1st Planted Tank 13 Gallon

Johnny Tang · 11-27-2012, 08:21 PM

Hey guys and girls!

Recently sold off my 20L reef tank and sump and bought a sweet little rimless 13 gallon and started my first ever planted tank.

I am learning more everyday but just want to see what you guys think I am doing right and what I might need to change. I am particularly interested in what you guys think about my layout and lighting. It is my old reef light that I changed over to 6500K bulbs.

Some quick stats:

13 Gallons
4 T5 HO (2x 6500K, 1 ATI Purple Plus, 1 420nm Actinic)
20 Pounds Black Sand (Leftover from reef tank but thoroughly rinsed and disinfected)
2 Stones a friend gave me. I am saving up for some better looking black rock
Manzanita Wood

Kept at about 78F
No Ammonia
No Nitrite
20ppm Nitrate
7.2 pH
KH= 240 (pretty hard I know)
GH= 180 (Again, pretty hard water. Not sure if this is good or bad...)

Fish:
4 Neon Tetras
3 Rummy Nose Tetras
2 Otocinclus
2 Green Cory Cats
2 Yellow Mystery Snails

Plants:
1 Anubias Barteri spp.
1 Anubias afzelii
Bunch of Vallisneria spp. (not sure the exact species)
1 Giant Hygrophilia
2 Crypt. spp. (Long leafed)
1 bunch Crypt. Wendtii Green
1 Hermianthus (I think "cuba" was sold as dwarf baby tears)
Java Fern
Java Moss

I am running a homemade CO2 yeast setup, I also have a couple flourish tabs in the substrate. I dose API Leaf Zone and Flourish Excel every other week.

http://imgur.com/a/z9wZU

GMYukonon24s · 11-29-2012, 04:18 PM

Nice setup!

GMYukonon24s · 12-04-2012, 01:08 PM

Any updates?

oliver77 · 12-04-2012, 02:53 PM

Wow i love those branches and the slope u did there.
great start! can't wait to see how this filled in.

**jimmytruong87** · 12-04-2012, 03:28 PM

you have baby tear, it is very hard to grow( need bright light and co2), more java moss tie on branch

11-27-2012, 08:21 PM	#1
Johnny Tang Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Galveston, Texas Posts: 24	1st Planted Tank 13 Gallon Hey guys and girls! Recently sold off my 20L reef tank and sump and bought a sweet little rimless 13 gallon and started my first ever planted tank. I am learning more everyday but just want to see what you guys think I am doing right and what I might need to change. I am particularly interested in what you guys think about my layout and lighting. It is my old reef light that I changed over to 6500K bulbs. Some quick stats: 13 Gallons 4 T5 HO (2x 6500K, 1 ATI Purple Plus, 1 420nm Actinic) 20 Pounds Black Sand (Leftover from reef tank but thoroughly rinsed and disinfected) 2 Stones a friend gave me. I am saving up for some better looking black rock Manzanita Wood Kept at about 78F No Ammonia No Nitrite 20ppm Nitrate 7.2 pH KH= 240 (pretty hard I know) GH= 180 (Again, pretty hard water. Not sure if this is good or bad...) Fish: 4 Neon Tetras 3 Rummy Nose Tetras 2 Otocinclus 2 Green Cory Cats 2 Yellow Mystery Snails Plants: 1 Anubias Barteri spp. 1 Anubias afzelii Bunch of Vallisneria spp. (not sure the exact species) 1 Giant Hygrophilia 2 Crypt. spp. (Long leafed) 1 bunch Crypt. Wendtii Green 1 Hermianthus (I think "cuba" was sold as dwarf baby tears) Java Fern Java Moss I am running a homemade CO2 yeast setup, I also have a couple flourish tabs in the substrate. I dose API Leaf Zone and Flourish Excel every other week. http://imgur.com/a/z9wZU

11-29-2012, 04:18 PM	#2
GMYukonon24s Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: MICHIGAN Posts: 2,797	Nice setup! __________________ 110g Tropical Community & Sakura Shrimp 55g BN Breeding Grounds, Peacock Gudgeons, Panda, Pygmies, & Smudge Spot Cories, Rili Shrimp 10g RCS and show guppies MIAPG - Come join us - Plantedtank - MI - Greatlakesaquaria

12-04-2012, 01:08 PM	#3
GMYukonon24s Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: MICHIGAN Posts: 2,797	Any updates? __________________ 110g Tropical Community & Sakura Shrimp 55g BN Breeding Grounds, Peacock Gudgeons, Panda, Pygmies, & Smudge Spot Cories, Rili Shrimp 10g RCS and show guppies MIAPG - Come join us - Plantedtank - MI - Greatlakesaquaria

12-04-2012, 02:53 PM	#4
oliver77 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Earth Posts: 93	Wow i love those branches and the slope u did there. great start! can't wait to see how this filled in. __________________ Click Here

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12-04-2012, 03:28 PM	#5
jimmytruong87 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (13/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: New York City, NY Posts: 464	you have baby tear, it is very hard to grow( need bright light and co2), more java moss tie on branch