Hi bear with this newbie please.
I set up a 55gallon tank over a month ago, got it cycled with 4 platys, now I have 5 platys, 6 cory cats, a Pleco, and 6 neon tetras. I was thinking of adding two more schools of community fish. I have a modular Aqueon LED setup with two LEDs right now, though I have room for one more.
I have a few java ferns and a little mirco ferns. When I set up the tank I knew almost nothing about planted aquariums, so only put a substrate down of aquarium gravel, but now I want to get into planted aquariums. My java ferns seem to be doing OK, though they are a little brown and one leaf in particular appears to have died. It almost looks like a skeleton and I wonder if the Pleco has been damaging it. I did get the Java ferns from someone else, and they didn't come to me in the greatest shape to begin with.
If I were to get serious about this, I should have a more nutrient rich substrate underneath the gravel, right? Do I need to break down my current setup? What advice do you have in terms of lighting (get another LED bulb) and in terms of substrate C02 etc. for a beginner who has already gotten their tank in the cycling process...
Thanks.
I set up a 55gallon tank over a month ago, got it cycled with 4 platys, now I have 5 platys, 6 cory cats, a Pleco, and 6 neon tetras. I was thinking of adding two more schools of community fish. I have a modular Aqueon LED setup with two LEDs right now, though I have room for one more.
I have a few java ferns and a little mirco ferns. When I set up the tank I knew almost nothing about planted aquariums, so only put a substrate down of aquarium gravel, but now I want to get into planted aquariums. My java ferns seem to be doing OK, though they are a little brown and one leaf in particular appears to have died. It almost looks like a skeleton and I wonder if the Pleco has been damaging it. I did get the Java ferns from someone else, and they didn't come to me in the greatest shape to begin with.
If I were to get serious about this, I should have a more nutrient rich substrate underneath the gravel, right? Do I need to break down my current setup? What advice do you have in terms of lighting (get another LED bulb) and in terms of substrate C02 etc. for a beginner who has already gotten their tank in the cycling process...
Thanks.