Converting Established 10gal To Planted Tank This Wknd, Have Questions

[sook]

Going to the LFS this weekend to pick up some plants.

I have an established tank:
10 US gallon tank
broken heater (going to be replaced while at LFS)
10-20 gal cascade filter
All-Glass Aquarium 20" tank light (don't know wattage, couldn't find online)

currently populated only by 5 neon tetras and a rubberlip

Here is the list of plants I'm looking at. I don't plan to get all of them, these are from a thread I found about low light plants. I google-image'd them and these are the ones I want to see if the LFS has in stock.

==foreground==
Java Moss (Vesicularia dubyana)
Christmas Moss aka Amano Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica)
Water Lilies (Nymphaea spp.)
Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis parvula)

==midground==
Java Ferns (Microsorum pteropus)
Anubias (Anubias spp.)
Bolbitis Ferns (Bolbitis heudelotii)

==background==
Egeria spp.
Amazon swords
Bolbitis heudelotii

I would be very surprised if this setup counted as any more than very low light. If someone knows the watts of the light off hand, do you recommend I get another?

1. What is the suggested number of plants for a well planted low light 10 gallon?
2. Being low light and small, I will not need C02, correct?
3. Iron rich substrate (1-1.5") with black sand on top (1-1.5")?
4. I will move the 5 tetras to a bucket with their filter while I plant the tank. Once I have the substrate, the decor, and the plants in, I can put the fish back in right away?
5. Since I'm purchasing a new heater, would it be best to get a cable heater to go in the substrate?
6. I want to expand the neon tetra school, thinking of adding 5 or 6 more. With 11 tetras and a few Amano shrimp, how much fert will I need? Being a 10 gal, that puts me at recommended stock.

Shopping list:
cable heater
iron substrate
sand substrate
6 tetras
4 amano shrimp
X plants

Comments?

 

[Themuleous]

Right lets start at the top.

Plants

A water lily is doing to be too big to be a foreground plant, best moved to the back.

Dwarf hairgrass is going to be tricky without extra light, dwarf sagittaria would be an alternative.

Bolbiti is also a tricky plant, java fern would be better or anubias.

Lighting

The wattage of the bulb should be written on it for a replacement the Arcadia freshwater is an excellent plant tube and cheap.

1. What is the suggested number of plants for a well planted low light 10 gallon?

The more the better, just because its low light doesn't mean you can't have lots of plants.

2. Being low light and small, I will not need C02, correct?

That is indeed right, but co2 cant hurt, i would have it in any planted tank, but no its not essential for your tank with the current lighting.

3. Iron rich substrate (1-1.5") with black sand on top (1-1.5")?

Sounds ok, but a more complete bay layer substrate like tropica plant substrate or tetraplant substrate would be better than one that just has iron in it. A black cap would be ideal.. Black gravel looks better with green plant IMHO.

4. I will move the 5 tetras to a bucket with their filter while I plant the tank. Once I have the substrate, the decor, and the plants in, I can put the fish back in right away?

Yep providing the filter is kept working it'll be fine in a bucket with the fish, what is a tank if not just a container full of water remember to put water from the tank in to the bucket, not tap water

5. Since I'm purchasing a new heater, would it be best to get a cable heater to go in the substrate?

Whatever you do, DON'T bother with a substrate heater, despite what you might get told by LFS (who will make money from selling you one remember) there is no evidence to say they actually have any benefit. Spend the money on something that will give you getter plant growth, a co2 system or more lighting would be good if you have some spare cash.

6. I want to expand the neon tetra school, thinking of adding 5 or 6 more. With 11 tetras and a few Amano shrimp, how much fert will I need? Being a 10 gal, that puts me at recommended stock.

For your current lighting you only really need to use a decent trace mix, seachem flourish or tropica plant nutrition would be ideal. Added weekly or twice a week according tot he instructions would be fine. The fish waste and water changes shoudl provide plent of NPK.

Shopping list:

cable heater - please don't!!!
iron substrate - ok, but get a good one
sand substrate - what every you want this to be, but grain size no bigger than 3-4mm. Any bigger and the plants will struggle to grow roots.
6 tetras - Will look great against the plants
4 amano shrimp - will help with algae control, a few more would be useful, especially in the early days. I can also recommended nerite snails if you can find them. They are excellent algae eaters.
X plants - as many as you want.

Hope that helps

Sam

 

[sook]

wow, excellent, thank you very much!

 

[Themuleous]