Pysgodyn
Member
Hi All,
I'm new to all this, so while I've read stuff (books & online), I'm unsure of a few things. Advice would be great ! I'm Trying for a low tech planted temperate community tank, so no CO2 injection, and fish like WCMM, zebra danios etc.
I have a stock Juwel 110L tank (80*30*40), so it has the glued-in internal filter (with new filter media) and a 400 l/m pump. Stock 100W heater and dual T8 lighting (1 daylight, 1 warm; 18W).
So I've put in some tropica clay substrate (1cm) with a black small gravel covering (3cm ish), some Mopani wood (soaked in warm water only for a day, so still leaching tannins) and a small bit of (washed) slate that I had knocking around.
I've zip-ted the wood together (not 100% sure if that plastic is aquarium safe) and ziptied(!) some anubius to it.
I filled it (with tap conditioner) and planted a few bits and pieces on Friday and have been dosing with fluval cycle stuff. Other plants include vallis, cabomba and bacopa at the back. then 2 things I forgot the name of !
So I'm 4 days in. The tank is nearish a shady north window. I don't have any plant specific fert's or other chemicals.
I measured a 7.6 ph, medium ish hardness, a little nitrate.
No fish yet, but I have 4 young white cloud minnos in another tank waiting to go in asap (along with the tiny filter and probably at least the top layer the substrate of their current little tank.)
Questions...
(1) The water circulation from the filter pump isn't very strong.... should I put a power head in, if so where in the tank ? (maybe a koralia nano 600 or a ehiem 650, the latter could be more flexible, but a harsher flow?)
I think the fish would enjoy more current.
I believe that the plants may need more current too ?
(2) Do I need to go buy plant ferts now ? if so what ?
(3) It seems that I may not want to have strong oxygenation given the plants, so no venture or air stones ?
(4) should I expect plants to re-adjust and thus look a bit ill ? (ie lose some leaves)
(5) Could I put the WCMM in early to help the filter cycle ? they seem to me to be a fairly low bio load ? they seem quite hardy so should survive the cycling ?
I'd try to post a picture of the setup later !
Any answers to any of these questions much appreciated. (I fear I will end up with a tank of dead fish and rotting vegetation as I'm so clueless. )
G.
I'm new to all this, so while I've read stuff (books & online), I'm unsure of a few things. Advice would be great ! I'm Trying for a low tech planted temperate community tank, so no CO2 injection, and fish like WCMM, zebra danios etc.
I have a stock Juwel 110L tank (80*30*40), so it has the glued-in internal filter (with new filter media) and a 400 l/m pump. Stock 100W heater and dual T8 lighting (1 daylight, 1 warm; 18W).
So I've put in some tropica clay substrate (1cm) with a black small gravel covering (3cm ish), some Mopani wood (soaked in warm water only for a day, so still leaching tannins) and a small bit of (washed) slate that I had knocking around.
I've zip-ted the wood together (not 100% sure if that plastic is aquarium safe) and ziptied(!) some anubius to it.
I filled it (with tap conditioner) and planted a few bits and pieces on Friday and have been dosing with fluval cycle stuff. Other plants include vallis, cabomba and bacopa at the back. then 2 things I forgot the name of !
So I'm 4 days in. The tank is nearish a shady north window. I don't have any plant specific fert's or other chemicals.
I measured a 7.6 ph, medium ish hardness, a little nitrate.
No fish yet, but I have 4 young white cloud minnos in another tank waiting to go in asap (along with the tiny filter and probably at least the top layer the substrate of their current little tank.)
Questions...
(1) The water circulation from the filter pump isn't very strong.... should I put a power head in, if so where in the tank ? (maybe a koralia nano 600 or a ehiem 650, the latter could be more flexible, but a harsher flow?)
I think the fish would enjoy more current.
I believe that the plants may need more current too ?
(2) Do I need to go buy plant ferts now ? if so what ?
(3) It seems that I may not want to have strong oxygenation given the plants, so no venture or air stones ?
(4) should I expect plants to re-adjust and thus look a bit ill ? (ie lose some leaves)
(5) Could I put the WCMM in early to help the filter cycle ? they seem to me to be a fairly low bio load ? they seem quite hardy so should survive the cycling ?
I'd try to post a picture of the setup later !
Any answers to any of these questions much appreciated. (I fear I will end up with a tank of dead fish and rotting vegetation as I'm so clueless. )
G.