiralis can add to shorter tanks. I'm thinking alot about getting a lilypipe output for the tank which would make for some cool leafy flow