# 2nd attempt at a planted tank



## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

Hello everyone,

Like the title says, this is my 2nd attempt at a planted tank, it is a 20 gallon long. It is in the middle of a fish-less cycle, so it will be awhile before any fish go in. So far I have planted some small Amazon swords, small Crypts, Mondo Grass (I think that was what it was called), Anubius and have some Xmas moss on the way, that I am going to attach to the driftwood.

Anyone have any luck with dwarf hair-grass, I have tried growing it twice. I wanted to try a carpet, but it just turns brown and dies on me. 

Any tips or suggestions on the tank is appreciated.

Thanks,








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## oldpunk (Dec 9, 2012)

Mondo grass dies underwater but I don't see any in that pic.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Your light will determine which plants you can keep. What light(s) are you using? I believe dwarf hair grass is a medium to high light level plant. Are you dosing any ferts?


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

Yes, soil plants need more light. The high water layer above the light off weaker.
I have for some time been converted into 4 basin LED. It is a different light. But it seems that Hygrophila, Ceratopteris, Java moss and duckweed (LOL) thrive.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

oldpunk said:


> Mondo grass dies underwater but I don't see any in that pic.


It's probably not Mondo grass then, I forgot what it is called, I was referring to the tall grass in the background.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

chenowethpm said:


> Your light will determine which plants you can keep. What light(s) are you using? I believe dwarf hair grass is a medium to high light level plant. Are you dosing any ferts?


I am using a T5 Dual lamp fixture it has one 6700 k 18w lamp and a colormax lamp. I dose with Seachem Flourish and liquid CO2.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

I am thinking about getting a T8 full spectrum lamp to see if that makes a difference.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Stick with your T5. I have successfully done plants with T8 fixtures but have much more success with my T5! If you bought the grass as mondo grass it will not survive. I hope you found nice tall grass that's not mondo. But its likely if your using that name that's what you bought it as. That hair grass, I have a carpet forming in my 40b and some of it is getting big enough its almost a mid ground plant!!!


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

hotwingz said:


> Stick with your T5. I have successfully done plants with T8 fixtures but have much more success with my T5! If you bought the grass as mondo grass it will not survive. I hope you found nice tall grass that's not mondo. But its likely if your using that name that's what you bought it as. That hair grass, I have a carpet forming in my 40b and some of it is getting big enough its almost a mid ground plant!!!


Was it a T5 high output or the regular? From what I have been reading there are two types, not sure though.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

I found the grass type I have now, it's Cyperus Helferi I have in the background, don't know the common name for it. It's a tall grass about 6 to 8 inches tall supposedly grows up to 20 inches tall, it's starting to turn brown and die out now as well for some reason.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Ok that's good. And yes I'm sorry I have T5 HO. And plants can turn brown if there aren't enough nutrients. Also leaves can die off when first introduced to a new tank. You should acclimate them just like fish. Trim off the dead leaves so it can focus more growing new leaves and roots.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

hotwingz said:


> Ok that's good. And yes I'm sorry I have T5 HO. And plants can turn brown if there aren't enough nutrients. Also leaves can die off when first introduced to a new tank. You should acclimate them just like fish. Trim off the dead leaves so it can focus more growing new leaves and roots.


I just have the regular T5, that might have something to do with it. I'll try trimming the leaves and see if anything happens. Thanks.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Well as long as the bulbs are the proper spectrums then its still good! Is your fixture one or two bulbs?


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

hotwingz said:


> Well as long as the bulbs are the proper spectrums then its still good! Is your fixture one or two bulbs?


It is a 2 bulb fixture, 1 6700 k 18 watt daylight lamp and a colormax 18 watt lamp is what I have now.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

I would say you should be fine. Its not a deep tank so that's good. I have a column tank that is only now doing good with my T5HO fixture. But until then I've had plenty of dual bulb T8 tanks. Plus it looks bright enough to me.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I have the same tank with a similar T5 fixture. It is in the low light region, possibly slightly getting into the medium area but probably not. I have not tested with my PAR meter just to see. I do know that I am very limited in what I can grow due to the lower light level as you will be. My guess to the browning will be due to inadequate light levels for the plant you have chosen.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

I don't know of plants turning brown unless they have BBA growing on them. Now if its more of a yellowish color, or lack of color its not necessarily not enough light. Its more likely not enough nutrients in the water/substrate.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

jrman83 said:


> I have the same tank with a similar T5 fixture. It is in the low light region, possibly slightly getting into the medium area but probably not. I have not tested with my PAR meter just to see. I do know that I am very limited in what I can grow due to the lower light level as you will be. My guess to the browning will be due to inadequate light levels for the plant you have chosen.


Thats good to know. I have recently added a T8 fixture with a flora glo lamp and a hidden led lamp strip from 10 gallon tank to the existing T5 fixture, I'm hoping that will make a difference


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

hotwingz said:


> I don't know of plants turning brown unless they have BBA growing on them. Now if its more of a yellowish color, or lack of color its not necessarily not enough light. Its more likely not enough nutrients in the water/substrate.


I am using fluorite substrate and am dosing with Seachem flourish and liquid CO2. Wouldn't that provide the nutrients needed, or am I on the wrong track?


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Ya you covered most of your bases. And I'm not an expert on which plants need what exact nutrients or if they need anything special. But I do know some plants do require special things.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I would move to dry ferts instead of the seachem stuff.For two good reasons;first dry is a WHOLE lot cheaper,and second the dry ferts have many more"active ingredients"(micros/and macros).Here's a link to seachem flourish;
Seachem. Flourish
And here is a link to dry ferts;
PMDD Pre-Mix | Green Leaf Aquariums
A bag of the dry ferts has "stuff" that seachem flourish does not and will last a year easy(do the math!).I have pressurised co2,but still use "excell".It is not liquid co2 ,but a source of carbon for the plants(so is sugar,vinnegar,vodka{but DON'T go with these unless you read and understand}).I actually use a generic version of seachems excell(metricide) which is like $30 a GALLON.
I guess I'm just saying you could better for your plants and save money.Not a bad option?


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

coralbandit said:


> I would move to dry ferts instead of the seachem stuff.For two good reasons;first dry is a WHOLE lot cheaper,and second the dry ferts have many more"active ingredients"(micros/and macros).Here's a link to seachem flourish;
> Seachem. Flourish
> And here is a link to dry ferts;
> PMDD Pre-Mix | Green Leaf Aquariums
> ...


Thanks, Not a bad option at all, I'll give them a try and see what happens.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

I think I finally figured out what was going on. I kept doing research and reading a lot, and found a post about having the air stone being turned up to high and the air bubbles taking the co2 out of the water faster than the plants can absorb it. So I turned down the air stone and bubble wand down and now the plants seem to be doing much better. Hopefully things keep progressing, we'll see what happens. Thanks everyone for the help.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Ya in heavy planted especially water surface movement is something to watch. Now obviously there needs to be enough O2 exchange for the fish, but not too much surface agetaion so the Co2 gets taken out of the water quickly. The plants will help with the oxygenation of the water, but won't do the whole job, there's a line to balance. So play with a few things if you want. You might have it set right, right now...but if you haven't there's some article out there talking about this. I don't remember all the ones I read to reference them for you.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

hotwingz said:


> Ya in heavy planted especially water surface movement is something to watch. Now obviously there needs to be enough O2 exchange for the fish, but not too much surface agetaion so the Co2 gets taken out of the water quickly. The plants will help with the oxygenation of the water, but won't do the whole job, there's a line to balance. So play with a few things if you want. You might have it set right, right now...but if you haven't there's some article out there talking about this. I don't remember all the ones I read to reference them for you.


Thanks for the info, I will do some more research and see what else I can find. I haven't cut out the air stone altogether. I cut it down to about a 3rd of the airflow it once had. At one point even the Xmas moss (from what i have read that stuff usually grows in almost any condition) was dying off and turning brown when I had the air-stone running free without a gang valve. Now that I have cut the airflow down with the gang valve, the moss has taken off, and the other plants have stopped turning brown and seem to be recovering. Thanks for everything.


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