New Tank, want to try more plants.

W

wackydan

Fun, not crazy.
Nov 21, 2005
396
0
16
55
Matthews, NC
Ok....

I've tried plants in one of my tanks before and had some limited success.

I just picked up a small 16g bowfront. Substrate is very fine gravel, not sand, but still fine.

Substrate is 15" from light, which is the stock 15 watt. I'm tempted to see if at 1wpg I can grow some variety of low light plants, as I've had some luck at 1wpg before.

However, I have three questions.

1. I've just set up the tank, so I'm no where near cycled. Do I wait until the tank has cycled or can adding plants help with cycling or will it kill them?

2. What plants would have the best luck at 1wpg?

3. I'm thinking of getting a retrofit light kit to pump me up to 2wpg+. The bow front makes this a challenge as I can either retrofit, or make my own glass/plexi top and just buy a high output light....

http://www.ahsupply.com/36-55w.htm Has something that looks like it will fit in my 20" light housing. Anyone have experience with these? I'm handy, and excellent with electrical and such.

Not sure if it matters, but I have a Marineland Penguin 100 biowheel on it, and a small air driven corner filter. Anything I need to consider in filtration with a planted tank?
 
I am not a plant expert (yet) but I do know that you do not need to wait to plant your tank. Planting will aid in cycling your tank it is actually one of the preffered fishless cycling techniques. Definitely increase the light if you can, though 2wpg will still limit you as to low light plants. This is not necessarily a bad thing as high light is a slippery slope into all kinds of high tech and fertilizer requirements. I know… I slid down that slope. With 1-2wpg you can do so pretty cool scaping with Anibus, Java fern, Java moss and I think something they call Cryps. There are more low light plants but those are some of the common ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Have fun

Tony.
 
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At 2 wpg, you will be able to grow most plants available. Anything that is generally regarded as high light/difficult/etc might not do too well but everything else should be fine.

At 1 wpg, don't expect much growth but java moss, java fern, some Cryptocorynes, anubias, hornwort, and possibly Hygrophila polysperma should work fine.
 
Thanks guys...

I've picked up some Java Fern and Horn wort? and one other variety,- low light based on LFS girl, that I need to look up.

I picked out some bio balls they had in their tanks, some Flourish, some crap that's supposed to assist in the cycle, and two corys to do a fishy cycle. I've always done fishy cycles in the past... found corys to be pretty hardy for it.

I'll have to take some pics when I get a chance.

they've been in there a few hours now, and are starting to explore, and one was feeding a little while ago.......
 
Hey dan.. I posted to you in the Wanted section.

I'd go for the 2 wpg. I run 1.75 wpg Compact Flourescents and grow medium light plants. No CO2 injection just excel,dry ferts and Flourish comprehensive.

You can see my tank pics in the link in my sig. I even use a sand substrate, none of that fancy stuff.

Like i said in the other post, I'll be glad to give you some of my trimmings. I don't think anything I have will grow in the 1 wpg though.
 
You should search around the forums here and at aquaticplantcentral.com for pictures of low-light setups, and what kind of plants were used. Just because you don't know anything about what you're doing now doesn't mean you can't glean some of the more basic concepts of aquascaping and planting. Just throwing some plants in a tank gets stale fast. Doing things with purpose gives a tank a bit more longevity, and hopefully increases your interest in the hobby.
 
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