Freshwater planted aquarium set up help

[DracoKat]

yea, the Walstad method.

https://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Walstad_method

People has had success with it. but my tank always looked cloudy and dirty, especially after water changes. I ditched it.

 

[Untamedrose]

I've been thinking about doing the same. Been watching a guy on youtube goes by dustin fish tanks. Ignore the first few mins of yo yo whats up thug stuffs he drops it and knows what he's talking about.

 

[Waters]

You know there's different layers and you should add like soil like at the bottom for the roots so they get iron and stuff?

I am using Eco-Complete for the bottom 2 inches with black sand on top. I plan on adding some dry ferts to the bottom before putting the substrate down. Technically you can grow plants using inert substrate just by using root tabs. That is how I did my first planted tank attempt years ago using plain sand........

 

[ReeferBob]

I'm turning my 125g RR into a freshwater planted tank. It is already plumbed and I got the substrate, gravel, rocks and pressurized CO2 system. For the CO2 I am putting the diffuser in the sump right in front of the return pump so that the 4 loc-line return nozzles in the DT will disperse it evenly throughout the tank. We also are using Ecocomplete. For CO2 I am going pressurized using https://greenleafaquariums.com/ which is one of the best. For your smaller setup, you could probably just do a sugar/yeast setup and skip the pressurized setup for now. I am using my ATI 60" T5 80watt (x4) light and reef controller using Super Flora T5 80w - Giesemann bulbs. May be doing a UV filter at some point. Also will be using tap water and not RO.

For filtration just going to try biological and the filter socks from the sump and see where that takes me. Will add a carbon reactor though.

I am putting in driftwood and hopefully it will not discolor the water too much with tannins but if so, I think the charcoal will handle it. If not, I'll remove it. I'd like nice, crystal clear water. I am possibly going to get a PAR meter as well.

Best thing you can do is fill the tank with plants on day one. Don't let algae take hold.

Good luck post back your pics!

 

[DracoKat]

Oh yea, inspect and clean each plant you get! I have an outbreak of trumpet snails and I can't seem to get rid of them.

 

[NeptuneGarden]

Sounds like you want a Takshi Amano style tank ?

 

[Joeganja]

Sounds like you want a Takshi Amano style tank ?

I like that but instead of their being a main rockwork I'd like to have it lean more towards this

something in between where I can add a pathway of white sand also and maybe some pieces of that dark colored stone as well as some driftwood with HC on it to make it look like a tree.

 

[NeptuneGarden]

1. Center sand strip:
You will need to make some soil dividers out of acrylic and silicon to bottom of tank to keep sand and soil separate. Dont do it exactly in the center. Look at the first pic you posted and notice how the landscape is divided into unequal thirds to give the scape balance.

2. Substrate.
Amano aqua soil works good and is packed with nutrients and requires little to no fertilizers. It will take a long time for the tank to cycle though as the Amano soil leeches out excess nutrients at first.
There is also "mineralized top soil" under the sand option, which is cheaper and works even better, but takes longer to prep.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html

3. Lighting
To keep grasses and HC growing low you will need strong lighting. Too many options to list.

4. Starting HC and hair grass
Many people will start growing their HC and grass in a terrarium environment first by covering the tank with plastic and then only filling with water once the plants have established a strong root system

5. Co2 injection
With the high light you will need to supplement ferts and Co2 to keep up with growth. You can go with an off the shelf Milwaukee unit, but they are cheap and prone to fail.
I highly recommend piecing together a quality unit. It will run you several hundred dollars but last a life time.
http://www.barrreport.com/forum/barr-report/co2-enrichment/6653-dual-stage-regulators
http://www.barrreport.com/forum/bar...regulator-part-numbers-sources-and-other-tips


Highly recommend www.barrreport.com for a freshwater planted tank forum.

 

[Joeganja]

1. Center sand strip:
You will need to make some soil dividers out of acrylic and silicon to bottom of tank to keep sand and soil separate. Dont do it exactly in the center. Look at the first pic you posted and notice how the landscape is divided into unequal thirds to give the scape balance.

2. Substrate.
Amano aqua soil works good and is packed with nutrients and requires little to no fertilizers. It will take a long time for the tank to cycle though as the Amano soil leeches out excess nutrients at first.
There is also "mineralized top soil" under the sand option, which is cheaper and works even better, but takes longer to prep.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html

3. Lighting
To keep grasses and HC growing low you will need strong lighting. Too many options to list.

4. Starting HC and hair grass
Many people will start growing their HC and grass in a terrarium environment first by covering the tank with plastic and then only filling with water once the plants have established a strong root system

5. Co2 injection
With the high light you will need to supplement ferts and Co2 to keep up with growth. You can go with an off the shelf Milwaukee unit, but they are cheap and prone to fail.
I highly recommend piecing together a quality unit. It will run you several hundred dollars but last a life time.
http://www.barrreport.com/forum/barr-report/co2-enrichment/6653-dual-stage-regulators
http://www.barrreport.com/forum/bar...regulator-part-numbers-sources-and-other-tips


Highly recommend www.barrreport.com for a freshwater planted tank forum.

What do you recommend for lights? And co2 systems? Best of the best?

 

[NeptuneGarden]

The Co2 system, yes. Money worth spending. Read through the linked forum pages on how to build a quality one.
Victor dual stage regulator, Burkert solenoid, Swagelok fittings and needle valve. Good pH controller or full tank controller to turn it on and off.

Lights: I've had good luck with Ecoxotic freshwater units, but there are a ton of new options out there now too. Research some of the planted tank forums to see what's the latest greatest thing. You dont need to spend a ton of money on this. Plants aren't as fickle as corals to spectrum and PAR levels.

 

[anthonywesty]

No filtration. Co2 injection. Power compact with metal halide and seachem fertilizers.

 

[Joeganja]

The Co2 system, yes. Money worth spending. Read through the linked forum pages on how to build a quality one.
Victor dual stage regulator, Burkert solenoid, Swagelok fittings and needle valve. Good pH controller or full tank controller to turn it on and off.

Lights: I've had good luck with Ecoxotic freshwater units, but there are a ton of new options out there now too. Research some of the planted tank forums to see what's the latest greatest thing. You dont need to spend a ton of money on this. Plants aren't as fickle as corals to spectrum and PAR levels.

What about the fluval one or the finnex?