Help With Plant Keeping

[stevosssp]

Previously had problems keeping plants and no problem with algae!!!

To remedy this i have now got an arcadia I Bar and going to put 2 T5 24W plant pro tubes. Also going to use the sera depot substrate then my regular course gravel. Also going to use the Sera CO2 Start system. previously i have used loose plants from internet java plants. Was thinking of using potted plants this time round. Am i going in the correct direction? also if i am using potted plants i was advised at one point to keep the plants in theor pots is this correct? or should i remove them from pots before planting?

help!

thanks
Stephen

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like a good idea, start off with undemanding plants then 'upgrade' as you develop the tank

Remove the pots and as much of the mineral wool as possible, as it restricts root growth. Where you getting the plants from? I cant recommend Aquaessentials.co.uk highly enough, the plants are superb.

The only other thing I would add is that the sera CO2 kit is crap. How big is the tank? You'd be better off with a nutrafin kit and using the pinned ingredients list

Sam

 

[stevosssp]

Thanks, It is a juwel Vision 180 so 180 litre tank.

You mention the Nutrafin kit and the pined ingredients list can you tell me more about this. Is this diffferent from the supplied ingredients from nutrafin? Having quickly looked at the nutrafin system i take it i would need more than one unit given the size of my tank? I had planed in getting the plants localy because of my previous experience as mentioned in my initial posting. But open to sugestions.

Thanks.

 

[Themuleous]

For a 180lt tank you'll probably need 3 nutrafin kits. A pressurised kit would be far easier. The pinned ingredients are not different per se its just that the supplied stuff, is not only hugely expensive, but doesn't work very well. Switching to baking yeast (from tesco) greatly increases CO2 production. But as I say you'd be better off with a pressurised system.

Sam

 

[stevosssp]

I have also been looking at the presurised systems, was wary as never used co2 before. I notice that the presurised systems vary greatly in price and looking at them they look completly different. Can you advise of a system. Would want to conseal it within the tank cabinet.

Thanks

 

[Themuleous]

Where abouts are you from? The size of the kit really only varies depending on the size of the cylinder, so all you'd need to do is get smaller cylinder. As for everything else, the important things to get are a regulator, some CO2 tubing and a diffuser. For your tank a ceramic glass diffuser should be more than adequate.

The whole thing should only cost 60-70quid.

Sam

 

[stevosssp]

Im in Scotland, Ayrshire.

Im getting confused now with the presurised stuff. Notice on web sites it tlaks about regulators, solenoids, reactors and bubble counters so do i need them as well?

Sorry for the ignorance

 

[Themuleous]

Oh its OK, we've all been there, there is a massive amount of stuff you can get, but for a basic set up you need a reg, cylinder, co2 tubing and a diffuser. Simple

The key to pressurised CO2 is to source a supply of CO2 refills, either a LFS (I doubt it) or a welding shop or a fire extinguisher place. I know of people who have had trouble getting CO2 up in Scotland so if you can't find any of the above, I suggest the following might be worth a try.

Get this kit - it comes with everything you need. The only issue is filling the cylinder. If you can find a local supplier then more so the better. However if you can then the cheapest alternative seems to be either a 2kg or 5kg cylinder. All these kits are standard size should there shoudlnt be any problems with incompatibility fitting etc. I've also used this shop several times and cant complain yet

Sam