[b0b95]

I am setting up a new 10 gallon tank. It already has 2 amazon swords,and a giant hairgrass. It has 17 watt lighting and has seachem flourite as the substrate. I plant on making it a planted jungle. What plants would be good for this? Is the 17 watt lighting sufficient, if not what lighting should i use? Also if i add pure ammonia before adding all the plants will the nitrogen cycle still work. I would also like suggestions for what fish to put in the aquarium. How long will the cycle last most likely. And finally i have a question about my waters ph. The tap water was around 6.8 to 7.2, when i put it in the aquarium it jumped of the chart. i was wondering if the ph would steadily decrease or if there is any action i need to take to lower the ph.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Welcome to TPT!

Lots of questions there- let's take them one at a time:

Is the 17 watt lighting sufficient, if not what lighting should i use?

Yes, that's what I run over my own low tech 10gal setups.

What plants would be good for this?

Java ferns, mosses, Anubias nana 'petite,' pygmy chain swords, Cryptocoryne sp, Hygrophila sp, Bacopa sp, Rotala rotundifolia, Lilaeopsis mauritiana are some options I've been successful with in this type of setup.

Also if i add pure ammonia before adding all the plants will the nitrogen cycle still work. How long will the cycle last most likely.

Yes, you want to use pure ammonia (with no surfactants or other additives), and plants should help speed up the cycle. Unless you can pull over some filter media, substrate, or mulm from another established tank I'd approximate 4 weeks for the cycle.

I would also like suggestions for what fish to put in the aquarium.

If you check out my 10gal betta crypt journal one of the early posts contains fish I was considering for my setup, with pictures. Any of those would work nicely for your tank setup, too.

And finally i have a question about my waters ph. The tap water was around 6.8 to 7.2, when i put it in the aquarium it jumped of the chart. i was wondering if the ph would steadily decrease or if there is any action i need to take to lower the ph.

Hmmm... there are several things that could have caused this, and you should probably get to the bottom of it before stocking your tank (though you can certainly go ahead and get the cycle going).

First of all, I'd set out a clean glass with tap water and test it now and then again 24 hours later to see if the pH shift will happen there too. If it does, then your tap water contains lots of dissolved gasses (probably CO2) that are "artificially" giving you a lower reading, and your "real" pH is much higher.

It would also help to get some kH and gH test kits.

Do you have any rocks in your tank? Those can leech and increase your water's hardness and pH also. If so, you'll probably want to switch them out that rocks that won't leech.

 

[b0b95]

Thanks for all the answers. In this 10 gallon tanks there are no rocks. It was used before and really filthy so i washed it out with vinegar and thoroughly washed it. In my 37 gallon tank there are no issues with the tap water, so i think it has to do with the substrate. Should i arteficially reduce the ph? I heard that arteficial ph would not help, only hurt.

 

[lauraleellbp]

I'd do some water changes to see if that brings your pH back down. Flourite shouldn't be raising your pH, and I wouldn't use pH lowering products. I suspect your pH shift was just temporary and something to do with just setting up your tank and a few water changes will take care of it, unless there's something in the tank leeching.

 

[b0b95]

I just read your 10 gallon betta and i think i will also get shrimp and rasboras. Just to clarify what type of shrimp were they?