Full Restart - Your Experience Needed

[suvalkietis]

Hello everyone,
since I've got 2 weeks holiday and spending it at home this time, decided that it's a great time to do a complete restart on my 125L (around 33 Us gallons) tank.
It's going to be heavy planted.
Got a plan how it should look like. Got medium lights - 2 x T8 with reflectors, external Eheim canister, and pressurized Co2. Now my major question - how should i play in the first couple of weeks? Saw somewhere on the internet, that i should try to be slow with CO2, lights and fertilizers in the beginning and let plants to settle down first to avoid algae. Could anyone share experiences and give some tips? I'll be at home for the next two weeks, so doing something every 3-4 hours is not a problem if needed.
Please advise, thanks!

 

[suvalkietis]

If it helps - I'm not using any very difficult plants. And thinking about temporarily getting a bunch of very fast growing hardy cheap floating plants, to use nutrients while the others are growing, just o keep algae away. Is that good idea?

 

[mrp3]

It sounds good but I changed my mind about live plants in my 30 gal sounded like too much work and money and my fish didn't need it

 

[ian]

Now my major question - how should i play in the first couple of weeks?

This for me is an important time in a planted tank as this is when you're more than likely going to have a fail. Firstly you'll need a drop checker have a read here, now while we advocate 30ppm of C02, i have read a lot of stuff about Amano going lower than this. However you are safer keeping it at 30ppm, as low C02 can exacerbate algae. Just remember though, light and ammonia produce algae, nothing else, not ferts. I would also advocate daily water changes of 25-50% in the first couple of weeks. If your plants start to adapt to there new surroundings, their old leaves can die off and produce ammonia (which will give you algae). Once everything settles after a few weeks, then you can start to drop them to a couple a week.

What ferts are you planning to use?

 

[suvalkietis]

What ferts are you planning to use?

Any suggestions? Anything that's been tested and works ok?

Still reading and trying to figure out then just go to any local shop and get it

 

[ian]

as i say a little trace will do, maybe some root tabs containing N and P, this won't hurt to start with.

these are as good as Tropica root caps and cheaper

http/www.fluidsensoronline.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=93_65_70_128&products_id=396

and this for a trace is good value for money

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/seachem-flourish-250ml-p-299.html

Using the roots tabs, will help start a planted tank, ensuring there's enough N and P in the substrate.

 

[suvalkietis]

It sounds good but I changed my mind about live plants in my 30 gal sounded like too much work and money and my fish didn't need it

that's not an option for me - i'd rather have tank without fish than tank without live plants