15 dollars in a 125g im liking those numbers even if i spend 25 i will be happy haha thanks alot guys im looking forward to this now your help has been awsome my next questions will be what bulbs and what plants my big concern is the depth from light two plants my tanks is 24inches deep. i have 5500 zoo med tropical bulbs now but im think the 6500 or the 8500 will be what i should go with......
where do you get sand for substrate for aquarium
- Thread starter cekmgreen
- Start date
You really don't need to get that many of the snails they can reproduce pretty quick but as long as your not overfeeding your fish they wont overrun your tank. You might not even think you have that many unless you look with a flashlight at night and see them all out, they're mostly nocturnal so you wont see many of them while the lights are on. Check down in the classifieds you should be able to buy 10-12 of them for under $10 shipped.
5500k is on the low end for plants but should work. I run 6500k through 12000k.
5500k is on the low end for plants but should work. I run 6500k through 12000k.
You can sometimes find MTS as "pest" snails at your lfs. I got two for free from a lfs and they've reproduced to populate 3 tanks. They are a long cone shaped snail with a trap door. They are noctournal and burrow in the substrate during the day. I believe each snail is both male and female, so when they mate, both snails will lay eggs, so you only "need" to start with 2. Also, if you plan to plant your tank, the plant roots will help with those gas pockets as well.
As for lighting, that is it's own monster. There's SO much info about lighting, but basically you have to have enough of the right kind of light to get your plants to grow, but not so much that you create an algae farm. Light has to be balanced with other nutrients including fertilizers and CO2 dissolved in the water. So the level of light you choose should be determined by first asking yourself how much work you want to do and how much money you want to spend. High light means you probably have to buy a very expensive CO2 injection system, and on a tank that large, you'd want a 5 pound CO2 tank or larger. You'd also have to dose fertilizers regularly. If you wanted low light, your plants will grow much more slowly, but there will be very little extra cost or maintenance involved.
I'd for sure reccomend T5HO lighting, as with a tank of that size and depth, you need the penetration that they will provide, unless you want to take the plunge into LED's.
As for lighting, that is it's own monster. There's SO much info about lighting, but basically you have to have enough of the right kind of light to get your plants to grow, but not so much that you create an algae farm. Light has to be balanced with other nutrients including fertilizers and CO2 dissolved in the water. So the level of light you choose should be determined by first asking yourself how much work you want to do and how much money you want to spend. High light means you probably have to buy a very expensive CO2 injection system, and on a tank that large, you'd want a 5 pound CO2 tank or larger. You'd also have to dose fertilizers regularly. If you wanted low light, your plants will grow much more slowly, but there will be very little extra cost or maintenance involved.
I'd for sure reccomend T5HO lighting, as with a tank of that size and depth, you need the penetration that they will provide, unless you want to take the plunge into LED's.
Pool filter sand is definitely the way to go, usually available only at pool or spa supply stores.
Look for a quartz-based silica PFS of, I suggest, a # 20 grade. It comes in several different color shades, from white, to beige/sand color, to grey.
To avoid gas pockets forming, don't go deeper than 3" at the deepest point. I suggest about 1" to 1.5" at the front, to no more than 2.5" to 3" at the back where most of your larger rooted plants would be. Just enough to root your stem plants ok.
Should cost around $10. or less for a 50 lb. bag.
Have a look at my white PFS to give you some idea:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011
Look for a quartz-based silica PFS of, I suggest, a # 20 grade. It comes in several different color shades, from white, to beige/sand color, to grey.
To avoid gas pockets forming, don't go deeper than 3" at the deepest point. I suggest about 1" to 1.5" at the front, to no more than 2.5" to 3" at the back where most of your larger rooted plants would be. Just enough to root your stem plants ok.
Should cost around $10. or less for a 50 lb. bag.
Have a look at my white PFS to give you some idea:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011
