Just some advice please

[BarrWarr]

Evening,

New to keeping a tank so if anyone can offer some advice, that would be much appreciated.

I set up this 58ltr Ciano tank about 3 weeks ago - it’s got Tropica soil, 2x 8w leds (built into hood) and a 13.5W led (I added this as the hood lights aren’t that bright), the filter that came with the tank and I’ve added an air stone to create some surface disturbance in a still corner. Plant wise, I added within a couple of days of setting it up, some Limnophila sess, Microsorum narrow, Java moss, Staurogyne and hornwort.

I’m not dosing CO2 apart from the API CO2 booster liquid and I have purchased some of the tropica specialised nutrition liquid.

Just some questions;

As all the plants I have are ‘easy’ would they require anything else than what I’m providing above?

Water changes - I intend to carry out 30-50% a week. Is that acceptable/OTT/not enough?

Livestock wise, I’m only planning on getting some shrimp, nerites and 3-5 fish. What fish would people recommend?

Many thanks for any thoughts, it will be hugely helpful!

 

[hypnogogia]

Tropica specialised nutrition is an all round NPK fertiliser, so that’s fine, although I’d recommend TNC complete as it’s better value for money. I wouldn’t bother with the CO2 booster liquid as it doesn’t actually add any CO2. Regarding water changes, 50% weekly is fine and necessary as you’re adding the CO2 booster.

Something else that I’d suggest, as you’re new and asking a few questions, start a journal where you talk about your tank and ask all your questions. That way it’s all in one place and others will be better placed to offer your help and advice. When your questions are in different places, people don’t have the full picture.

 

[BarrWarr]

Thanks. Shall I stop adding the CO2 booster liquid then? Does it actually do anything beneficial? I feel scammed if not!

With regards to the fertiliser, the amount is slightly confusing me. Some websites give a different dosage rate compared to the Tropica website. Also, although the tank is 58ltr, the actual volume will be less owing to all the substrate/decor so how do you calculate the right amount to dose?

Based on my set up and choice of plants, is dosing CO2 necessary or not?

Many thanks.

 

[G mac]

The co2 booster is useful for algae control but is not a substitute for co2 injection.

 

[BarrWarr]

Ok. Based on the tropica website, the plants I have don’t really require CO2 injection (which I didn’t really want to have to do) - will the tank flourish without doing so?

Thanks.

 

[JMorgan]

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to be very cynical of 99% of the products sold by the industries that sell to the aquarium hobbyist. Reading these forums will give you a very good feel for products that are genuinely worth while because most of us will have spent far too much on unnecessary crap initially - mostly because equally cynical marketing departments have managed to convince us that our aquariums and their inhabitants will suffer in some way if we don't buy their product. When in doubt, just ask.

To answer your question, take it back to absolute basics: natural bodies of water team with life. Nature supplies the filtration, the water changes, the light source, the substrate and fertilizers and of course the plants and aquatic life. All you have to do is provide water and light and stick some plants in your substrate and let the plants establish themselves. As they do that the magic happens - in short order every single internal surface of your aquarium will be colonised by billions of bacteria and other micro-organisms like archaea. The human eye ball can't see that the aquarium is already crammed with life, but if your plants are thriving you're good to add some bigger forms of life that you can actually see!

Of course you want your aquarium to look nice - but be wary of being too concerned about that initially. A low tech tank just needs to be given time.

 

[G mac]

Ok. Based on the tropica website, the plants I have don’t really require CO2 injection (which I didn’t really want to have to do) - will the tank flourish without doing so?

Thanks.

The tank might well flourish, it might not but that's how we learn. For example: some of the plants listed as "easy" just refuse to grow for me. I've tried a couple of times, with and without CO2, so I've come to the conclusion that my combination of tap water, substrate etc. just doesn't suit them. So I now avoid those plants and stick with the ones that have worked. It's more cost effective and way less stressful.

 

[Malarky]

If that Limnophila is growing and healthy you can soon start dialing down the water changes and I would be incredibly sparing with any additional fertiliser as it's not really required particularly given you have new substrate (a 10l bucket once a week or less is as much of a water change as my tanks get). Get in some shrimp and they will soon start to reproduce and eat detritus and some algae. Avoid large swings of anything (water, temp, light, new fish etc.) and only make gradual changes. Rainwater if you have access to any will help many plants grow and allow more fish species to thrive.

 

[BarrWarr]

Thanks. Yes, the Limnophila is growing unbelievably well and I have already got half a dozen new plants growing well from cuttings. Due to modifying the hood to accommodate better lighting, there are several gaps - are the shrimp likely to escape?

 

[Malarky]

I have yet to see a shrimp climb out of one of my open tanks.

 

[Maf 2500]

Amano shrimp are the ones that are likely to escape.