Help with new plant layout?

PAL

AC Members
Jan 7, 2009
157
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Bay Area, California
So I have a 55 gallon freshwater tank and I was going to plant it. This will be one of my higher maintainance ones so that is why I was seeking your help.
To start off here are the parameters and tank specifications:
Temp: 77F
PH: 6.7
Lighting: 2x 65 Watt hagen lifeglo compact fluorescent bulbs (8 1/2 hours)
1x 28 Watt Aqualight (9 hours)
Substrate: Aquariumplants.com complete substrate
Water changes: 15 gallons per week
Filter: Marineland C220 canister filter (225 gph)
CO2: 1bp5s (one bubble per five seconds) Half a cap of Flourish Excel per week.
Nitrate: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Ferts: Trace elements added weekly, iron added weekly, root tabs every other month.
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Plants (Going front to back, I do have some rock and driftwood)
HC
Dwarf Hairgrass
Downoi (pogostemon helferi)
Staurogyne sp "porto velho"
Anubias nana petite
Narrow leaf java fern
Mermaid weed
Rotala Indicia

Thanks for looking, just trying to balance out my tank! :grinno:
 
Aside from the Rotala and Mermaid weed (I assume it is Proserpinaca palustris) you have mostly Very-Slow and Low-Growers.

IMO-- This will not be a very "high maintainence" tank (good). I would increase bubble to 1 every 1-2 seconds. What is the 28w light for??--after hours viewing??
You do not have any "Heavy" root feeders (so not need root tabs). Aside from the Indica be carfull of Iron (Fe) supplement--I would cut Iron does to half as much as you plan weekly==can and will cause algae.

With CO2 I would not add Excel.

I would invest in a CO2 monitor and checker. IMO--the liquid ones are fine.
 
Ok thanks, I used the 28w for getting the wpg up to 2.9. Thank you for your suggestions. I would like a nice red in the background so that is why im using rotala and a higher light.
 
Ok thanks, I used the 28w for getting the wpg up to 2.9.

That is not the "RIGHT" way of upping watts (example = having 20 5watt lamps for 100watts). You may be OK without the extra 28watts.
 
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