Setting up a planted aquarium

[LostFisher]

I posted in the SW forum and I think I am not ready for a SW aquarium. I would like to get a small aquarium about 10 gallons give or take a few gallons. I deffinatly would like to grow plants in it to make it look very natural.

My question I guess is could anyone reccomend what equipment to buy for starters. Not plants or fish yet, just the equipment so that I can get it setup. I know I dont want alot of fish, I would deffinatly like a Betta though as my primary fish.

So I am wondering what equipment. For a tank, should I go glass or acrylic, bow front, hex or standard rectangle. What heater, what filter. Would you reccomend the Hagen Co2 System? Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks so much,

LF

 

[OrionGirl]

Tanks: I like tanks that are long and shallow. Makes it easy to aquascape, provides a good surface area. Can be tough if you want really tall plants, but on the upside, it makes it easier to get lighting that will reach all levels of your tank adequately.

For a first time tank, I wouldn't recommend going with a high light tank, not really with CO2 at first. A good low light first time planted tank would be a 10-40 gallon tank. Use laterite with gravel or sand for substrate. Focus on hardy rooted plants, like java ferns and crypts, and low light bunch plants like rotalia indica and anachris. Open root plants like anubias are great as well. A standard fluorescent hood can provide about 1.5 watts per gallon, plenty for these plants. For fish, a betta, 3-4 small tetras, and 3 cories will be fine.

Look into cycling--you'll want to start with a cycled tank, meaning the bacteria for processing fish waste are present in an adequate supply to deal with the number of fish you add. Once the tank is cycled, you can alse begin adding plants, and learning about the fertilizers, supplemental CO2 and lighting. This setup is the easiest I can think of--it can get much more involved, depending on the plants you want, and their needs. Start with the basics, and then move on to more complex setups.

GL!