Help transitioning to a new planted tank
I have recently begun the processing of upgrading my small 10 gallon tank to a 20 gallon tall tank. I decided I wanted to try out a planted tank with the new setup. I am a beginner so I am still figuring some things out. My 10 gallon tank only had low light plants such as anubias and marimo moss ball. I was more focused on the fish at the time I started the small tank because it had been a while since I last had a fish tank.
Currently with the new tank I have no fish... Only a few plants (more on the way). I am running both tanks at the same time. Essentially one is for the fish and the other is for the plants (this will change eventually). In my old tank I have a small heater (came with the kit) and a Marinelife Penguin filter 100 with a bio-wheel. I used simple gravel as substrate in the old tank. In the new tank I am running a 50w heater (rated for a 20 gallon tank) and an Aqueon Quietflow 10 (yes I know this filter is not adequate. It will be swapped with the filter in the small tank eventually). I went out and purchased a Coralife T5HO light strip. I am running two lights at 24w each. One is a 67k and the other is a 100k light. I am running these lights for 8 hours a day. I also have Eco Complete substrate in my 20 gallon planted tank.
Currently I do not have any CO2 running in my tank. I'm hoping to avoid this (might be easier said than done). I do have an air pump attached to a bubble strip. Will this cause issues with CO2? I went on Amazon and purchased all of the Seachem fertilizer products. I realize I won't need them all right away but they will be there when I do need them. I also purchased a KH and GH test kit. I haven't added any fertilizer yet except root tabs. This is kind of where I am stuck.
When is best to start fertilizing? How much should I fertilize? All Seachem products? Only some? I have a suggested dosing chart provided by Seachem. Will it disturb my Cycle when I'm ready to add fish? What's the best way to acclimate the fish? Usually I acclimate them in a plastic bag from the store. Is my Penguin filter adequate enough for this tank?
I should also add that currently in my tank I have anubias, marimo moss ball, echinodorus, echinodorus paniculatus, echinodorus amazonicus, anacharis, and java moss. Just today I ordered dwarf hairgrass (eleocharis parvula), alternanthera reineckii, cryptocoryne parva, marsilea quadrifolia, cryptocoryne windtii, eleocharis montevidensis, and a java fern. I would like for the dwarf hairgrass to form a carpet.
Eventually I plan on transferring the fish to the new tank. Any suggestions with this? I plan on using my old filter media to kick start the cycle process. The cycle in the old tank seems fine. I test it and the fish are happy. The fish that I want to transfer are three danio glofish, one molly, one platy, one albino cory, one black fin cory, two nerite snails, and an amano shrimp. I would like to add a couple oto catfish and maybe a loach to the new tank.
Currently with the new tank I have no fish... Only a few plants (more on the way). I am running both tanks at the same time. Essentially one is for the fish and the other is for the plants (this will change eventually). In my old tank I have a small heater (came with the kit) and a Marinelife Penguin filter 100 with a bio-wheel. I used simple gravel as substrate in the old tank. In the new tank I am running a 50w heater (rated for a 20 gallon tank) and an Aqueon Quietflow 10 (yes I know this filter is not adequate. It will be swapped with the filter in the small tank eventually). I went out and purchased a Coralife T5HO light strip. I am running two lights at 24w each. One is a 67k and the other is a 100k light. I am running these lights for 8 hours a day. I also have Eco Complete substrate in my 20 gallon planted tank.
Currently I do not have any CO2 running in my tank. I'm hoping to avoid this (might be easier said than done). I do have an air pump attached to a bubble strip. Will this cause issues with CO2? I went on Amazon and purchased all of the Seachem fertilizer products. I realize I won't need them all right away but they will be there when I do need them. I also purchased a KH and GH test kit. I haven't added any fertilizer yet except root tabs. This is kind of where I am stuck.
When is best to start fertilizing? How much should I fertilize? All Seachem products? Only some? I have a suggested dosing chart provided by Seachem. Will it disturb my Cycle when I'm ready to add fish? What's the best way to acclimate the fish? Usually I acclimate them in a plastic bag from the store. Is my Penguin filter adequate enough for this tank?
I should also add that currently in my tank I have anubias, marimo moss ball, echinodorus, echinodorus paniculatus, echinodorus amazonicus, anacharis, and java moss. Just today I ordered dwarf hairgrass (eleocharis parvula), alternanthera reineckii, cryptocoryne parva, marsilea quadrifolia, cryptocoryne windtii, eleocharis montevidensis, and a java fern. I would like for the dwarf hairgrass to form a carpet.
Eventually I plan on transferring the fish to the new tank. Any suggestions with this? I plan on using my old filter media to kick start the cycle process. The cycle in the old tank seems fine. I test it and the fish are happy. The fish that I want to transfer are three danio glofish, one molly, one platy, one albino cory, one black fin cory, two nerite snails, and an amano shrimp. I would like to add a couple oto catfish and maybe a loach to the new tank.
