# New setup 60L planted tank.



## Matt Havens (28 Oct 2015)

Hi all! Only my second post but was hoping I might get some helpful  responses. 

Currently wanting to set up my 60L as a planted aquascape. I have had my practice run at doing this on my 130L and have learnt so much from doing so. If anyone wants to see I will post a picture. 

The 60L is my original tank which has a hood/ light unit and a hang on filter which has 3 replaceable filter pads. I only assume that this will not be sufficient enough for the job. Nor the lighting I suspect. It is a MARINA STYLE 60. 







I have Flora Base Pro substrate to put in and Flora Grow Special Fertilizer and Carbo CO2 Fertilizer to use once set up. 

My worry is the filtration and lighting not helping with such a setup as mentioned. What would you guys suggest?




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## MightyPumpkin (28 Oct 2015)

I have a hang on filter running and I'm really unhappy at the circulation. Think this is something you could trial before you pop in the substrate.

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## Martin in Holland (29 Oct 2015)

The HOB is actually plenty for filtering/polishing your water, but indeed it will not be enough for circulation. You could however just get a power head for that and even attache a spray bar to it, this will give you enough flow, hiding the power head would be your next issue though.


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## Matt Havens (29 Oct 2015)

Thanks MightyPumpkin I did have circulation problems with it before and ended up using a small internal filter alongside, I didn't have many plants at that point though but noticed a difference. I am planning to have some carpeting plants at the front and also maybe some altenanthera reineckii or similar red/pink plants. Going for a heavily planted one this time round.

 I'm starting to think I would be better off spending the money on an external filter Martin in China. It would solve the powerhead issue

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## Matt Havens (11 Nov 2015)

Starting to do the hardscape now. Plants just arrived in the post. Ready to go. Any thoughts on layout welcome.




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## Matt Havens (11 Nov 2015)

Planting complete!!!! We have eleocharis sp. Mini, pogostemon helferii, althernanthera reneicki mini, hygrophila sp. Red cherry, rotala walichi, Alternanthera Reineckii Lilacina and Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan'. I still have pogostemon erectus and hygrophila compacta left in the armoury. What would anyone suggest? Also a whole pot of eleocharis left. Thanks all!




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Here is the tank after a week. Will do water change and take more. Keep you all updated.Hi all, first week after planting! 

Had lights on for 6 hours and added liquid CO2 daily.

Thinking of doing a 30% water change and then dose the special fertiliser (will take picture).

As you may see my AR mini is not looking good. Any suggestions why?



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These 2 pieces of wood have developed a slimy white fungus looking thing. The smaller piece to the right I can actually remove but the larger piece which stretches out of the top is well buried in the all ready planted scape (quite worried to be honest).

What to do? I have heard of adding the snails,shrimp and otto's who will feast in what may have been wrongly suggested online as the sap leaching out. Anyway here it is...


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## banthaman.jm (21 Nov 2015)

Hey Matt, use a tooth brush on it when doing water changes, it will go after a short period of time.  I had it on my wood, it just stopped after 6-8 weeks. How often do you do water changes per week?  The tank is coming along nicely, some good growth in places. The issues with ar mini is down to flow IMO as it is hidden between the rocks and they could be blocking it from co2. @Martin in China gave good advice with a power head attached to a spraybar, if the spraybar was placed along the back of the tank it would give you good circulation.  Nice looking tank, would love to see more pics and an update.
Jim


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## Matt Havens (21 Nov 2015)

Thanks for the help. I will do this later today. As for water changes. I am due to do the first one today. Going to do a 30% change weekly. Regarding the AR I think I will now add the HOB filter to try and increase flow. I am dosing liquid CO2

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## Martin in Holland (21 Nov 2015)

You can vacuum as much melted plants and fungus away whit the WC, don't worry about taking out more water than 30%, I am a big believer of doing large WC of 50% or more atleast once a week.


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## Matt Havens (21 Nov 2015)

Thanks Martin I am in the process now. Changing 30% of the water. Thanks again banthaman for the toothbrush suggestion, it came right of. Have taken out the dead AR and will re think this area, but with the edition of the HOB filter. 
Not sure what to replace the AR with? Any suggestions? I would like something short and red in colour. However the Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' centre of the tank to the rear could fill the gap. Here are some pictures just after water change...







































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## Matt Havens (25 Nov 2015)

Quick update for all. 

Did a water change on Sunday about 30%. Started to dose the fertilizer as stated. Requires 10 pumps per week so will add half twice a week to spread out the dosing. All ready dosing liquid CO2 and have added HOB filter as well as having internal to try and improve circulation.

I have all ready lost the AR in less than a week. Leaves lost colour and died so i have removed this. 
I am now starting to see my eleocharis. Sp mini turn white in places and a very thin hairy algea thing has developed around this. I am not pleased at all and am desperate for a remedy.

LED Lights running for 8 hours.

Dosing daily liquid CO2.

Dosing fertilizer 2x a week as per instructions.

Internal filter from start and HOB filter was added a week ago to increase circulation.

It has been setup for 2 weeks now and all background plants have new growth and turning red at the tips. This would lead me to suggest that (please advise) either the light although reaching most of the tank is not generating enough or the correct light. Or that  the liquid CO2 is only reaching the top of the tank?

I will post some pictures below.

Thanks.

Matt

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## Matt Havens (25 Nov 2015)

Eleocharis first.













Now for the background plants. First picture is the Hygrophila sp. Red Cherry. Working left to right.





And now the Rotala Walichii. Starting to develooa very faint tinge of browny pink.




And the Pogostemon Erectus (background) and in the foreground is Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' .




And finally AR Lilicana.




The whole tank 2 weeks in.




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## Andy D (25 Nov 2015)

My suggestion would be to reduce the lighting period to 5/6 hours to begin with and reduce the demand being placed on the tank.

When dosing liquid carbon products it is best to dose the ferts daily as well.

I think the biggest issue is flow/distribution. Is the internal filter in the middle of the tank?

EDIT - sorry I posted as you added the second post. A lot of those plants look quite healthy. The DHG may just need a little more time to acclimatise.


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## Matt Havens (25 Nov 2015)

Andy D said:


> My suggestion would be to reduce the lighting period to 5/6 hours to begin with and reduce the demand being placed on the tank.
> 
> When dosing liquid carbon products it is best to dose the ferts daily as well.
> 
> ...


Thanks Andy.

Well both the AR Mini that died and the DHG were tissue culture plants. Could this be for the same reason?

I had lights running for 6 hours first week and only increased it on Sunday. I will drop the time down and move the light unit higher maybe?





Thanks again Andy.



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## Andy D (25 Nov 2015)

I would reduce the duration to start off with. 

I have a (small) tank with mainly tissue culture plants that is dosed daily with easycarbo and ferts and it did take a while (weeks) for the tissue culture plants to take off. 

The difficult part is getting the flow to the bottom of tank. 
- is the DHG swaying at all?
- does the filter have a spraybar option?


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## Matt Havens (25 Nov 2015)

I could turn the internal filter to the side and direct the flow down as i do not have a spraybar. It is definitely swaying in the flow from the HOB.

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## Matt Havens (13 Apr 2016)

Very late update for all.

On the hole the tank seems to be doing just fine as it is only low tech.

Fauna:

12 Ember Tetra
10 Emerald dwarf rasbora
4 Otto's
5-6 Neocaridina shrimp (mixed colours)










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## Lexy (14 May 2016)

Sweet tank! Making good progress.

Would love to see some pictures of the Emerald Rasbora and to learn how they are in your tank please? Was looking at buying some myself.


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## Matt Havens (15 May 2016)

Lexy said:


> Sweet tank! Making good progress.
> 
> Would love to see some pictures of the Emerald Rasbora and to learn how they are in your tank please? Was looking at buying some myself.


Thanks for the kind comments but having some crazy algea issues. As you will see. I will try and get the Emarald Rasboras for you. They are really quite shy for me bug I think they need more foliage and hiding places.

Considering starting from fresh with my emersed plants currently growing. Changing the hardscape etc...

I have coming an Ehiem 2215 on the way. I also have a Co2 88g kit from fluval and also thinkibg of starting to dose dry ferts.

Anyway I will try and get the Emeralds for you.

















Lexy said:


> Sweet tank! Making good progress.
> 
> Would love to see some pictures of the Emerald Rasbora and to learn how they are in your tank please? Was looking at buying some myself.




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## Lexy (21 May 2016)

Thanks for the pics. 

Definitely going to be getting some as soon as I can find them. None of my lads seem to have them. 

The algaes not to worry about. Have you checked out the algae threads?


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