As to wether tap or ro it depends on your tap parameters. If they coincide with the fish and are acceptable to you then use it. If not you could use ro but allways in a mix with tap. Yes the canister style will have less surface movement. Flourite can be bought online or at an LFS.
New to FW,just a few ??? on a good set up
- Thread starter ozzy
- Start date
Schultz Pond material is very lightweight
While it is certainly cheaper than Flourite, the Schultz Aquatic Plantsing Soil is very light weight, it is probably OK to mix this in but I wouldn't try to use that exclusively. I've read that people have had trouble keeping plants in the soil using that. I've got some now, for use in the pond, but as the goldfish throw it out of the lillies I end up vacuuming it up and throwing it out. I may try to use some as a base in the next tank I set up, but not much.
The thing about the water disturbance is that if you add CO2 you want still surface to avoid the \co2 escaping and the level in the tank falling to ambient CO2 levels (3 to 5 ppm). If you don't add CO2, the plants will tend to use it up and you may want to have more surface distrubance, maybe even air pumps, to get the tank CO2 back up to ambient levels, as 5 ppm is certanly better than 0.
Now, as I have not read the Walstad book, I don't know where the soil planted aquarium is in this argument. So much CO2 comes from the bacteria in the filter, but much much more bacteria live in natural soil, so the soil itself would be the source of CO2 in the naturally planted tank. I suppose in that case, again, you'd want a still surface, but nice current to distribute the available CO2 to each plant. But, with this arrangement, I don't think that you'd want any sort of bought, baked and sterilized "aquatic soil" -- you'd want real dirt, full of natural bacteria.
While it is certainly cheaper than Flourite, the Schultz Aquatic Plantsing Soil is very light weight, it is probably OK to mix this in but I wouldn't try to use that exclusively. I've read that people have had trouble keeping plants in the soil using that. I've got some now, for use in the pond, but as the goldfish throw it out of the lillies I end up vacuuming it up and throwing it out. I may try to use some as a base in the next tank I set up, but not much.
The thing about the water disturbance is that if you add CO2 you want still surface to avoid the \co2 escaping and the level in the tank falling to ambient CO2 levels (3 to 5 ppm). If you don't add CO2, the plants will tend to use it up and you may want to have more surface distrubance, maybe even air pumps, to get the tank CO2 back up to ambient levels, as 5 ppm is certanly better than 0.
Now, as I have not read the Walstad book, I don't know where the soil planted aquarium is in this argument. So much CO2 comes from the bacteria in the filter, but much much more bacteria live in natural soil, so the soil itself would be the source of CO2 in the naturally planted tank. I suppose in that case, again, you'd want a still surface, but nice current to distribute the available CO2 to each plant. But, with this arrangement, I don't think that you'd want any sort of bought, baked and sterilized "aquatic soil" -- you'd want real dirt, full of natural bacteria.
OK,we seem to be getting somewhere now..
so what is the very best dirt for a planted aquarium ??
While it is certainly cheaper than Flourite, the Schultz Aquatic Plantsing Soil is very light weight, it is probably OK to mix this in but I wouldn't try to use that exclusively
So mix the two ??and just how deep do we want this bed ??
if you add CO2 you want still surface to avoid the \co2 escaping
is it best to add Co2 ? if so how ?
if you add CO2 you want still surface to avoid the \co2 escaping
would this dirt bed of X inches serve as a filter if seeded somehow ??
the soil itself would be the source of CO2 in the naturally planted tank.
if that is the case then would I need to still add Co2 to my tank,or would that really depend on the plant life in the tank ??
I don't think that you'd want any sort of bought, baked and sterilized "aquatic soil" -- you'd want real dirt, full of natural bacteria.
yes,this is true
I dont just want a fresh water tank with the pink rocks,along with the plastic plants,I want to build a fresh water eco-system.
so what is the very best dirt for a planted aquarium ??
While it is certainly cheaper than Flourite, the Schultz Aquatic Plantsing Soil is very light weight, it is probably OK to mix this in but I wouldn't try to use that exclusively
So mix the two ??and just how deep do we want this bed ??
if you add CO2 you want still surface to avoid the \co2 escaping
is it best to add Co2 ? if so how ?
if you add CO2 you want still surface to avoid the \co2 escaping
would this dirt bed of X inches serve as a filter if seeded somehow ??
the soil itself would be the source of CO2 in the naturally planted tank.
if that is the case then would I need to still add Co2 to my tank,or would that really depend on the plant life in the tank ??
I don't think that you'd want any sort of bought, baked and sterilized "aquatic soil" -- you'd want real dirt, full of natural bacteria.
yes,this is true
I dont just want a fresh water tank with the pink rocks,along with the plastic plants,I want to build a fresh water eco-system.
Everything of course depends on what you want to grow. In my aquariums I grow mostly stem plants so substrate ins't really important. The few plants I grow that need rooting I just put into soil filled pots and bury the pot in the gravel I use.
When you add CO2 you also need to bring up the other levels. This means higher lighting, more fertilizers. Whenever you increase 1 thing you need to increase the others, otherwise you will end up with large algea growths as well as plants.
I would determine where you will be buying your plants (LFS, online store) and then determine how you can make these particular plants flourish. A tank of water sprite will seem to flourish with just adequate lighting. Fox tail is going to need a lot more.
When you add CO2 you also need to bring up the other levels. This means higher lighting, more fertilizers. Whenever you increase 1 thing you need to increase the others, otherwise you will end up with large algea growths as well as plants.
I would determine where you will be buying your plants (LFS, online store) and then determine how you can make these particular plants flourish. A tank of water sprite will seem to flourish with just adequate lighting. Fox tail is going to need a lot more.
Everything of course depends on what you want to grow.
true,however I am new to the hobby and have no idea what is out there
Whenever you increase 1 thing you need to increase the others,
so just what are good params for a fresh water tank ??I would determine where you will be buying your plants (LFS, online store) and then determine how you can make these particular plants flourish.
very true,this is the point I am at now,do you have a good online store one could buy a plant package from ??
true,however I am new to the hobby and have no idea what is out there
Whenever you increase 1 thing you need to increase the others,
so just what are good params for a fresh water tank ??I would determine where you will be buying your plants (LFS, online store) and then determine how you can make these particular plants flourish.
very true,this is the point I am at now,do you have a good online store one could buy a plant package from ??
Lets start at the beginning
First, what lights do you have?
Light is the key to what you will be able to grow. Light is the fuel that runs this package. The lights you have or will use are going to tell us what sort of things you will be able to grow.
So, before you go too far down the substrate, plants, CO2 road... tell us about your lights.
And your tap water (just in case it is strange), call your water company for a report.
Go to the AGA site to see some of the most beautiful tanks, study the plants, the methods, the hardware.
AGA Showcase
First, what lights do you have?
Light is the key to what you will be able to grow. Light is the fuel that runs this package. The lights you have or will use are going to tell us what sort of things you will be able to grow.
So, before you go too far down the substrate, plants, CO2 road... tell us about your lights.
And your tap water (just in case it is strange), call your water company for a report.
Go to the AGA site to see some of the most beautiful tanks, study the plants, the methods, the hardware.
AGA Showcase
First, what lights do you have?
oh the lights,Well what I have laying around that I can toss over it,right now I have a Custom Sealife 65 watt pc hood system,I need to order a now light for it,never the less I can DIY one heck of a light hood for it,whats best ?? MH,NO,PC ,what ever is best for the tank I'll do
And your tap water (just in case it is strange), call your water company for a report. if the tap water is a problem I'll just go with RO water,but in the report what do I ask for and look at ??
thanks for ther link,I'll check it out
oh the lights,Well what I have laying around that I can toss over it,right now I have a Custom Sealife 65 watt pc hood system,I need to order a now light for it,never the less I can DIY one heck of a light hood for it,whats best ?? MH,NO,PC ,what ever is best for the tank I'll do
And your tap water (just in case it is strange), call your water company for a report. if the tap water is a problem I'll just go with RO water,but in the report what do I ask for and look at ??
thanks for ther link,I'll check it out
Good parameters of course will depend on the plants you have.
If you are willing to use soil as a substrate and willing to use CO2 then you can use really high light which allows for any plants you want. If you can have over 3 watts per gallon then you can start keeping high light plants.
But that also might determine your choice of fish as some do not like high light. However, floating plants can help in that case.
If you are willing to use soil as a substrate and willing to use CO2 then you can use really high light which allows for any plants you want. If you can have over 3 watts per gallon then you can start keeping high light plants.
But that also might determine your choice of fish as some do not like high light. However, floating plants can help in that case.
You need to look for what they add such as nitrate, phosphate, chloramines etc. It should also tell you if they have been busted by the state for any violations (mine has been twice in the last five years). You can not use straight RO water. Not only does it lack the electrolytes the fish need for proper metabolic and gill function it is very soft and with co2, carbonic acid can cause your ph to plummet over a point in an hour killing everything. Bioacidification can also cause this through the build up of excess waste.
Only a SW guy would have a compact flourescent "just lying around"
Only a SW guy would have a compact flourescent "just lying around"
