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  1. #1
    Hi, I'm New Here!
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    How to setup a planted tank

    The tank is 2.5 ft long 1 foot wide and 2ft tall holds around 140 liters and the glass is 15mm thick. It has a two foot light one globe is normal and the other is a t8 globe. Im wanting to keep a few sorts of plants and mosses i was thinking java moss and a few swords what else should i add and what can i do to help the plants survive also i have 3 inchs of black gravel for the swords to grow in

  2. #2
    Free Swimmer
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    Jun 2010
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    Other plants to consider are Anubias, Crypts and Java ferns.

    I'd suggest you get some root tablets (balls of fertiliser you push into the gravel) to get the best from the Swords and Crypts.

    Cheers,
    Scott

  3. #3
    Hi, I'm New Here!
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    Thanks for the tip i just bought some today

  4. #4
    Moderator
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    if your serious about a planted tank then you migh as well do it propperly.

    get a real substrate, aquasoil, flora base, eco complete, flourite something that is complete or DIY one. if you already have black gravel something like flourite black or eco complete can be mixed in in a 1:1 ratio and still give great results.

    throw away your light and get one with enough output for 2 foot, with co2 40mmols of PAR will grow ANYTHING. twin t5's as a minimum but I'd be thinking of quad t5's or LED.

    Co2, diy is ok for a 100ish L tank but you can put together a preassure system for not much money (eBay is your friend).

    Swords are NOT LOW LIGHT PLANTS! the best growth i ever had was from a 2 foot tank with 54w of T8 light with mylar reflectors, they pearled beutifully and had birght autum colours in the new growth. Swords are also typically BIG plants, a typical amazon can reach 60cm in height and over 50cm in diameter, this is fine if you want to grow low light plants like mosses anubias and crypts underneath in the shadows.

  5. #5
    Hi, I'm New Here!
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    Thanks for that tip however you really dont need all that what i have is fine so ive been told by others but im not going to seriously into it with tank but ill get some bigger watt globes for my 6ft light.

  6. #6
    Blue Diamond Discus swampy1972's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coen
    Thanks for that tip however you really dont need all that what i have is fine so ive been told by others but im not going to seriously into it with tank but ill get some bigger watt globes for my 6ft light.
    You're spot on Coen..

    With appropriate plant selection for your setup, you can still achieve great results.

    I've had swords grow so big they exceeded the space in my tank with nothing more than gravel substrate with some Ozmocote Native fertilizer and a single 4ft T8 globe.. Obviously, more light and ferts will increase growth rate, but it also increases the difficulty in balancing the tank to avoid algae issues etc..

    Looking forward to seeing your setup

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