# Starting a planted tank, need some guidance.



## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

Hey guys I plan on starting a planted set up in my 50 gallon tank. Right now I have two anacharis and my substrate is gravel. I plan on getting a wide variety of plants. I was looking to get some of the plantng soil at my LFS and do a layer underneath the gravel. Which brings me to my first question. Should I just do one layer each? 

My current light setup is the stock t8 15 watt lights (2). And I was looking to get the marine land LED setup on amazon (the reef capable one) I'm also open to other suggestions.

And last but not least a co2 setup. I'm sure ill need one if I get that light set up so I pretty much got everything picked out. Im curious as to what other supplies ill need. Fertilizers etc.. Any help or feedback is appreciated as I'm completely new to a planted setup. Thanks!


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

I would avoid the reef capable one, it will have half the lighting that is useless to plants and cost you more. You should start with your plant substrate at 2" or so then add top substrate at 1". Someone else will chime in on CO2 I don't use the stuff sorry.


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## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

Thanks! Any lights you would recommend?


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## Wakenbake (Mar 25, 2013)

Checkout the odyssea t5 HO on amazon. They have one with 2 6500k plant lights. Its about $75-80. I was gonna go with the marineland led as well but I have been researching a lot lately and have read a lot of good stuff about the odyssea t5's. I will be ordering one tomorrow. LEDs won't do much for plants.


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

I disagree that LED's won't do much for plants. I've just set up a 20 long and I'm using the Finnex FugeRay LED. I don't use Co2 but I dose with Excel usually daily and use Flourish once a week. I've had great growth - crypts, anubias, java fern, swords, and dwarf lilies. 

Finnex also has a Ray II which is a high output LED. Check 'em out.


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

SueD said:


> I disagree that LED's won't do much for plants. I've just set up a 20 long and I'm using the Finnex FugeRay LED. I don't use Co2 but I dose with Excel usually daily and use Flourish once a week. I've had great growth - crypts, anubias, java fern, swords, and dwarf lilies.
> 
> Finnex also has a Ray II which is a high output LED. Check 'em out.


I second that I get decent growth with my LED's and they were not hardly any more expensive than a T5 unit and the heat and power savings will make up the rest of the difference in costs.

LEDs are still newer but more and more are designed now for plant growth.


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## Wakenbake (Mar 25, 2013)

Really? Everything I've read said to pretty much stay away from LEDs for plants. I'll check out finnex.


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## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

Actually have been looking at the ray 2 as well. I think I'm gonna run two of the 24 inch. They got far better reviews and watching some YouTube videos on them. They look much more sleek and growth appeared to be equal if not better than the marinelands not to mention the price difference


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## Wakenbake (Mar 25, 2013)

Hey senayski, marineland double bright and finnex ray 2 are the same price, atleast on amazon for the 48in models ($175). Did you find the ray 2 at a lower price?


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## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

No they were the same. I mean compared to the reef capable one. I'm going with two 24 inch finnex ray 2s which will be like 180. The 48 inch one is 177 I believe. I have t seen many good reviews on the marineland LEDs


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

TPT members love Finnex fixtures as well. I was originally considering a 24" Ray II for my 10 gallon, but I settled on an existing 18" Current USA Nova Extreme 36W T5HO I had in storage that I modded a bit to fit over my 10.

You'll be able to grow ANYTHING with a Finnex fixture, I'm pretty sure, but along with that type of intense light you'll need to look into a pressurized CO2 system. Home Brewing stores sell good CO2 cylinders and high pressure regulators, and you can buy needle valves, CO2-resistant tubing, and check valves from Home Depot or Lowe's or Ace Hardware, and RedSea sells good CO2 diffusers and reactors.

You'll also need to look into dry chem ferts, GreenLeafAquatics is a great place to go for fert packages and dosing instructions.

If you're REALLY crazy about it, look into an RO/DI filter unit and products like SeaChem Equilibrium and baking soda, in addition to your dry chem fertz, so you can have a very specific type of plant and/or creature in your tank.


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## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

Got the co2 setup all ready to go, just waiting to order after I get the lights. Ill check out the fertilizer combos as well


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## oldpunk (Dec 9, 2012)

Think of your light source as the gas peddle of a planted tank. The more light you have the faster things will grow. With faster growth the demand for carbon and nutrients increases.

Deciding a head of time on how fast you want your plants to grow and perhaps considering if the plants that interest you have a high demand for light should dictate what type of fixture you'll need as well as fertilizer uptake and if pressurized CO2 will be needed for a successful tank. 

When you're new at starting a tank with plants in it, there will be a lot of trial and error before you get it right. Searching these forums can help a lot. 

CO2 can help a lot. It can also be a pain in the butt. Choose your equipment carefully. 

Also, take into consideration the time you would be willing to spend with your tank on a daily basis. If you know it might be days in between the times you can dose fertilizer or trim plants, you might want to consider doing a low light tank that doesn't need a lot of light and the plants aren't as demanding. Plant choices will be more limited though.


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## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

Okay so before I finalize this tell me what you think. 

I'm gonna buy 40lbs of flora max and use that as the bottom layer and cap it off with an Inch of the current gravel I'm using now. Ill be ordering 2 finnex ray 2 lED lights next Friday. And a co2 setup in the near future. My gf is also getting me an eheim 2217 canister for our anniversary  so what are your thoughts? 

Ps I'm still looking at ferts, I haven't decided which ones yet


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## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

Oh yeah and I'm still cycling, would it hurt if I did the swap during the cycle? And put the fish In a bucket for an hour or so. All I have is 4 zebra danios. Or should I wait?


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## Senayski (Apr 28, 2013)

Hmm my tank is 48 inches long. Two 24 inch fixtures or a 48 inch one? I only ask this because my tank has a divider in the middle and I don't know if that'll affect the 48 inch. Any input?


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## oldpunk (Dec 9, 2012)

I'd go with the 4' fixture personally.

You'll be fine messing around with the substrate. I would take your Danios back to the fish store though. There's no reason to use them to your cycle going.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I agree. I have a 55 gallon, and have the 4 foot fixture. The center brace affects it in no way.


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## ajguzik (Mar 12, 2010)

Senayski said:


> Oh yeah and I'm still cycling, would it hurt if I did the swap during the cycle? And put the fish In a bucket for an hour or so. All I have is 4 zebra danios. Or should I wait?


Danios are a hardy fish, one of the few able to help get your tank through the cycle. They should be fine if not allowed to get too cold or hot.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Fish in cycling is still cruel, regardless of the species being hardy or not. It will still knock time off their lives. Its best for us as aquarists to give our fish the best lives possible.


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

SueD said:


> I disagree that LED's won't do much for plants. I've just set up a 20 long and I'm using the Finnex FugeRay LED. I don't use Co2 but I dose with Excel usually daily and use Flourish once a week. I've had great growth - crypts, anubias, java fern, swords, and dwarf lilies.
> 
> Finnex also has a Ray II which is a high output LED. Check 'em out.


+1


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