This is my first attempt at a planted tank, I decided to go for a low-tech setup with an open mind towards EI if needed further down the line. I searched for a while and managed to get the tank, light, heater, filter all for £20.
Tank
- Arcadia Arc 20 litre 30cm x 25cm x 30cm
Substrate
- John Innes #3 capped with 2-4mm black gravel
- nordic aquarium gravel
Fertilizers
- None
Light
- Arcadia Arc Pod 9W with the standard pinkish bulb
Filtration
- Cheapo 200lph containing a sponge, couple of ceramic rings, bit of carbon, filter floss. DIY spray bar.
CO2
- None
Temperature
- 25C
Inhabitants
- None yet
Plants
- Hygrophila polysperma
- Pogostemon helferi
- Cryptocorne wendtii 'Tropica'
- Anubias barteri var. nana
- Rotala rotundifolia
- Bacopa compacta
- Bacopa monnieri
I settled on a scape and realised that because I was going for a Walstad type setup I was going to have to use a bit of construction so out came the polystyrene.
I filled in the islands with soil and then realised I would be left with very deep soil beds and so out came the soil and in went some stones to form the bulk of the islands.
The soil went back in and then was capped with some black gravel.
Next was the hardscape, a grand term for some pebble type rocks that i'd collected ages ago out of the sea.
Planted up, heater in and the filter in situ but not running as the silicone on the spraybar I had fudged together wasn't ready yet. Out of about 30 pictures the one below is the best FTS, just couldn't capture it properly.
It's not 100% what I wanted it to be but it will do for now, and so it's time for the questions......
I was originally planning on stocking with a cherry shrimp and a small group of pygmy corys, with displacement taking the water volume down and wit using the gravel are the corys out ? Any suggestions for an alternative as i've got a bit bog-eyed trying to make a decision.
Will the 9W be ok and will the pink bulb be ok ? I could get a daylight bulb for it, or I do have a similar 11W unit that I could fit out with a daylight bulb (although it is really used for something else).
Plant-wise have I made any obvious mistakes, stocking or placement ?
I had a list of alternatives for each placing and would have leaned towards dwarf sagittaria where the P.helferi is, I'm not sure about where the R.rotundifloia and B.monnieri are, and i'm thinking it might have been an idea to put some of the H.polysperma at the side of the filter. Scape-wise the "path" was supposed to curve more right at the back and I'm not sure if the whole thing might be a bit too symmetrical for most people but overall i'm fairly happy with it at the moment.
I'm open to any criticism and opinions on any aspect of it, apart from "Island Getaway" which came from an 8-yr old and as such is only worthy of praise
Tank
- Arcadia Arc 20 litre 30cm x 25cm x 30cm
Substrate
- John Innes #3 capped with 2-4mm black gravel
- nordic aquarium gravel
Fertilizers
- None
Light
- Arcadia Arc Pod 9W with the standard pinkish bulb
Filtration
- Cheapo 200lph containing a sponge, couple of ceramic rings, bit of carbon, filter floss. DIY spray bar.
CO2
- None
Temperature
- 25C
Inhabitants
- None yet
Plants
- Hygrophila polysperma
- Pogostemon helferi
- Cryptocorne wendtii 'Tropica'
- Anubias barteri var. nana
- Rotala rotundifolia
- Bacopa compacta
- Bacopa monnieri
I settled on a scape and realised that because I was going for a Walstad type setup I was going to have to use a bit of construction so out came the polystyrene.
I filled in the islands with soil and then realised I would be left with very deep soil beds and so out came the soil and in went some stones to form the bulk of the islands.
The soil went back in and then was capped with some black gravel.
Next was the hardscape, a grand term for some pebble type rocks that i'd collected ages ago out of the sea.
Planted up, heater in and the filter in situ but not running as the silicone on the spraybar I had fudged together wasn't ready yet. Out of about 30 pictures the one below is the best FTS, just couldn't capture it properly.
It's not 100% what I wanted it to be but it will do for now, and so it's time for the questions......
I was originally planning on stocking with a cherry shrimp and a small group of pygmy corys, with displacement taking the water volume down and wit using the gravel are the corys out ? Any suggestions for an alternative as i've got a bit bog-eyed trying to make a decision.
Will the 9W be ok and will the pink bulb be ok ? I could get a daylight bulb for it, or I do have a similar 11W unit that I could fit out with a daylight bulb (although it is really used for something else).
Plant-wise have I made any obvious mistakes, stocking or placement ?
I had a list of alternatives for each placing and would have leaned towards dwarf sagittaria where the P.helferi is, I'm not sure about where the R.rotundifloia and B.monnieri are, and i'm thinking it might have been an idea to put some of the H.polysperma at the side of the filter. Scape-wise the "path" was supposed to curve more right at the back and I'm not sure if the whole thing might be a bit too symmetrical for most people but overall i'm fairly happy with it at the moment.
I'm open to any criticism and opinions on any aspect of it, apart from "Island Getaway" which came from an 8-yr old and as such is only worthy of praise
