Planted Tank Story *Updated 10/04/06* 56k beware

[AussieStar]

Well,
i have swapped rooms with my brother so i have decided on changing my plans to down size my aquarium. My new plans are to make my 6ft into a bare bottom planted tank and slowing have gravel and more plants into a fully planted tank. With all my plants that i have i dont use i will be putting them into a 18 inch cube tank for my rams.

I have two 150 watt MH's and 2 130 watt PCs, a fully persurized co2 system and uvc unit all connect inline with 2 404's. So for the mean time i am going to move my co2 system to the 18 inch tank and one of the PCs to make it a mini planted for my rams,

But with my current setup i have alot of algae growing in my driftwood that i plan to use in the BB. So is srcubing it and leaving it in the sun for a couple of weeks the only option to kill it?

I would love to try to attach plants to all of them, like java ferns and anubias. So do i just attach them with string, think it would be the best way. Any other ideas?

EDIT: Have decided to keep this as a journal for my new plant tank, well its an old setup just starting again

[duck]

Only today i just poured bleach over my wood left it for a couple of minute's, then srubbed a little with scourer(spelling) then a good rinsing then straight back into the tank.
To attach fern's ect use fine fishing line.
It would look good especialy with the nice wood you have.

[AussieStar]

would some cories be ok in a bare bottom planted tank?

[mcloughlin2]

Yeah cories can go in a bare bottom tank....but they do like to have gravel to search for food in so im not to sure they would be happy..........

[kalebjarrod]

i use bleach as well, on all my rock's

the problem is if you have a single algee spore hit the water, its all back again

you should (if you want to get rid of it forever-ish) clean with bleach and then add uv

allthough this is another expense

..................... using bleach will get rid of the problem now

[dreamer]

your cories will be fine in bb tank. i keep mine all in bb tank

[AussieStar]

well i actually already hava uv unit a pondmaster 36 watt. Yea ill get a couple and see how they go

[AussieStar]

K dont some reading and i know that BB tanks are easier to keep clean and all the rest but if i want to make it a fully planted tank later on, wouldnt i better to have the gravel in there from the first place? so when i do go to added the more plants adding gravel wont stree them out as much?, or they should be ok

[kalebjarrod]

BB/s are heaps easier to keep clean, some keep it BB til you want to go planted

when you go planted you will need some time to get all the aspects of planting and aquascaping right

you may need a temporary home for your fish in this time

[Woll]

We have a BB tank, but we got some little glazed ceramic pots from the reject shop and just filled them up with gravel and put them in the tank along with some wood with plabts on.