[Spadz]

Hey guys, i wanted to start making a beautiful planted 10 gallon but i need some guidance before i start!

So far i've had my tank running for a few months, i have a betta and 6 neon tetras, they all get along great! For lighting i have just the perfecto hood with the standard 18" bulb but i just bought Coralife Nutri Grow Plant Lamp 18 watts. For filtering i have an AquaClear 20 running.

Now i want to grow some nice good plants what do you guys suggest to get me started?

Here are my questions:

Should i upgrade my lighting system? if so, to what?
Co2? What do you guys recommend? Red Sea Bio generator?
I was thinking Eco complete substrate is that good?
Also, what plants do you guys recommend?

Thanks!

 

[legomaniac89]

Your current lighting is fine for a lower light tank. Cryptocoryne, Anubias, some Hygrophila, moss mosses and Java Fern would all be just fine under that light. You won't need any CO2 at all. It would be beneficial to the plants for sure, but they won't require CO2 injection at a lower light intensity. You could also try Flourish Excel for a substitute CO2 source, but it can get expensive real fast.

As for the substrate, Eco-Complete should be fine. I usually recommend Flourite for a beginners substrate, but Eco should give you minimal problems.

You can take a cruise through here to get some plant ideas.

 

[Spadz]

Thanks for the tips! Question is if i wanted to do like a carpet type grass in front would i have to bump up my light system?

 

[no_xqcs]

yes
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Tech/Lighting/

this site recommends around 47 watts for medium lighting in a standard ten gallon
(table at bottom of page)

 

[legomaniac89]

Actually I've grown Marselia minuta as a carpet plant in my 10g with only one 15W flourescent bulb. Most any other carpeting plant will need higher light than that, though

 

[Spadz]

Thanks guys you've been a great help so far!

One more question, if i do go with a carpeting type plant, what lighting fixture do you suggest? The only thing i cant get is a hanging fixture, anything else im open to

 

[Spadz]

Well here is what plan ive come up with let me know what type of fixture i would need or what type of wattage im looking at to run a planted tank with this

Foreground/ground cover
Four Leaf clover (Marsilea quadrifolia)
Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis)
Riccia Fluitans (This will be on Lava rock)

On my 12" Drift wood
Java moss

Background/Mid plants
Java Fern
Ludwigia Peruensis (Ludwigia peruensis)
Pogostemon stellata (Eusteralis)