New Soon To Be Planted Tank

[crago1990]

Today my mate gave me his old tank. I believe its a Arc 30. So here it is in its current state..
 

Shocking i know lol
 
Anyway the plan...
Substrate - Im going to go with cat litter. (i have tetra complete soil in my roma 200 so want something different)
Lighting - it has an 11w light, i dont know how old the bulb is. So might change the lighting.
Co2 - Seeings as its quite a small tank 30L im thinking about trying co2 for the first time.
Plants - Not sure on plants yet. I love crypts and anubias so will prob get some of them. Because i want co2 i wouldnt mind trying a carpeting plant.
Hardscape - Not sure weather to go with some kind of wood or maybe some big stones?
 
 
Few questons...
Lighting - is the standerd lighting good enough for co2? or should i buy a different light unit? if so any ideas which one?
C02 - Only ever used liquid co2 before. So getting a canister co2 is going to be a bit different. Need some help on this! Dont really want to buy a massive fire extinguisher and all the other things you need. Because its a small tank can i get away with this... http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370743780929?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 or is that too small and wont last long? or should i go with this http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281056175288ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649.
Plants - What other plants should i use? never looked into carpeting plants so not sure on whats the easiest to grow?
Stocking - i have two neons in my community tank, i did have 6 but i have been slowly losing them over the last few months. Because there not eating much and getting a bit of fin nipped. So i want to move them into the smaller tank. So i plan of having a group of neaons in there.
 
What do you guys think. Any help would be great.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

You can use CO2 with any lighting, low or high but if your trying CO2 for the first time I'd stick with the standard light, less room for error. You can grow most things under that light any way, I had the same but with liquid carbon instead of CO2 and grew a carpet of HC. If your set on higher light tho ARC do the same light in higher wattage.
 
As for the CO2 kits, you could get a small 2KG fire extinguisher and stick it in a cupboard, its such good value for money, those fluval ones will need refilling a lot mate.
 
Some simple carpet plants are as follows, some take a little propagating tho: Pogostemon Helferi, Staurogyne , Hemianthus Callitrichoides, Eleocharis Parvula or 1-2 grow mini, Echinodorus Tenellus, Lilaeopsis and Dwarf Sagittaria.
 
Hope this helps, looking forward to seeing this develop.

 

[DrRob]

If you really don't have the space then go with disposable welding CO2 at 600g a cartridge, but the small disposable cannisters on the hobby systems are a nightmare for running out all the time. Otherwise, I'm with Steve for the FE set up.

 

[crago1990]

Thanks for the replys guys...

Ok so i can keep that orginal lighting. Im thinking i should probs replace the bulb because im not sure how old it is. can i get a plant growing bulb for this lighting?

Thanks for the plant list steveo ill look into them once ive got the c02 sorted.

Now c02.... i havent looked at much c02 before so im completly new to it. The main reason i wanted the fluval package was because it included everything i needed and looked simple to set up. I dont know weather i should go with the fluval set up for a couple of months to get a better understanding and then look for a cheaper option? If i were to get the fluval 88 c02 option any idea how long the bottle would last?

Rob I just looked into the disposable welding c02. Quite liked the idea. But again its getting all the parts i need (which i dont know what they are yet lol) the actual canister prices are quite cheap.

Steveo i also looked at a 2kg fe and it wasnt a bad price either but again its knowing what parts to get and setting it up.

 

[crago1990]

Been at work all day bored so been looking at co2. Watched quite a few videos on youtube and doesnt seem too hard to set up. The main problem i can think of is were do you refill thd co2 tank? I dont know anywhere in my local area (weston super mare) were i could get a refill. Any ideas?


Just looked into soda stream bottle of co2. On there website it said take an empty bottle to the nearest stockest (it says the range which isnt too far from me) and you can trade the empty bottle in for a full bottle for just the price of the co2. Not sure how much that is though.

Could this be a good way to do it? I fink the biggest bottle they do is 60litres. How long would this bottle last?

 

[crago1990]

http/www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_217424_categoryId_255210_langId_-1?cm_sp=Intelligent_OfferProduct_Details_Zone_1Blank&iozone=PDPz1

Or could this work welding co2 from halfords?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Most regulators are for 22mm thread so anything with that will work, with FE's just look for a servicing company and they'll have a load of 2nd hand ones full up and cheap.

 

[DrRob]

Those disposable welding gas regs are fine. I've got a system planned with them for a tight gap where I can't fit in a good sized cylinder. They are a different thread to the standard 22mm though. Generally you'll find 3 threads, 22mm for most refillable bottles, standard disposable ones and a few custom ones to make you buy a specific product ones.

 

[crago1990]

Cool i think i might go for the welding gas. Seems pretty cheap. My brother works in halfords aswell so should get some discount any chance you can tell me what reg i need? Because as you said rob its not going to have the standerd 22mm thread. They sell one on halfords but it hasnt got any gauges or anything so not sure if i can use that. Thanks again for all the help guys.

 

[crago1990]

Ive been speaking to hensonc4098 becUse im looking to buy this from her... Http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/413856-co2-regulator-with-solenoid/

Do you know if the co2 bottles ive been looking at from halfords (link is in an earlier post) will fit with the regulator? The bottles look simular. Any ideas?

 

[crago1990]

Anyone know if these root tabs are any good?
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271074435652?var=570117545682&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
 
If not which ones do you guys use?

 

[crago1990]

Little bit of an update...
 
I cleaned the tank and changed the substrate to cat litter. OMG cant believe how much i needed to wash it! Thank god its only a 30lite tank. Heres a pic...

 
I then took a few plants out of my roma tank. My crypts have quite a few runners so i took a a couple small ones. I took out one peice of vallis and planted it. I have some crypt balanease in my roma that lives but doesnt grow so ive removed them and planted them in this tank, i also have a small grass type plant in my roma that i cant remember the name of. That lives but doesnt grow either so ive put it in this tank. Ive not got all my co2 stuff yet so ive just put a few plants in there just too see if i get any growth from them under this lighting. Heres a pic anyway....

 
Still abit cloudy! I need to put some more cat litter in at some point its not deep enough for the plants. Im still waiting for some co2 stuff to come. Also got a background, some root tabs and some rocks orderd. Now just playing the waiting game. 

 

[crago1990]

I just received my order from aqua essentials. All my co2 stuff has come but they havent put my co2 tubing in so i need to sort that out.
 
Ive just put the rocks in. Ive gone with 3 atm. I have lots more incase i want to change it. Ive also put a small amazon sword in and some pennywort.
 
Need more plants before i scape it how i want it but this is how its going to stay for a little bit...
 

 
What do you think?

 

[Scates11]

Coming along nicely! A background will make a big difference but it is looking good.

 

[crago1990]

A little bit of a update... ive added a black background. Ive changed the hardscape. Ive made a kind of small wall at the back of the tank. I think it looks alo better. Had a small amount of growth with the plants. Still no co2 in the tank yet because i broke the diffuser lol. Anyway heres a couple of pics.

Plants are just thrown in there because not decided on what plants to use yet. Its mainly just gettin the rocks where i want them.




Plant wise im thinking about keeping the sword where it is and planting a bed on crypts in front of it. And on the left side keeping the pennywort where it is and planting a carpet of something in front of that. And the front middle in between the two rocks keeping it clear.

At do you think?

**EDIT**
Ive since changed my idea about the front middle space. I now have some moss in mesh to create a little carpet between the stones.