9 Gallon African Biotype

[Payara]

Hey guys,

I finally took the plunge into planted tanks. I have kept and bred several fish species but this is the first time I am attempting to keep plants. Hopefully, I'll do it right the first time around. This is what I have so far:

Aquarium: 14 3/4" length x 11" width x 13" height
Lighting: Current 32W PC turned on for roughly 8 hours per day
Filtration: Eheim 2215
Substrate: Aqua Soil Amazonia, Bacter 100, Tourmaline BC, and Power Sand S
CO2: DIY yeast CO2 (2L with 1 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp of yeast, 2 tsp of protein drink mix, 1 T of molasses, and 1 tsp of baking soda) -- I have not set up the CO2 yet, I'll be doing that this coming week.
Additives: Flourish and Flourish Excel after every water change.
Water change: Roughly 50% at least 2 x a week.
Water quality: Temperature: 76F pH: 6.6; NO2: < 0.02 mg/l; NO3: < 1 mg/l
Plants: Anubias barteri, Anubias barteri var. nana, Anubias barteri var petite, and Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov' (I know this plant doesn't belong but it looks too nice)
Fish: 1:1 Pelvicachromis taeniatus 'Nigeria Yellow'

I plan on adding Bolbitis heudelotii, Crinum calamistratum , and Aponogetons longiplumulosus. I'll also be purchasing 6-8 Norman''s blue eye (Aplocheilichthys normani) soon.

What do you all think of my plan? Ill be posting pics shortly.

-George

[hydrophyte]

That soudns cool. I am also contemplating a setup with lampeyes.

[agutt]

Lampeyes are very awesome fish... I actually had a 10 gallon African biotype myself and I used 12 Lampeyes. Those blue eyes are very cool to watch!

[agutt]

Have you considered a different dosing method other than flourish? It gets kind of expensive...

Check Out The EI Method

Also 50% water changes 2x a week is kinda overkill, you could get away with 1x a week...that also fits in to the EI Method of dosing ferts

[Payara]

Originally Posted by hydrophyte

That soudns cool. I am also contemplating a setup with lampeyes.

Yeah I can't wait. I'll have the lampeyes next week sometime. They absolutely stunning. You should definitely set up a tank for them.

Originally Posted by agutt

Lampeyes are very awesome fish... I actually had a 10 gallon African biotype myself and I used 12 Lampeyes. Those blue eyes are very cool to watch!

Hey agutt, would you happen to have any pics of your tank? I would love to see it!

Originally Posted by agutt

Have you considered a different dosing method other than flourish? It gets kind of expensive...

Check Out The El Method

Also 50% water changes 2x a week is kinda overkill, you could get away with 1x a week...that also fits in to the EI Method of dosing ferts

No i have not. I just bought it because of it's availability. Thank you for the site augutt , I have a few bottles but after that I'll definitely be taking a stab at Rex's suggestion.
My tank used to be filled with 6 lemon tetras, before I purchased the slender kribs, and I was doing weekly >50% water changes every Monday but I noticed my water would deteriorate way too fast. I had at least one lemon tetra jump out during the weekend. I figured I might as well do one more just to keep the fish happy and plus I want the kribs to breed. They are already showing signs of courting behavior. Another factor of the WC schedule was the 2 series article that came out in TFH magazine recently.

[Payara]

I have a quick question, I been in contact with Orlando from green leaf aquarium, he says that DIY CO2 does not provide enough pressure to push through the diffusers and suggests using a powerhead or limewood stone. But, I have seen several people and my LFS recommending using a glass diffuser, is it a waste of money and is better just to connect the CO2 to my Maxi-Jet? Or should I get the Nutrafin's ladder diffuser?

Another thing I have noticed is that people and again my LFS recommending bubble counters for DIY CO2 reactors, isn't that kind of pointless considering I have no control over how much CO2 is produced?

This might be stupid question but do you guys vacuum the substrate of your planted tanks? I am using ADA Amazonia Powder and if I try to vacuum the substrate it comes up with the water. Does anyone have any recommendations? How do you guys get the crap in the gravel out?

Also. I have mentioned I use a Maxi-Jet 400 with it's venturi kit at night to increase the O2, but I have noticed that it's not producing any bubbles at all. Is there anyway to fix that?

Any comments or help would greatly be appreciated .

-George

P.S I was really impressed with GLA and Orlando. I have been in the hobby for a while now, it's always nice to see aquarium companies giving factual information and not just trying to make customers buy their stuff. I'll definitely be shopping their for my planted tank's needs.

[kid creole]

The best advice would be to skip DIY CO2 altogether. If you don't have the scratch, I'd just go low maintenance before I'd ever mess with DIY again. JMHO.

For most DIY setups, there is not enough pressure to make a ceramic diffuser function properly. A power head or limestone are two good options, there are a zillion others, but a ceramic diffusor is not one of them.

For DIY, I think you want a second bottle that can service a gas separator/bubble counter. It will keep gunk out of the tank, and the bubble counting is just a bonus.

I don't vacuum the substrate as much as I would with a non-planted tank, but I definitely do it in areas without a lot of roots. I use flourite, and I pinch off the hose to slow the flow way down to drop the finer particles back down.

[agutt]

Originally Posted by Payara

I have a quick question, I been in contact with Orlando from green leaf aquarium, he says that DIY CO2 does not provide enough pressure to push through the diffusers and suggests using a powerhead or limewood stone. But, I have seen several people and my LFS recommending using a glass diffuser, is it a waste of money and is better just to connect the CO2 to my Maxi-Jet? Or should I get the Nutrafin's ladder diffuser?

DIY will not be able to push through a ceramic diffuser unfortunately. I agree with the above post as well, you could get away with going low tech with your plant list and just overdosing excel...

Originally Posted by Payara

P.S I was really impressed with GLA and Orlando. I have been in the hobby for a while now, it's always nice to see aquarium companies giving factual information and not just trying to make customers buy their stuff. I'll definitely be shopping their for my planted tank's needs.

Orlando and GLA are awesome. I buy from him whenever possible

heres a shot of my old 10 Gallon...

[Payara]

Here are some pics. Sorry for the poor quality, I had to use my cell phone. Please let me know what you think. I'd greatly appreciate some productive criticism to make it look better.
FTS:




Close up of the right side:


Left side:

[Payara]

Originally Posted by kid creole

The best advice would be to skip DIY CO2 altogether. If you don't have the scratch, I'd just go low maintenance before I'd ever mess with DIY again. JMHO.

For most DIY setups, there is not enough pressure to make a ceramic diffuser function properly. A power head or limestone are two good options, there are a zillion others, but a ceramic diffusor is not one of them.

For DIY, I think you want a second bottle that can service a gas separator/bubble counter. It will keep gunk out of the tank, and the bubble counting is just a bonus.

I don't vacuum the substrate as much as I would with a non-planted tank, but I definitely do it in areas without a lot of roots. I use flourite, and I pinch off the hose to slow the flow way down to drop the finer particles back down.

Thanks for all the advice kid creole. Would the second bottle, the gas separator, be filled with some liquid or just empty?

Originally Posted by agutt

DIY will not be able to push through a ceramic diffuser unfortunately. I agree with the above post as well, you could get away with going low tech with your plant list and just overdosing excel...

Orlando and GLA are awesome. I buy from him whenever possible

heres a shot of my old 10 Gallon...

Your tank looks awesome. Are those African butterflies? Did you get them to breed? What type of plant is behind the nana, the one with long leaves?

[kid creole]

Originally Posted by Payara

Thanks for all the advice kid creole. Would the second bottle, the gas separator, be filled with some liquid or just empty?

Plain old regular water is fine.

[agutt]

Originally Posted by Payara

Your tank looks awesome. Are those African butterflies? Did you get them to breed? What type of plant is behind the nana, the one with long leaves?

Those are Norman's Lampeye Killi - I got them to breed, no survivors though... The Plant behind that is Anubias lanceolata

[agutt]

Closer shot...

[chonhzilla]

Love em' lampeyes. I've got myself around like eight, it so happens that I got all males. No breeding for me.

[Payara]

Originally Posted by agutt

Closer shot...

Very nice! You still have them around?

Originally Posted by chonhzilla

Love em' lampeyes. I've got myself around like eight, it so happens that I got all males. No breeding for me.

What type of lampeyes do you have Chonhzilla? Any pics?