I would like some expert advice

[v8jaggy8]

If I go with a High Tech system with the C02 do I still need a substrate like the aquabasis?

[SamH]

That's when a substrate like aquabasis becomes even more important. Try and look at it like this, you're driving a standard road car with a moderately powerful engine. When you upgrade the engine (lights) you need better fuel (CO2 and ferts) and tyres (substrate) in order for the car to function well. If you leave any one of these components out, your system will fail resulting in poor plant growth and/or algae.

[v8jaggy8]

Sweet, next question is what sort of fertiliser is best for a tank?

[Li@m]

You can use products like seachem flourish but is quite expensive in the long run. its best to buy a powered trace and macro mix like the ones on Trademe. With the powdered stuff you just mix in with warm water into a container and dose x amount each day,

[amtiskaw]

You'll need macros as well, if you go high tech. Monopotassium phosphate and potassium nitrate, plus magnesium sulphate.

There's heaps of guides to high tech on the web. Have a search for "estimative index" for a commonly used method that works well

http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/Fer ... ed-Tank/1/

[v8jaggy8]

Does anyone have a link to these sort of products on trademe? Or have some they would sell to a beginner to get them going in about a months time?

[SamH]

Something like this is about right. You can buy in bulk and mix your own but it's good to start off easy.

[amtiskaw]

:gpo2:

[v8jaggy8]

So turns out that small Blue Planet classic 20 has turned into a hospital tank as I had a sick fighter come into work and am now slowly nursing him back to health fingers crossed.

But as luck would have it my AWESOME sister has decided to give me a new Fluval Spec V as a house warming present so back to planning how to plant this one out for my puffer.

Is the LED lighting on the spec V enough for growing decent plants. Its light unit is rated at 7500K.

[Sophia]

Plants will grow ok at 7500K spectrum, in a tank that size I recommend starting out at only 6 hours a day though or you could easily get overrun by algae.

If you want a bushy jungle you won't have to try too hard if you use a stem plant like ambulia, twisted val would also look good planted in a big group. You could leave one of the front corners empty and then you'll have a little space to feed the fish once the back gets full.

Another idea would be to add some height with a piece of driftwood and attach java fern. That would be a nice feature that wouldn't make too much work by growin too fast in a narrow tank.

[v8jaggy8]

Thanks for that Sophia. I was thinking that Ambulia was going to be one of the better plants to grow.

Is twisted Val prone to melting??

[Sophia]

Twisted val rots if you bury the green part in the gravel, it just likes the roots covered and the green bit sitting on the substrate. It melts if you put flourish excel in an overdose, and in my experience it doesn't like it very much anyway. Other than it has grown well for me. It seems to be one of those plants that do well or don't, so give it a try and see what happens. 8)

[v8jaggy8]

So have finally got around to putting pen to paper to sort out a layout plan.

I have decided on using four different plant varieties, they are as follows:

Java Fern (Probably lace)

Ambulia

Twisted Val (as thought of by Sophia)

Hair grass

Will I be able to successfully grow these in my tank (low tech) I am hoping to get a low full grass effect out of the hair grass is this plausible?

TIA

Graeme

[v8jaggy8]

This is the plan of attack on how I am thinking of setting it up. Have already found the most amazing piece of driftwood that suits the tank

Any improvements I can make? Going to be using a light natural gravel as the substrate

Cheers

[Li@m]

What were you going to put in the blank space? (blue on my mean as paint job)

I would suggest Crypts or micro swords.

[v8jaggy8]

I do like the idea of micro swords but wasnt sure if leaving some blank space would be a good idea as well

[SamH]

You view the tank from the front, not the top yeah? Designing it from the front will be more helpful.

[livingart]

What were you going to put in the blank space? (blue on my mean as paint job)

I would suggest Crypts or micro swords.

nice abstract, is it Ayers rock on a sunny day :bggrn: :bggrn:

[v8jaggy8]

Na its obviously the great wall of China depicted in germany?? :sml1:

Yea Sam I think I will try today to design it face on

[v8jaggy8]

So here is a front and side view of the design. (Note yes I am very bored at work today)

[SamH]

Look at making the path narrower as it goes further back, this will create a better perspective.

[v8jaggy8]

Yea sounds like a plan to me. Thinking of using two different coloured gravels to distinguish between planted area and the "path"

[blueether]

Yea sounds like a plan to me. Thinking of using two different coloured gravels to distinguish between planted area and the "path"

I tried that, the corys had different ideas to me about where the sand should be :fshi:

[v8jaggy8]

Luckily I am only having Puffers in my Tank

[SamH]

If there's any slope then you'll need a barrier to stop them mixing. Moss rocks are ideal.