The Planted Tank Forum banner

How would you plant this 10 gallon?

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Mathias1324 
#1 ·
Hey everybody! This is my second go at a planted tank (First try didn't make it too far because one of the seals failed 2 months in....) and I was wondering what you would plant in this thing if it was yours. I found two decent pieces of driftwood at my lfs and after messing around with them, I think this looks best. However, I'd like the opinions of some people that know what their actually doing before I jump into this haha. Don't mind the white cardboard, it's just to help you see what I'm working with.

My setup will be: Eheim 2213, Eco-Complete, Stock fixture with two 13 watt 6500k cfls, Glass versa top, 50 watt heater, DIY CO2, dosing Flourish Comp., N,P,K.

Some plants I have in mind: Anacharis, Bacopa carolina, Corkscrew vals, Crypt wendtii, Crypt lutea, Sword compacta, Anubias coffeefolia, Anubias nana, Marsilea hirsuta.

I'm going to attempt this without fish hence the CO2 and dosing. Since I'm new to planted tanks I don't want to have to worry about fish. I just want to focus on figuring out what does what if I get algae or the plants start dying. When I get the hang of it and get a good balance, I'd like to just add some red cherry shrimp and a few otos.

I'd like it to be pretty heavily planted. Also, if you think I should position the driftwood differently or just go with one piece instead let me know. Thanks in advance!
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#2 ·
I think the driftwood looks really good like that, but it wouldn't hurt to experiment. Your setup sounds great equipment-wise. If your going to dose ferts and use C02, you might upgrade your lighting. I have a similar setup 10 gal with crypts and anubias with the same lighting, no C02. They grow relatively slow, which is fine for me as it's low maintenance. I know when I bought my CFL's at Big Lots, there were 23 watt 6500k CFL's as well as the 13 watt. Not sure if that will overload a stock fixture, I doubt it. My tank is mostly Crypt Wendtii green, and red Crypts. Some of them have grown pretty tall over time, with the leaves reaching the top of the tank and overhanging a bit. I like the look this way, but my advice is not to plant them in the front as they may get in the way once they mature. So, a tallish background plant, then crypts, and some small species in the front. Definitely add shrimp and otos once you get everything going, they are perfect planted tank inhabitants. Good Luck!
 
#3 · (Edited)
keep it simple

In our experience, a ten gallon tank is too small for a healthy school of Ottocinclus; we tried different school sizes, and a school of 8-12 is too small; besides, 12 ottocinclus cats in a ten gallon: that's too many! Nice plant plan, but maybe add something else that's a fast grower like java moss, or elodea?

With the various anubias you have planned, that driftwood piece will be stunning!

Our best solution for the various algae disasters we've had; both in our 10-gallon, and 28-gallon; has been T-5 lighting, CO2, frequent water changes, Tom Barr's Estimative Index fertilization methodology, java moss, elodea, and cherry red shrimp; java moss and elodea grow fast, and java moss makes a great place for cherry red shrimp to reproduce, so they can clean our tank; plus, our rapidly growing plant life removes a lot of fish waste, nitrates, etc.: all stuff that algae likes.

Good luck!
 
#4 ·
Very nice driftwood! I admire your patience with not wanting to add fish to get the hang of keeping plants.

I think your lighting puts you in the low range which means your tank is going to have too many excess nutrients before the water change which will most likely result in algae. You may want to use 23W bulbs (I've used them in a stock 10) or consider going low tech. If you have the money you can get a finnex LED fixture or an AquaticLife 20" 2x18W T5 fixture ( I have this fixture over a 10 but need to put some window screen over it because its super bright and algae is killing me - see my avatar). I think your plant list is great!
 
#5 ·
So you guys don't think 2 23 watt bulbs will be too much? That just seems like a lot to me even with DIY. Again, I don't have much experience with this but I just want to be sure haha. Of course I can always bump the lighting down later if it proves to be too much.

I think I'm going to leave the wood in the same position. I'll put some corscrew vals in the back left corner. When the tops start to float on the surface a bit they'll flow to the right with the driftwood. I think some bacopa in the back middle and some anacharis in the back right corner. I'll put some crypt wendtii on the right in front of the anacharis. Anubias coffeefolia and nana on the driftwood and a couple more along the front of it. Then I'll just have some marsilea all along the front. How's that?
 
#6 ·
If I need that many otos then I'll just get a few nerite snails instead. I read everywhere that anacharis is good at sucking up excess nutrients so hopefully that'll help me out some. I like the idea of java moss but I had it once before in my 29 and it was sooo messy. I ripped it all out but I still find bits of it growing in there once in a while.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top