# Do you just turn it on and watch them grow?



## Damian  Smith (16 Feb 2010)

I have just oredered a kit to DIY a pressurised system. 

I have 2 x 600g disposable bottles to start with and see how they last. I have good filtration af about 950lph external but low lighting 2 x 3 foot tubes with reflectors. 

I have been looking at fitting an extra twin 39W set of lights with a grolux and skywhite tube to run while the co2 is running.  

Whats the general set up advise. My tank is about 4 years running now with no plants at the moment.

Do i upgrade lamps 1st then add plants then co2?

Its a 75 gallon tank with 5 large clown loaches and a few others.

Just confused about whats steps  to take and when. 

Thanks 
Damian


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## Garuf (16 Feb 2010)

At 75gallons I can tell you now you don't have good filtration/flow levels.


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## LondonDragon (16 Feb 2010)

Garuf said:
			
		

> At 75gallons I can tell you now you don't have good filtration/flow levels.


True, also should always upgrade the CO2 and get the plants then increase lighting if required.


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (16 Feb 2010)

Damian  Smith said:
			
		

> I have just oredered a kit to DIY a pressurised system.
> 
> I have 2 x 600g disposable bottles to start with and see how they last. I have good filtration af about 950lph external but low lighting 2 x 3 foot tubes with reflectors.
> 
> ...




Personel view add plants / Co2 and fertz - run with this set up until you get the hang of an planted aquarium, then increase you lighting if desired, but if you increase lighting, fertz / co2 etc will have to be increased, as I stated earlier start easy and work your way up the ladder until you gain confidence in what you are trying to achieve.

Learn to walk before you try running.

Regards
paul.


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## Themuleous (17 Feb 2010)

Yep, I have to say I would get the CO2 and planting right before upping the lighting.  Light drives the process so if you up the lighting, without having either enough plants, or giving the plants enough of what they need to grow, you'll more than likely just end up with algae  which in a 4 year old tank with no problems would be a great shame!

FYI - filtration is one of those things that you cant really have to much of.  For planted tanks a good ball park to aim for is 10x the turnover of the tank an hour, or in your case 750gph.  That is generally considered necessary in order to distribute the co2 and ferts around the tank to the plants.  I appreciate that that is a lot of filtration, so what you can do it add an internal powerhead to increase the flow around the tank.  Its not the filtration capacity itself we are after but the flow a gid filter will provide, or as suggested a powerhead. 

Hope that helps

Sam


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## Damian  Smith (17 Feb 2010)

Sorry forgot to mention that a internal filter of around 1500lph will be added as well. 

Thats the sort of help I needed, its a very complicated system to set up as there are so many variables. I was just after some basic set up tips to start and can then go from there.


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## Themuleous (17 Feb 2010)




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## Nick16 (17 Feb 2010)

Damian  Smith said:
			
		

> Sorry forgot to mention that a internal filter of around 1500lph will be added as well.
> 
> Thats the sort of help I needed, its a very complicated system to set up as there are so many variables. I was just after some basic set up tips to start and can then go from there.


still got as good as adding an external of around 1200lph. internals cannot hold much media so the job they do is very limited in comparison. 

dont bother with the internal, get yourself an Ex1200. Least that way you wont see it in the tank!


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## Themuleous (17 Feb 2010)

Nick16 said:
			
		

> Damian  Smith said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



If the internal is for flow, not filtration, then it should be fine.

Sam


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## Damian  Smith (17 Feb 2010)

I already have 2 x ehime 2233 and can not fit another under the tank. 

Are we talking filtration or circulation. I need about 3300lph for the goal of 10x but had read on here that 5x would be ok for a starting point on a lower lighting level tank?

If the ehimes can handle the filtration and use a coulpe of smaller internals to move the volume inside. Could they be positioned to help move the co2 ?


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## Themuleous (17 Feb 2010)

Yep you've got it, let the externals deal with filtration and use internals (filters or powerheads) for flow. And yes use the internals to help with CO2 distribution.

Sam


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## jellyfish6 (17 Feb 2010)

"5 large clown loaches "....you may find that large Clown loaches and plants don't mix, that was certinly my experience.  I'm sure that someone out there will disagee?  

(It would be nice for someone to disagee cos I loved my Clowns as much as they loved up rooting and eating my plants).


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## Themuleous (17 Feb 2010)

I cant say I ever noticed my clowns eating my plants, but they did play havoc with newly planted plants, before they were established enough to hold on tight!

Sam


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (17 Feb 2010)

Damian

Have read at the attached:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6628&hilit=+leaf+damage#p73484

There is another thread on here somewhere reading damaged leafs - guilty party - "Clown Loaches" I will try and find it for you.

Regards
Paul.


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (17 Feb 2010)

Found it for you:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9114&start=0

Regards
Paul.


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## Damian  Smith (17 Feb 2010)

The clowns range from about 2x 5" to about 2.5" they are all about 7 years old.

Are there hardy plants that willl survive digging and nibbling? If i stay away from large leaf plants ?

I have seen the damaged Paul sent the link for before.

Thanks for al the good advice

Kind Regards
Damian


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## LondonDragon (17 Feb 2010)

Hi Damian,

I had 4 Clown Loaches in the this tank:







The largest was about 5 inches, what I did was on the left back hand side of the tank I got a nice piece of 8 inch black plastic tubing from B&Q that was about 4.5 inches in diameter and hide it behind the plants as you can see from the photo you can not notice it, and the loaches had a place to stay there during the day.


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## Damian  Smith (17 Feb 2010)

Good advice,

I could also use the large amount of mopar roots to create some barriers and caves for the clowns to "sleep" they seem to spend alot of time in  there anyway.

This sort of advice was what i was looking for.

Thanks Guys 

 How do you upload pics?


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## Themuleous (17 Feb 2010)

Posting pics 

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=2618

Personally I would recommend photobucket for image hosting, much simpler to use.

Sam


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## LondonDragon (17 Feb 2010)

Damian  Smith said:
			
		

> How do you upload pics?



Go to: http://imageshack.us/ upload the photo there, then copy the direct link and use the IMG tag when you writting a message from the menu above and place the image link between the [ IMG] image link here [ /IMG] tags (left spaces on purpose to show code)

example code:


```
[img]http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9558/sigsmallbn0zd8.jpg[/img]
```

produces:






If the images are too big click on Upload Options/resizing (you might get a publicity popup just close it) and select 800x600 and it will resize the photo for you.


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## Damian  Smith (17 Feb 2010)

This is a poor mobile shot of what willl hopefully be a nice planted tank






Thanks guys thats simple

Please ignore the iroining 


Clowns stage right


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