Anyone keep planted tanks?

[Reefing102]

Do any of you all keep planted tanks as well? My wife wants a planted tank so I’m letting her use the 40 gallon as a planted tank.

Right now, I have caribsea eco-complete as substrate, A cheapo LED strip light (already had this) and a canister filter.

She wants it to be moderately planted. What would I need for this thing to be successful?

Upgraded light fixture? Would black boxes work?

Do I have to have a CO2 reactor/doser?

Are there any other “colorful” plants besides green and red?

She’s wanting angels, mollies, Neon Tetras, and a few other fish. Any algae eater suggestions? Chinese, Oto’s, pleco (not a huge fan of these)?

Any help is appreciated. Never had a planted tank and not sure how similar it is to a reef tank

 

[Waters]

You have the option of either going low tech or high tech....these are two of mine, the first pic being low tech. Low tech setups use less powerful lights, no CO2, less ferts, etc. That also means you have slower growing plants with less color possibilities. I will try to answer your questions.......

Upgraded light fixture? Would black boxes work?
Yes, as long as you can change the spectrum. Plants typically like a whiter spectrum than coral.

Do I have to have a CO2 reactor/doser?
Only if you choose to set up a high tech tank with strong lighting and lots of ferts and more demanding plants (like most carpeting plants...the dwarf hairgrass in my second pic for example).

Are there any other “colorful” plants besides green and red?
Not really lol. Most available plants are different shades of red and greens, although there are some exceptions (purples or yellows for example)

She’s wanting angels, mollies, Neon Tetras, and a few other fish. Any algae eater suggestions? Chinese, Oto’s, pleco (not a huge fan of these)?
Your best option is definately Otos in a planted tank.....they are one of the few that are gentle to the plant leaves but will still eat algae. Bristlenose Plecos are also good but they typically need some source of wood to chew on. Chinese algae eaters normally become pretty aggressive as they mature.

 

[Reefing102]

Awesome thanks! I can tell you she’s looking more towards something like your second tank. Both look really good

 

[Waters]

Awesome thanks! I can tell you she’s looking more towards something like your second tank. Both look really good

You will probably want to go with a high tech setup then which uses CO2 and regular fertilizer dosing, in addition to strong lights. In my opinion, it is just as much, if not more work than a reef tank lol. You haven't experienced tank maintenance until you have to cut your tank lawn with scissors and then collect all the clippings :)

 

[Reefing102]

Lol got it. Do you happen to have any recommendations on a CO2 set up?

 

[Waters]

I buy all of my CO2 stuff from www.greenleafaquariums.com , with the exception of the CO2 canister which I normally get from any online beverage site. You can buy a complete system or you can piece it out and get the regulator, bubble counter, diffuser, etc. separately.

 

[Schraufabagel]

I have a fish only system with mollies and cory catfish. Both are fantastic algae eaters! Also, I have a planted betta tank and a planted shrimp tank. Neither are CO2 and have easy to keep plants. I would definitely recommend Buceplants! They have fantastic service and their plants are really good quality.

 

[Reefing102]

Nice looking tanks. Looking at the cost of the CO2 system, I may start out with easy and see where in need to go once things start going. I don’t think I have much excess CO2 in the house as my PH hardly swings on my reef tank 8.02-8.16

 

[NotoriousENG]

I just set up a high-tech (powerful lights and CO2) planted tank yesterday actually. My setup is actually very similar to a reef tank equipment-wise, but they don't have to be. Build thread for that tank is here.

Ignore the HOB on the right, just temporary to clear the water faster.



My co2 system is pieced together so I'm all for that method. Been a few years since I put the regulator together but there are a few things to be aware of. Choose a low-power solenoid, lower the better, or else it will get very hot. The needle valve is the hardest to source as you need a level of precision that's not commonly needed in the industrial world. For that, I would suggest checking out some of the plant-specific forums like UKAPS or TPT as members have already done the leg work of identity which brands and models of needle valves are suitable. The regulator itself can be had pretty cheaply if you know what to look for on evil bay. I got mine a few years ago for around $30 bucks - a great deal for a lab-grade dual-stage regulator.

 

[Sparticle]

For algae eaters, Siamese Algae Eater, Amano shrimp, and Nerite Snails have been critters I have seen visible results from and enjoyed as critters.
Siamese Algae Eater is a fish which I hear is commonly misidentified and when I looked up how to identify it I found a # of places have wrong details compared to 2 good fish stores I have done business with. I dug up some old internet archive data which matched what my fish stores described and lead to fish matching the store's expected habits of the fish. They seemed to be what some would consider agressive though I'd say it was more of a nuisance to some of the other fish rather than agressive. Had a pink kisser it was being a jerk to and the gourami would tolerate it flailing its tail/body across its face for a while before shoving it aside while they spent some otherwise calm quarantine time together. They also would give short chase to Corey Catfish where on reaching them they would chase off to the next one, stop to hang out, or just swim along after reaching the fish. The Coreys would sometimes try to go away and would then be followed and/or swam alongside but fast fish motion with follow actions may scare some owners; no harm resulted. Visibly watched them eating strand after strand of some hair algae I had.
Amano shrimp that I have had 'often' seem to want to spend much of their time hiding...3 months later, "oh, it didn't die after all". Have seen them actively grazing through areas of an older hair algae I had (miss that stuff) and their hangout areas if added after algae growth definitely shows they get to work.
Nerite snails have shown a slow but steady approach tearing through much of the algae growth on surfaces. The ones I have had seem to prefer to not target my current hair algae iwth its longer thinner slimy strands that tangle up on each other but when its shorter they mow right through it. They do sometimes when longer but seems to not be as preferred to them. I've seen them come up on some thinner plants moreso than I expected.
Nerite snails and Amano shrimp do not reproduce successfully in freshwater tanks; some who have fought with snail 'infestation' issues may be concerned and they are often sized big enough they stay out of pumps and moving parts unlike some very small trumpet snails I had which at full size still fit into openings for propeller shafts and such which likely shortened the life of a few of my pumps.

 

[Reefing102]

For algae eaters, Siamese Algae Eater, Amano shrimp, and Nerite Snails have been critters I have seen visible results from and enjoyed as critters.
Siamese Algae Eater is a fish which I hear is commonly misidentified and when I looked up how to identify it I found a # of places have wrong details compared to 2 good fish stores I have done business with. I dug up some old internet archive data which matched what my fish stores described and lead to fish matching the store's expected habits of the fish. They seemed to be what some would consider agressive though I'd say it was more of a nuisance to some of the other fish rather than agressive. Had a pink kisser it was being a jerk to and the gourami would tolerate it flailing its tail/body across its face for a while before shoving it aside while they spent some otherwise calm quarantine time together. They also would give short chase to Corey Catfish where on reaching them they would chase off to the next one, stop to hang out, or just swim along after reaching the fish. The Coreys would sometimes try to go away and would then be followed and/or swam alongside but fast fish motion with follow actions may scare some owners; no harm resulted. Visibly watched them eating strand after strand of some hair algae I had.
Amano shrimp that I have had 'often' seem to want to spend much of their time hiding...3 months later, "oh, it didn't die after all". Have seen them actively grazing through areas of an older hair algae I had (miss that stuff) and their hangout areas if added after algae growth definitely shows they get to work.
Nerite snails have shown a slow but steady approach tearing through much of the algae growth on surfaces. The ones I have had seem to prefer to not target my current hair algae iwth its longer thinner slimy strands that tangle up on each other but when its shorter they mow right through it. They do sometimes when longer but seems to not be as preferred to them. I've seen them come up on some thinner plants moreso than I expected.
Nerite snails and Amano shrimp do not reproduce successfully in freshwater tanks; some who have fought with snail 'infestation' issues may be concerned and they are often sized big enough they stay out of pumps and moving parts unlike some very small trumpet snails I had which at full size still fit into openings for propeller shafts and such which likely shortened the life of a few of my pumps.

Thanks for the info!