Gab99's First Attempt At A Planted Tank

[GAB99]

hey guys i have a quick question, as it is time for planting seeds for spring time i recalled that somepeople place dirt as the bottom lasyer for their tanks. i was wondering if it would be possible after i get the injection going (found an awseome deal i just need to fins a nice price on cylinders then im good) to:

drain out the tank, move the fish, take out the current substrate, order most of rest of plants, put dirt layer in, put current substrate on top and have another layer of 'clean' sand put over it, plant the plants how i want, start injection, and leave it for a week or so for the plants to root before reintroing the fish? instead of doing a 100% wc i was thinking to just put about 50% in the large assortment of buckets i now have for my tanks.

all with a good algae scrub of course.

also for the current substrate would it work better for it to be dried and rerinsed or a simple rerinse before reapplying?

 

[lljdma06]

I personally don't see the point of all that extra effort if you're going to inject CO2 and dose via the water column, but others have used soil with great success with it.

See what others say, as I'm kind of a party pooper on this.

Liz

 

[GAB99]

See what others say, as I'm kind of a party pooper on this.

that would be great if i wasnt the only one yabbering on this thread with the occaisional pop in

 

[Biulu]

I agree Gab, same with my journal. I would give it a try, especially for the root feeders. As I have said in another thread, I never had as good growth as when I had an UGF and that is basically what the roots feed on when you inject the slur from your filter. But maybe it is not necessary to take out all your substrate; what if you simply inject it?

 

[GAB99]

Yeah I found an old thread on how to mineralize topsoil. Which basicLly turns it into some very nutritious mud and I think it makes it so there aren't any anaerobic bacteria so no smelly egg bubbles.

Biulu I'd be more inclined to just tear everything up because that way I can start anew (get all the algae out) and prune my plants for final placement.

Ok, so I fnly know what I'm going to do for once woo

I'll crunch the numbers and see where I am on that because I think it has to all go down on consecutive days (spring break)

also if my crypts from one tank are removed and placed into this tank would they still melt?

 

[Biulu]

It depends on how 'old' they are really. Normally if they have gone through a melt and produced submersed leaves, there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[GAB99]

It depends on how 'old' they are really. Normally if they have gone through a melt and produced submersed leaves, there shouldn't be a problem.

what would happen if they were introduced into an enviroment that is chocfull of food ? would they keep their leaves and grow huge ones or shed and then explode?

 

[Biulu]

Mmm, good question. Can't really answer that one. My guess would be that they would grow huge.

 

[GAB99]

Ok then I guess I'll find out in a few months. O don't know how fast crypts grow but I'm getting a new leaf out of one of them, so hopefully I can get an pic on here for an ID.

 

[GAB99]

ok so i crunched the numbers to get everything i needed, from tubing to the regulator and ive come up with a total of 365 dollars to get everything i need.

after subtracting my current funds ill need roughly 220$ to get the dry goods and then 145 for the plants and the rest

ive got roughly 172$ left to earn, and by allowance alone it will take me 14 weeks, assuming i dont get any money for grades or any other occaision.

ill order eithr the regulator, the cover sand, or the Co2 tank (10 lbs) in the comng week or so.

 

[Biulu]

With the plants you got, I wouldn't bother with CO2, but spend the money on more plants or something else...

 

[GAB99]

With the plants you got, I wouldn't bother with CO2, but spend the money on more plants or something else...

yeah i guess, i mean i already have other setups in mind that may or may not need Co2 but itd be nice just to have everything Just in Case

especially with mineralized soil because that stuff basically lets plants turn into forests, id assume id need to inject Co2 to have everything balanced out anyway.

plus the plants i have right now isnt even half of whats ending up in the final scape, and i added C.lingua on the list also as a bit of an impulse

Edit:

i looked over it again and it seems i can do everything except the Co2 come spring break, so ill do that, and if i need the Co2 now ill get it, if not ive got extra $$ to do other stuff and aquire the tank and regulator as time goes on

 

[GAB99]

going out today to get the stuff i need to minerlize the soil, since the original how to thread is on a different forum i was thinking of making a seperate thread on here as i do it so other people can try it out, of course giving credit to the original person who made it.

also going to go pickup that excel stuff for algae control. and going to see if the stores have the substrate i want before spending more money ording it online

 

[GAB99]

note to self: just because you prune the leaves with the algae on it does not mean that its ok to go

5 gal qt thing is now full of the nasty green petco sludge algae, water changes and scrubbing keeping it at bay


main tank dare i say is looking OK, wisteria recovering slowly after the prune but it should fill in good, hopefully by the time the rest of the plants come in april.

ordered the Flourish excel to help with algae and plants to get some decent growth, and ive got half the aterial needed for the mineralizing

two things

1. need another top dweeling fish besides halfbeaks and hatchets?

2. tahitian moon sand or eco complete?

 

[ian]

1. need another top dweeling fish besides halfbeaks and hatchets?

is this for the large tank? If so, what about Panchax?

2. tahitian moon sand or eco complete?

Personally, i'd go with the eco complete. Moon sand is completely inert.