Help with first "planted" tank.

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Akysten

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May 28, 2006
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I've never had a "planted" tank other than some easy growth plants in gravel.

I'm starting up a new 60 gallon community tank that I plan to use as a planted tank.

There is no CO2 injection at this time, I’ve got two 48” T5 light bars, and a Fuval 404 canister filter.

I'm going to use Eco-Complete as a substrate, but I really don't know WHERE to go from there.

I've heard that using Eco-Complete, that you don’t need gravel, unless you prefer it for aestetics.

I want your recommendations…

Should I put down something(such as pete) below the substrate?

Should I put down 3 inches of this stuff and cover it with a mix of fine/small dark or natural gravel? I know this is preference.. but does anyone have any photos of how this looks?

What plants should I start with.
 
A whole lot depends on what plants you want to keep.

Eco-Complete is designed to be used as the total substrata in a planted tank. It is excellent used this wayif you are useing a "lawn plant" to cover the bottom. If you are not useing a "Lawn plant" then mixing it or covering it with a thin layer ofgravel is fine. 2 Inches of it covered by gravel will work if no "lawn plants". I would not use Pete below it.
 
Eco-Complete is basically gravel suited for plants so you don't need to use any other gravel unless you're aiming to cut costs, Eco-Complete is rather expensive compared regular gravel. Eco-Complete is a black gravel of various sizes, from very small sand-like particles to medium grains.

A thin layer of pete is always a good idea for planted tanks with heavy root feeders.

You're still in the lower light ranges so CO2 may not be necessary but CO2 will always help in any planted tank.

Plants in your light range are:

most hygrophila (wisteria, polysperma, corymbosa)
hornwort
anubias (any variety)
most cryptocryne (Wendtii, beckettii)
java fern
java moss
water sprite
anacharis
amazon sword
vallisneria
 
I believe the lights are rated at 28watts each, with two per strip. Two strips. So we're talking 112 watts.

How many watts per gallon should I have?

I've grown hygrophila well before in an eclipse with gravel substrate.
 
low lights are anywhere between 1-1.5wpg
medium lights are 2-2.5wpg
high light is 3+wpg

With T5 lights, you're in the medium range and can expand to include plants like ludwigia repens, aponogetons, baby tears, bacopas, rotala rontundifolia, tiger lotus, and some lawn plants like dwarf sag or e. tenellus.
 
So what's this purple light I've got.. I think this helps enhance the fish, but I just can't get used to it.. it doesn't look right.... or is it worth it?
 
The purple light are supposed to be in the color spectrum that will benefit the photosynthesis process the most. In practice, you won't see much improvement using them than over regular lights. When choosing the light, go with what looks good to you.
 
phanmc said:
The purple light are supposed to be in the color spectrum that will benefit the photosynthesis process the most. In practice, you won't see much improvement using them than over regular lights. When choosing the light, go with what looks good to you.
Click to expand...

You are correct, plants don't care about the light color. Plants can even grow with the cheap cool white bulbs used in standard office lights though they tend to bleach out the fish colors.
 
It's one white, one purple. The Purple does look to enhance the colors of the fish though.. at least in the store. Neon tetras look great.. I'll proabably swap one for a standard.. and hold on to this one as a spare. With my more colorful plans, the purple light should help.

I'm thinking about a planted community tank centered around Rainbows. I was thinking 2 or three Bosemani and a larger school of 5 or 6 Dwarf Neons(praecox). Maybe a couple Red Flame Dward Gouramis, and school of Harloquin Robera.. and 2-3 small clown loaches and somthing to eat algae. (this is a 60 gallon). This is a long range plan.. and my wife will have a say in the selection....If this venture one goes well, I hope to be able to manage a 55 gallon.... maybe dedicated to african cichlids, or maybe try a 29 gallon salt or species. My hobbies tent to annoy the wife, so I hope that we can make this work.

My wife used to have run a 10 gallon before I met her. It sounded overcrowded and a bad mix (Tiger Barb, Angel, Kissing Gouramis, neon tetras... at most she said she had 12 fish). She was complaining about the maintenance. I think she'll find that with a lager tank, a managable population, better filtration, and a pyhon siphon/vacuum.. it will be much more managable. Time will tell.

But the point is, Colorful fish should really look good under the purple light!
 
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