# "New to Planted Aquriums"



## BigBrownTank (Aug 2, 2008)

first off, ide like to say that this forum is VERY helpfull. the only complaint i have is lack of stickied threads explaining the noob stuff!

ive been doing a bit of reading on keeping live plants in my tank, mainly for the benefits to the water, and fish/feeders of plants.

so far, heres what i gathered after reading countless threads. 
BTW, 155gal tank with 2 whisper filters(total of 145gal cap.), 3 oscars, 2 red tail botias, 2 koi, 2 goldfish, 2 fish i got for free look like tiger barbs

1 watt per gallon of flourescent bulbs. <-- my tanks 31" deep that ok?
some sort of C02 system is needed. <-- ?!?!?

Now i hate to be a bother, but if someone could please explain to me a bit about these "c02" systems, and lighting systems, it would really be benificial to me!

im not afraid to spend $, i just dont know what to spend it on!

i hate being new and confused! one day ill hve "tank of the month", howeever.


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Ok, let talk about you filtration... its not enough..... Youu have 3 fish in there that are very dirty fish (Oscars). Now your fish combination is generally not done. Goldfish and Koi are very dirty fish as will but in addition they make alot of ammoina, so must people do not mix them with tropicals as most of these fish are sesitive to WQ. The tiger barbs you won't have them for too long as the oscars will eat them as sone as they are big enough as will as the goldfish. Also Oscar are not the best selection for a planted tank as they up root them, you can try and counter this by keep the plants in pots. Your lighting is a little low on the WPG for a true planted tank, not saying that you can not find plants but call it a hunch , but think you looking at more than just java plants and mosssies. Your going to want them around 2.5 to 3 WPG for most of your plants. The depth of you tank is a deep tank but you can counter that by using a higher K rated buld to get more light down to sub. Also you can use a 5" sub, 4" is perferred This will get the plants closer increasing a luna alittle. Now CO2 the reason you inject the tank with CO2 is because very few plant are true submersable plants, in nature the leaves grow out the water and the plants get CO2 from the air. In an aquarium we generally keep them trimmed so that never occurs. Fish do not make enough and the surface foot print does not allow enough crossover. I seen tank however that design for this and become little eco systems. Plants need light CO2 and Ferts to grow healthy, there are 2 ways to get [email protected] into the tank on is make it yourself with yeast systems ( but you tank IMO is to large for that) and injection system consisting of a regulator, a bottle of CO2 gas CO2 hosing, and a reactor or power head. With CO2 if you get an CO2 controller you can controll the Ph in the tank, if it is high you can drive it down. I hope I answer some part of your post. If you need more exact info ask.


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## BigBrownTank (Aug 2, 2008)

Thanks! that was a great answer. 

i JUST got bck from LFS and traded in the oscars for the following:

3 clown loaches, 5 black tetras (that are silver?), 3 plecco's.
I hope these are more "plant friendly" 

as far as concerns with KOI and Comet g-f, im un-decided on they're future in my tank.

you said, "Also you can use a 5" sub, 4" is perferred"
im assuming you mean substrate, as in gravel. which, is about 4-6" deep in my tank.

Now, you said in addition to lights, c02 i need fertilizers, as well. 

Freshwater Planted Aquarium Plant Care: Drs. Foster & Smith Semi-Automatic CO2 System this is the c02 system i was looking at. can i use the same c02 i use for my paintball guns for this? also how often would i need to refill my (9oz) co2 continer?

Substrate for Freshwater Planted Aquariums: Seachem Flourite Planted Aquarium Substrate is this wht you refer to as fertilizer?


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Yes to both questions to a certain degree.

CO2 system.... that is a CO2 sytem what it looks like but that appears to be for a 5lb to 10lb tank they sell sytem that are for paint ball canisters. I perfer a big tank 10lbs if you can hide it. I fill mine up every 1 1/2 years for under 20.00 at a welding supplie store. If you shop around ebay and other sites you can get a reg. system cheaper between 70 to 130 dollars depending on the bubble counter... look for german products they seem to last longer. Tanks if you have a liquor store the sells stuff for home keg systems, they will have the tanks you leave a depsoit for and pay for the gas. this is good because when you own the tank you have to have it inspected every few years, the store takes care of that and if you deside to stop use CO2 than you take it back to the store and get you deposit back. The defusser that comes with that only has an absorbtion rate 0f 80% of the gas, a CO2 reactor would be better you can find them at Floridadriftwood.com and Aquariumplants.com or you can make one yourself, I'm hopping to do a DIY post here soon on making on. The Substrate you show is for layering really you put that in and then layer ir with gravel on top,,,, if you going to buy something look at eco complete, The substrate is not what I meant by ferts, Ferts is generally liquids that add Nitrogen phosphate trace elements and just good old fert. seachem make some good products in this area. To start off I say get flourish and florish excel and trace.... than as you get more experience you can move to the individule elments.


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## aconrad (Apr 30, 2008)

Umm u picked two fish that are very plant unfriendly. The clown loaches and plecos will eat ur plants from the roots. That wasnt a wise thing to put in.


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

I used clown loachies alot in my planted tank other than the size they get Inever had problems with them as for plecos I not a big fan of them in the first palce and can't give any real input on them.... the clown loachies have been used for years.


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## aconrad (Apr 30, 2008)

Thats weird, my clown loaches eat little holes mainly out of amazon swords. I guess some fish are different than others.


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## BigBrownTank (Aug 2, 2008)

Ok, thank you. i think im going to start off with some mosses and maybe some plants, just for my shrimp's sake...


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## BigBrownTank (Aug 2, 2008)

my koi totaly ate my java moss 

now my cherry scrimps wont have anythink to enjoy.

what is a good alternative? i want fast growing, low light, easy small or large.... that koi wont eat


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Water sprite--- go fast grower the more light the fast they grow......


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