# aquaplant help needed for 3 ft tank



## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

Hi...i have 3 ft tank..what to put if i wanna start for planting


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## erik81 (May 3, 2013)

Do you mean substratewise or what type of plants? What lighting you got?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Plants need good substrate, good light (the expensive part), and the right combo of fertilizers.

My suggestion would be to buy some miracle gro organic potting soil and some pool filter sand, as well as a standard industrial shop fluorescent light fixture or two, and some light diffuser grating (egg crate), all available at your friendly neighborhood hardware store.

Put about 1.5" of packed potting soil in the bottom of your tank. Fill with a little water and let it soak. Wash the pool filter sand extensively, then cover the soil with 1.5" of pool filter sand. Fill tank halfway. Plant your plants, making sure to remove the plants from their pots and rockwool, and/or remove the lead banding that holds sprigs together. Fill the rest of the way, turn everything on, put your egg crate on top of the tank, then place your shop light fixtures over the egg crate, either by hanging them or mounting them somehow so they don't sit directly on top of the egg crate and melt it.

Buy a timer or two and a power strip with a built in breaker, hook your lights up to the timers and time for 8 hours of light or so, either in split intervals or one continuous, to benefit your work schedule.

Presto! Planted tank on a budget  Hope this helps!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

A shop light would work well and if you don't like the idea of egg crate you don't really need it. The shop light will sit right on the tank rim as long as it is the same size as your tank. You can go very low tech with the substrate. Pea sized gravel can work, but it does help to have a little help in that area as suggested. The roots of the plants need to be able to move freely through your substrate. That is the most important part, IMO.


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## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

I'm gonna put a vote in for Dirt with Pool filter sand cap. Might as well start off right, shouldn't cost more than $15.00.


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## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

Thanks for the advise...actually im thinking to make an aquascape...with plant like moss..fern or anything like it...and is it normal potting soil is suitable for the purpose or i need to get special fert like ADA or HELP or any special self mix fert...of course it is costly...but what is your suggestion friends...tq


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## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

If possible...Can i get the step by step on how setting up a new aquascaping tank..anybody...of course with all the equipment needed


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

When you get potting soil, make sure it's organic and has no added fertilizers - these will flood your tank with ammonia and phosphates faster than you can believe.

Get some egg crate and cut chunks of it up to use in creating a slope, and make a gradual slope from the back corners down to the front of the tank - this gives your tank "depth of field" and makes it look bigger than it really is.

To prevent viewers from seeing the potting soil, consider wetting the sand and piling some around the edges, then filling the middle with soil, then capping with sand.

Many aquascapers go with the Rule of Thirds - split the tank into three distict sections, and at the 1/3 mark have a large focal point like a piece of driftwood or some rocks, then at the 2/3 mark have a smaller focal point like a large stem plant.

Ground cover like dwarf hairgrass is great, but really only does well in tanks with very high light and injected CO2. Consider using Marimo moss, java moss, anubias nana, crypts, swords, and hygros. My personal favorites are the giant hygro, ludwigia repens, Marimo moss, and java moss.

Keep the top of your tank open, don't have any floating plants as they cut off light from getting to the bottom of your tank, and don't let your stem plants grow too tall. Trim, either by snipping the stalk and letting the plant grow, or by trimming the stem down to the base, snipping off the top of the stem, and re-planting the top of the stem.

Here's a great how-to guide from my favorite planted-tank specific forum:
Aquascaping Principles and Technique - The Planted Tank

Hope this helps!


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## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

Bro gizmo...u mean put the egg crate then the potting soil or vice versa..then the white sand.:fish9::fish9:.


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## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

What I did when I set up my 30 was, take your soil (Miracle Gro organic choice) put it in a 5 gal bucket fill it with enough water to cover about 2" over the soil surface. Take the bucket, shake it until all the floating debris comes to the top, then drain the excess water and floating debris off. Put about 1 1/2"-5/8" layer of dirt (mud) in the bottom of your tank. Find something to do with your excess dirt, wash your bucket out then put some PFS sand in your bucket. Rinse your sand off to remove all the fine particles until clear water runs off of it. With your clean sand, add a layer of sand a little bit thicker than your dirt. Boom, dirted tank. just make sure when adding water you don't expose dirt, I used one of those ugly coral backgrounds that I had laying around my house to cover the sand and prevent it from exposing the dirt. you could probably use almost any kind of plastic that's thick enough, some people suggest using bowls but that didn't work for me. your tank might have to run with the filter on a little while to clear any debris you didn't rinse off, but should clear up after a while. I think I covered everything, if not, someone else feel free to pitch in. -z1200


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## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

Sounds good for me...btw...PFS sand PFS stand for


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Pool filter sand


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Yeah, egg crate, soil, and cap/edge with sand. The egg crate helps hold the slope, otherwise over time the substrate will level out on its own. Soaking the soil sounds like a great idea too.


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## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

I don't use egg crate, but I'm not a very skilled aquascaper.


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## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

jrman83 said:


> Pool filter sand


Thanx*old dude


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## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

I think im gonna start my diy canister project...what say u guys...any pros n cons on diy canister filter


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I would go sump if you're gonna go DIY route, canisters can be tricky...


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## greybear (Jan 25, 2014)

Forget abt diy canister...just bought one...very2 cheap...*pc


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