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New Tank Regime

T

Thomas McMillan

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Joined
9 Jun 2008
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1,126
Ok, I'm planning a tank that I would consider my first real aquascape, so I want to get it right. I'd appreciate it if a few of the more experienced members could look over my plan and see if they think it's viable.

Tank: 35l (approx. 50x30x25)
Lighting: 14w (approx. 1.5WPG) 6 hours for the first month, then upped to 8-10hours a day
Filtration: 2 internals:
- Main filter rated at 450lph
- Smaller filter (for added circulation) rated at 260lph
Heating: 50W
Substrate: ADA Aquasoil Malaya (with an ADA Bright Sand/TGM Graded Gravel foreground)
Plants: Just Crypts
Dosing: 1ml TPN+ and 1ml EasyCarbo a day (no dosing for the first week, then half dosing for the second week, third week onwards full dosing)
Water changes: 30% every other day for the first week, 40% twice for the second week, 50% once a week third week onwards

Does this seem like a good plan to everyone? If there's something that I should/shouldn't be doing or should change, please say!

Thanks 😀
 
no co2 thomas?.....i think somewhere along the line of a non co2 tank water changes should be at a minimum?.....dont quote me on that, especially on a new set up. investigate on that one mate.
 
Nope, no CO2 injection - just EasyCarbo. Thanks for the advice, Mark. That's the main thing I wasn't sure on myself. I'll wait for someone who has more experience with that to help out.
 
You can do water changes as per normal as you are supplementing CO2 via EasyCarbo (I think 😉 )

Gonna be a cramped tank with Crypts in it 🙂

AC
 
If you're using EasyCarbo then you are adding a source of carbon so will need to keep up the water changes. The El Natural approach with no water changes adds no extra carbon source at all.

I don't see the point of starting with 30% water changes then going up to 50% when you would be best just doing 50% water changes every other day at first and then start to do the same sized water changes less regularly until you're down to 50% weekly. :? After all a 50% water change immediately halves the things you're trying to remove whereas a 30% water change oinly reduces them by a third.

As to the filters can you not get a cheap external? It's much harder to scape with an internal in there IME (even a Juwel which is just a black box!) never mind two! If you have to stick with the internal then I'd try just using the larger one first and see whether that's up to the job to reduce the amount of space taken up.

I'd also be tempted to stick some fast growing stems in there at first along with the crypts too just to help the tank through it's intitial phases. Or maybe some floating plants as you're not using CO2.
 
That's what I thought about the water changes, Andy. I've seen quite a few tanks on here where that's been done.

Ed, thanks for that advice - it makes more sense now you've put it like that!

Do you think (about the crampness)? I've got a similar internal to what I'll be getting - it's not actually that big and the smaller one is only about 2cm x 2cm so it shouldn't be too bad, especially considering that the tank is actually quite large considering it's volume - I think it's the extra length to it. The smaller filter will just be placed at the front of the tank for extra circulation and removed when taking photos etc.

Come to think of it, I have a Fluval 105... Only thing is, the intake/outake are quite big anyway! Having never used an external before, I'm a bit reluctant about that too. When I tried to set it up a few months ago when I first got it...it wasn't good :| if I had to, I could get some help with that but I'd prefer to use the internals.

Also, I know Crypts can grow quite large, but this isn't intended to be a very long-term scape. I'm gonna bang out loads of scapes in this tank. I'll be getting the smaller varieties and they'll just be kept until the tank is grown in and the scape finished.

Ed, I'll get some Cabomba or something similar when I order the plants - thanks for the advice again!

Thanks for the advice guys! 😀 If anyone spots anything else that they're concerned about, please speak up! I really want to get this right.
 
Ditto on ditching the internal filters, they'll do nothing but cramp up the aquarium.

After ripping out the internal Juwel filter from my 54L I was amazed at how much more space there seemed to be - plus it really stops any limitations on aquascaping if you don't have filters to work around.

I imported a TetraTec EX600 for about £50 a few years back, but there are a few cheap externals around that would keep costs down.
 
I do have a Fluval 105 that I've never used. I tried to use it once but obviously did something wrong because it leaked and stuff... I'll give it another go. The only thing is, the intake/outake are quite large anyway.
 
Worth looking at again then - two internals for 'flow' in a 35L tank may well be overkill anyhow.
 
I sorted out the Fluval 105 today! Everything for this tank is sorted now, except for the plants. I'll start a journal up once I've got things done. 😀
 
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