Okay.... I have been doing research for two days now and I'm researching myself in circles... some say you need CO2 some say you don't.... some say you can't use shop lights some say you can
.... so here are a few of my questions.... but first some background info.
I am a Planted tank (insert word that implies a noobie is a master). I usually kill plants terrestrial or otherwise within a few weeks. I've finally gotten terrestrial plants down now I want to try aquatic. I have some Hornwort three unidentified thriving plants in a RCS shrimp tank. I use Flourish on this tank a little bit 1-2 a week and I have a "plant bulb" "full spectrum" light in a shop thing over the tank. I bought a 2.5 gallon tank and put a regular aquarium light over it and they started to turn brown so I put another aquarium light over it.... so I put a shop light with a plant bulb in it and they've gotten green again. I upgraded the system to a 10 gallon tank with a sponge filter (for shrimpy baby protection TOO BAD ALL OF MINE ARE FEMALE DARNIT!!!) and it seems to have gotten better. The hornwort is taking over (Came with the shrimp). The largest unidentified plant (bought in a tube at Petsmart before I knew better in July) and it's doubled in size in the two to three weeks its been in there. The paragraph is chaotic which explains my RCS tank very well. I don't know the first thing about plants.... other than water... nutrients.... light... possibly CO2?
Questions:
1. What's the minimum size I should attempt as a newbie... I'm aiming for 2.5 gallons up to 20 as I'm working with a tight budget.
2. What substrate should I use... I've found planting with sand is easier than gravel. Maybe a special plant substrate?
3. What plants should I use as a newbie that's looking to not use CO2 injection systems? I would like a variety but I would like it to look balanced tall plants foreground plants and carpeting plants?
4. What sort of lighting should I use... to simplify links to specific kits work well for me... I don't get the whole process of finding WPG and what not.
5. I get that Hardscape is like rocks and driftwood... but I really have no idea how to do any of this.... can someone give me some pointers?
6. Trimming? WHen should you trim how much and where? (as in stem... just leaves or whole plants...)
7. How do I make sense of what fertilizers and what not I need and how much of them...?
8. I want to do some fish and/ or shrimps. I want to do some Japonica shrimps some Otto's (if I get algae) and Killifish... COLORFUL killifish... any suggestions words of warning for this? I'd like to start with a 20 gallon tank...?
9. FIltration? What type of filtration is good for planted tanks with fish in it (won't be heavily stocked)? HOB? Sponge? Definitely not UG.
10. Anything else that's absolutely necessary to know for a beginner?
I am a Planted tank (insert word that implies a noobie is a master). I usually kill plants terrestrial or otherwise within a few weeks. I've finally gotten terrestrial plants down now I want to try aquatic. I have some Hornwort three unidentified thriving plants in a RCS shrimp tank. I use Flourish on this tank a little bit 1-2 a week and I have a "plant bulb" "full spectrum" light in a shop thing over the tank. I bought a 2.5 gallon tank and put a regular aquarium light over it and they started to turn brown so I put another aquarium light over it.... so I put a shop light with a plant bulb in it and they've gotten green again. I upgraded the system to a 10 gallon tank with a sponge filter (for shrimpy baby protection TOO BAD ALL OF MINE ARE FEMALE DARNIT!!!) and it seems to have gotten better. The hornwort is taking over (Came with the shrimp). The largest unidentified plant (bought in a tube at Petsmart before I knew better in July) and it's doubled in size in the two to three weeks its been in there. The paragraph is chaotic which explains my RCS tank very well. I don't know the first thing about plants.... other than water... nutrients.... light... possibly CO2?
Questions:
1. What's the minimum size I should attempt as a newbie... I'm aiming for 2.5 gallons up to 20 as I'm working with a tight budget.
2. What substrate should I use... I've found planting with sand is easier than gravel. Maybe a special plant substrate?
3. What plants should I use as a newbie that's looking to not use CO2 injection systems? I would like a variety but I would like it to look balanced tall plants foreground plants and carpeting plants?
4. What sort of lighting should I use... to simplify links to specific kits work well for me... I don't get the whole process of finding WPG and what not.
5. I get that Hardscape is like rocks and driftwood... but I really have no idea how to do any of this.... can someone give me some pointers?
6. Trimming? WHen should you trim how much and where? (as in stem... just leaves or whole plants...)
7. How do I make sense of what fertilizers and what not I need and how much of them...?
8. I want to do some fish and/ or shrimps. I want to do some Japonica shrimps some Otto's (if I get algae) and Killifish... COLORFUL killifish... any suggestions words of warning for this? I'd like to start with a 20 gallon tank...?
9. FIltration? What type of filtration is good for planted tanks with fish in it (won't be heavily stocked)? HOB? Sponge? Definitely not UG.
10. Anything else that's absolutely necessary to know for a beginner?