Planning A New Setup

[mrapoc]

Hey guys

Anybody care to first off recommend a good corner tank for planting, able to fit an external, co2 etc which comes with decent enough lights for planting

I am aiming for a easy to care for, low maintenance with a nice looking plantage

So far I have decided I am definately getting something like eco-complete (how often does it need to be changed?)

As I am away at Uni for quite a bit at a time, I need plants which wont need pruning or a lot of looking after whilst Im away, but still look nice and keep the algae at bay - any recommendations?

I want to get a tetratec ex*** model dependant on which size tank I get but probably around a 180l size

Are the co2 units easy to use/setup and do they require much maintenance? Those disposable Co2 canisters look alright (the newly released ones) - are they pretty much set and forget and replace cannister when done?

And before I go, do algae magnets actually work on a bowed front tank???

Thanks
Sam

 

[aaronnorth]

fluval venezia 190? It comes with T5 lighting. Built in filtration (comes through base)

the substrate will last years.
stick with rhizome & rosette plants which need a few leaves cutting off. Although now you say you are away a lot i would perhaps stick to low lighting (not sure on the wattage that the venezia comes with)

the new ones - i presumue that are in PFK - need the diffuser to be filled everyy morning, you have to squirt the gas into it. If you want a trouble free option then go pressurized, or no CO2 at all (again low lighting)

you can get curved magnets, i have seen them for the biorb but not totally sure.

 

[mrapoc]

hey

perhaps no co2 wud be cheaper and easier then?

some people had problems with the venezia and condensation on the hood i think - my stockist can get the trigon 190 tho, it wud need modding for an external tho =/

 

[aaronnorth]

It comes with an internal so you would need to buy another external. The pipes would travel up along the back.

 

[mrapoc]

It comes with an internal so you would need to buy another external. The pipes would travel up along the back.

the hood supplied with the trigon looks like it would have to be cut or somethin to accomodate the pipes

so for the 190, a tectratec ex700 should be good to go?

I'm aiming for an inline heater too to keep the tank less cluttered - which wattage for such a tank

Also what wattage of lighting would be good for low maintenance / non co2 on such a tank?

 

[aaronnorth]

i am sure there will be a small cutout at the rear of the aquarium, most usually do to allow for wires.
I would go with an EX1200, the extra flow will help, especially because of the inline heater too. Go for a 200w Hydor. They are cheap at warehouse aquatics.

60w of T8
OR
40w of T5

 

[mrapoc]

Shopping list then:

Tetratec ex1200
Trigon 190
40w T5 (if two lights that will be two 20w then?)
Got any specific species of plants to ask for?
200w hydor inline heater
Uv thing on the inline pointless?
Eco complete substrate

With that substrate I wont need to dose ferts etc. will i unless I want a bit more growth as they shud be low maintenance?

thanks aaron so far

 

[aaronnorth]

as long as you make it up to 40w then it doesnt matter how many tubes you have lol.

UV arent pointless, however they are not necassary. They stop algae blooms but keeping everything in check will do that for you. They also kill any parasites but again, regular maintenance prevents this - plants also help to keep the water in check.

A weekly dose of tropica plant nutrition+ will keep the nutrients high enough, just to be on the safe side.


As for plants, stick to cryptocorynes, echinodorous, vallisneria, hygrophillia, cabomba, egeria densa, mosses, microsorum pteropus "narrow" (IME faster growth than the regular java fern)