[Yiannis]

Hello,

so I decided to go ahead and settup a planted tank as better as I could since I have been in this hobby for 15 years battling to get a all the equipment that I need to start a heavily planted tank but without any success. Finally I got started and this is what I have at the moment:

1. 58cm height x 58cm length x 30cm width aquarium
2. 5cm sera floredepot (contains micro and macro nutrient capsules) capped with 5cm plain sand
3. Driftwood and some decoretive rocks
4. 38w T5 compact luorecent WHITE(DAYLIGHT) lamp
5. Paintball CO2 system being currently created with nano diffuser
6. Cyclon Resun CY-20 mini external filter without the carbon (http://www.ioffer.com/i/aquarium-fish-cyclone-external-filter-resun-cy-20-197219094)
7. Heater
8. All of the above on a nice black cabinet

I would like to place medium demand plants. Always wanted a short carpet plant covering the bed of the aquarium and tall Valisneria creating a magical backround. I don't mind about fauna, just want my shrimp and a nice school of colourful small fish.

Please advice on wether this setup looks to be succesfull on is heading for failure. Still have the chance to change things since nothing is in the tank yet. Have not decided on the fertilisation regime yet got advice (have sera/tetra/seachem at my LPS or order from abroad for anything else)?

Thanks.

 

[Wasserpest]

Go for it! The only thing that made me look twice were the dimensions of the tank - is it really that tall? Not necessarily bad, it's just that most tanks are rectangular in a different way: height and depth about the same, and length two or three times that. Different can be good!

 

[Yiannis]

Go for it! The only thing that made me look twice were the dimensions of the tank - is it really that tall? Not necessarily bad, it's just that most tanks are rectangular in a different way: height and depth about the same, and length two or three times that. Different can be good!

Yes the tank was ment to host a model ship from Mauricius but not to be filled with water ofcourse. However this was not done and since the glass is very high quility and the silicon is machine bound it looks very much like and ADA tank. Well the tank was given to me so I said why not :smile:

Will the light be sufficient for the following flora:
1. Eleochari Parvula
2. Valisneria
3. Hemianthus Cuba
4. Glosostigma

 

[Wasserpest]

Yep, looking forward to see this come together.

The light should be good, I am not sure what you mean by "T5 compact fluorescent", usually we differentiate between T5 (linear) and CFL (compact fluorescent, U-shaped, aka PC lights). But in any case, there is more to this than wattage - reflectors play an important role, distance from water surface, whether it is one bulb or two etc.

Vallisneria is not demanding and will grow for sure. Bad thing about that plant is that it pops up adventitious baby plants all over the place. So pretty high maintenance.

HC needs a good amount of light, but nutrients incl CO2 are even more important.

Sometimes it is advantageous to try a couple of different plants and see which ones like it best under your conditions!

 

[Yiannis]

What should I use for fertilization if I choose eleocharis parvula and valisneria?

How many water changes from the first day until the tank is established?

Is the 38w T5 lights adequate for eleocharis parvula?

Should I add the shrimp right away from day 1?