Help me create my planted tank setup

[ciaobella7122]

I have a low light, no CO2 no fert setup that is going great so far:grinyes:! I have a couple kinds of crypt (walkerii and wendtii), anubias, java moss, java fern, foxtail fern (that is floating because my gouramis said that is where they want it lol), some banana plants, a couple onion plants and a couple other unknowns that my lfs suggested. It's been up for about a month now and although it hasn't grown in like I had hoped, everything is still very nice and shooting off like crazy. I'm hoping that over the next couple of months it will get a little more wild looking. I think it's slow because I've been messing with it so much lol. I may add a cheap fert just once to see what it does. I'll have to get some pics updated soon! Good luck and let us see what you end up doing :goldfish::goldfish::goldfish:

 

[Jag1980]

Why would wild Betta's be sensitive to CO2, they are anabantoids, they breathe air.

Here is a list of plants that would work in your light setup, and without the addition of CO2. But your are running the edge of needing an additional Carbon source with the light you have atm.
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=1&filter_by=2

Also make sure to read the sticky put together by Mgamer, should help alot.

The Wild Betta I was looking into to not like pH fluctuations and do not like CO2

I just got done reading those stickies and they are very well put together and given me alot more understanding on fertilizers.

What light requirement should I stay away from if I do not run CO2?
I know there is no definite on what will work in my tank, but a general area would be helpful on my max light requiring plants.
Am I limited to the Low light plants or can I go a little higher?

I might change my CO2 setup to a nutrifin CO2 ladder system to lower the amount of CO2 going into my tank compared to my DIY system I have now, my fish don't like it.. and my kH is way to low and my pH is dropping below 6.0 (My test stops at 6.0)

 

[Jag1980]

I like Nick's list although I had no success with Ludwigia repens under 2.1 watts of lighting. You could add the Hygro species to the list.
You might start off with the lights on about 9 hours a day and see how it goes.
Flourish excell can hurt vals. I had some Italian Val that became stunted after dosing a while with excell. It did send out runners and now resembles dwarf sag as it is only couple of inches tall but otherwise doing well. I stopped using excell months ago but it is still stunted. I now have it in the foreground and use it as a groundcover plant.

That's the same thing that has happen to me, I was using the flourish Excel crap and my Val's seem to be slowing dying off. I thought it was lack of fertilizers, but after what you said and from reading on other plant websites that this is what was causing my slow deaths..
Also, my Val's will not grow tall at all. When I first got them they where about 18" tall, I had to trim them because of them melting away and that haven't grown at all since.. But, they are shooting off runners like crazy! I got 4 Val's a month ago and now I have 20+ but they are maxing out at about 3" to 4" ( I want very tall is why I bought these plants.

Also my Brazilian Pennywarts have died also, I tried everything but nothing would save them. I blame Excel for this also, there's no reason for them to die the way they did.. Also, after I did my main large dose of Excel for the week, I notice the next day the ends of my Hornworts started to turn lighter color and brown.. but green up after a few days of not using the higher dose of Excel.

Someone needs to make a list on what plants do not do well with Excel...

 

[Jag1980]

I have a low light, no CO2 no fert setup that is going great so far:grinyes:! I have a couple kinds of crypt (walkerii and wendtii), anubias, java moss, java fern, foxtail fern (that is floating because my gouramis said that is where they want it lol), some banana plants, a couple onion plants and a couple other unknowns that my lfs suggested. It's been up for about a month now and although it hasn't grown in like I had hoped, everything is still very nice and shooting off like crazy. I'm hoping that over the next couple of months it will get a little more wild looking. I think it's slow because I've been messing with it so much lol. I may add a cheap fert just once to see what it does. I'll have to get some pics updated soon! Good luck and let us see what you end up doing :goldfish::goldfish::goldfish:

From what I have read, your plants need food just like your fish do. try using some N P K and the other and your growth rate might increase.
Plant will hold their nutrients for weeks and after that they will then start to slowly die.


I was thinking about some Crypts but i read that they are sensitive to crypt rot and don't like to be moved, so that's not a good plant for me.

Tried Java Moss and it's very boring, I would like to try some Flame Moss though. I will try some Java ferns and some Anubis species, larger one are just so expensive! My little one I got a little while ago is doing great and grows pretty fast compared to what I thought it was gonna do.

I want to make a list of plant from this post to print out and take with me for when I go to buy plants, so I know what I should be able to keep and to what is out of my range for my setup.


One question about fertilizers.

What nutrients do I need to monitor to help keep the growth of my Green Slime Algae to a minimum?

 

[Riiz]

The Wild Betta I was looking into to not like pH fluctuations and do not like CO2

I just got done reading those stickies and they are very well put together and given me alot more understanding on fertilizers.

What light requirement should I stay away from if I do not run CO2?
I know there is no definite on what will work in my tank, but a general area would be helpful on my max light requiring plants.
Am I limited to the Low light plants or can I go a little higher?

I might change my CO2 setup to a nutrifin CO2 ladder system to lower the amount of CO2 going into my tank compared to my DIY system I have now, my fish don't like it.. and my kH is way to low and my pH is dropping below 6.0 (My test stops at 6.0)

If your going by the plantgeek.net guides, go with low and low-medium selections. DIY will work, with a bit of effort in a 29gal, stop using excel and employ some method of monitoring CO2 concentrations. Plus if your worried about KH and buffering, Seachem Equilibrium will help.

 

[Jag1980]

If your going by the plantgeek.net guides, go with low and low-medium selections. DIY will work, with a bit of effort in a 29gal, stop using excel and employ some method of monitoring CO2 concentrations. Plus if your worried about KH and buffering, Seachem Equilibrium will help.

ok thanks

I'm not going to use Excel again EVER!