Alexpatrascu

Hi guys.

I have two questions and I hope some could help me...

I'm planning on planting my 50 gal...I'll start the tank/cycle next week...

1. Can some1 please recommend me some hardy plants that don't need CO2 injecting(I have 162W of light but can add 54W more)

2. I have a friend that's gonna leave the FW scene and he wants to gimme his neon tetra(~25 pcs).....is there any way too keep them in a bucket till the cycle is gonna be done, like with daily water changes or something....?!!?

Thanks a lot guys.

Prince Powder

Sorry I can't help on the plants. As for the tetras, if you're going to put them in a bucket and do water changes you might as well just put them in the tank and cycle with them. At least you'll be able to monitor the temps and keep an eye on them more easily than you could in a bucket. If your friend is breaking down his tank completely when he gives you the neons perhaps he can give you his filter media as so long as the tank he has them in is cycled and healthy. It would go a long way in boosting your cycle as well. If he's not, perhaps he can spare a cutting of his media to help boost your cycle. This is all of course, assuming that there is no way he can continue to hold the fish in his tank until you can properly cycle which would be the preferred way of doing it.

hooedc

Yeah like Prince Powder said that would be one way to go with getting some filter media from ur friends set up tank... or even some gravel or even fake plants from him as well... If u just set up and put the fish in there I have read some really good reviews on Sechum Prime and Stablitiy as well so u might want to look in to that as well. As for the planting of the tank I really dont know too much about it. But the best thing is just do some research online would help some...

Prince Powder

I have to disagree with hooedc on the Seachem's Stability. It contains terrestrial bacteria strains which can't survive in an aquatic environment. You have to use it continuously for the life of the tank because the bacteria added in the previous dose dies. It also starves out the REAL beneficial bacteria and keeps it from reproducing. The end result is that your tank never fully cycles and the first time you miss a dosing your cycle crashes completely. The Prime I would DEFINITELY recommend as it's one of the few water conditioners out there that will detoxify ammonia and nitrites, which is absolutely essential when cycling with fish.

Nate McFin

If you actually have 4x54 T5HO lighting over a 50G you will need to cut back your light or you will have big algae problems. T5HO lighting is much stronger than other bulbs. Even if it were cut in half you would likely need a pressurized Co2 system to keep up with that amount of light. 1x54 T5HO would be considered medium light over a 50G!
EDIT- Welcome to the forum by the way!

Gargoyle

Massive light = injection of C02... Low light means you don't have to inject C02. Check out a site called plantgeek and just read, read, and then read some more.. Tons of info there to set you on the right path.

orcbreath90

Java fern is a very hardy plant i dont know about any other plants though.

potatos

java fern, swords, anubias, wisteria, hornwort, java moss (low light, but can be ok in higher light)