Planning A 20 G (high) Low-tech Planted Tank

[Merilial]

Hello all!

I'm a relative newbie to aquaria (I've been keeping fish for a little over a year and a half now) but this summer I'd like to go all-in on my current tank and plant it. Well, as all-in as a broke college student can!

I'm going to start a build thread, but I have a few questions first that I thought folks here would be able to better answer!

The Tank

• 20 gallon high, minimal stock at the moment (4 albino cory cats, 1 male guppy)
• 12 Volt, 96 watt light (based on algae outbreaks when the lights get left on too long, it seems to do a fine job of lighting the tank, but this can be swapped out if needed)
• 100 watt heater set at 76 F.
• Top Fin Silentstream 20 power filter with custom cut foam for mechanical filtration and carbon that gets changed as needed
• NatGeo sand as substrate (~1.5" currently, planning on adding more)
• Parameters very stable, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites at 0.0 (tested with API liquid kit).
• Local water is usually between 7.5-8.0 in terms of pH. 223 ppm for hardness (CaCO3) according to last city report.

The Questions

1. I've read that high tanks are difficult to plant, but have never seen a reason attached to this statement. Is this accurate? If so, what do I need to be aware of?
2. Currently, I was thinking of just using sand in conjunction with root tabs. Does that seem feasible? Or should I drain the tank and add some plant-specific substrate.
3. I'm planning on purchasing plants online (it's way cheaper than the local big box pet stores). Any recs? Additionally, I want to get some driftwood -- probably manzanita, so recommendations on where to buy a few nice pieces would be awesome!
4. What snail-defense dips do you recommend? As a child we had a tank that had to be totally scrapped due to a bladder snail infestation from adding live plants.
5. Do you recommend any fertilizers?
6. Any plant species recommendations? I'm not wanting to do a carpet, seems a bit too ambitious for me right now. I like the idea of some tall stem plants since they'd have so much room to grow.

Sorry for all the questions but thank you in advance! I've learned so much on this forum and I'm looking forward for this foray into planted tanks.

 

[Epicoz]

I have exactly the tank your talking about and I got root tabs driftwood a pleco cave driftwood and 3 javafern, 3 Anubis, 2 sword tail, and 1 other plant from Mcasella for 40$ with shipping all arrived in good shape. Plants are fine there is just less surface area. Yeah sand should be fine I have gravel with root tabs.

 

[adamd9]

Hello all!

I'm a relative newbie to aquaria (I've been keeping fish for a little over a year and a half now) but this summer I'd like to go all-in on my current tank and plant it. Well, as all-in as a broke college student can!

I'm going to start a build thread, but I have a few questions first that I thought folks here would be able to better answer!

The Tank

• 20 gallon high, minimal stock at the moment (4 albino cory cats, 1 male guppy)
• 12 Volt, 96 watt light (based on algae outbreaks when the lights get left on too long, it seems to do a fine job of lighting the tank, but this can be swapped out if needed)
• 100 watt heater set at 76 F.
• Top Fin Silentstream 20 power filter with custom cut foam for mechanical filtration and carbon that gets changed as needed
• NatGeo sand as substrate (~1.5" currently, planning on adding more)
• Parameters very stable, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites at 0.0 (tested with API liquid kit).
• Local water is usually between 7.5-8.0 in terms of pH. 223 ppm for hardness (CaCO3) according to last city report.

The Questions

1. I've read that high tanks are difficult to plant, but have never seen a reason attached to this statement. Is this accurate? If so, what do I need to be aware of?
2. Currently, I was thinking of just using sand in conjunction with root tabs. Does that seem feasible? Or should I drain the tank and add some plant-specific substrate.
3. I'm planning on purchasing plants online (it's way cheaper than the local big box pet stores). Any recs? Additionally, I want to get some driftwood -- probably manzanita, so recommendations on where to buy a few nice pieces would be awesome!
4. What snail-defense dips do you recommend? As a child we had a tank that had to be totally scrapped due to a bladder snail infestation from adding live plants.
5. Do you recommend any fertilizers?
6. Any plant species recommendations? I'm not wanting to do a carpet, seems a bit too ambitious for me right now. I like the idea of some tall stem plants since they'd have so much room to grow.

Sorry for all the questions but thank you in advance! I've learned so much on this forum and I'm looking forward for this foray into planted tanks.

Hello all!

I'm a relative newbie to aquaria (I've been keeping fish for a little over a year and a half now) but this summer I'd like to go all-in on my current tank and plant it. Well, as all-in as a broke college student can!

I'm going to start a build thread, but I have a few questions first that I thought folks here would be able to better answer!

The Tank

• 20 gallon high, minimal stock at the moment (4 albino cory cats, 1 male guppy)
• 12 Volt, 96 watt light (based on algae outbreaks when the lights get left on too long, it seems to do a fine job of lighting the tank, but this can be swapped out if needed)
• 100 watt heater set at 76 F.
• Top Fin Silentstream 20 power filter with custom cut foam for mechanical filtration and carbon that gets changed as needed
• NatGeo sand as substrate (~1.5" currently, planning on adding more)
• Parameters very stable, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites at 0.0 (tested with API liquid kit).
• Local water is usually between 7.5-8.0 in terms of pH. 223 ppm for hardness (CaCO3) according to last city report.

The Questions

1. I've read that high tanks are difficult to plant, but have never seen a reason attached to this statement. Is this accurate? If so, what do I need to be aware of?
2. Currently, I was thinking of just using sand in conjunction with root tabs. Does that seem feasible? Or should I drain the tank and add some plant-specific substrate.
3. I'm planning on purchasing plants online (it's way cheaper than the local big box pet stores). Any recs? Additionally, I want to get some driftwood -- probably manzanita, so recommendations on where to buy a few nice pieces would be awesome!
4. What snail-defense dips do you recommend? As a child we had a tank that had to be totally scrapped due to a bladder snail infestation from adding live plants.
5. Do you recommend any fertilizers?
6. Any plant species recommendations? I'm not wanting to do a carpet, seems a bit too ambitious for me right now. I like the idea of some tall stem plants since they'd have so much room to grow.

Sorry for all the questions but thank you in advance! I've learned so much on this forum and I'm looking forward for this foray into planted tanks.

Here is my 20 gallon tall. 2 Amazon swords and 1 Anubias nana. I picked these plants because they can grow without a CO2 unit. My substrate is fluorite black sand and I put Flourish Tabs at the base of each plant and they are growing taller and becoming fuller.
1. A high tank is working for me.
2. I am not sure if you can use just sand or if you need a certain plant substrate.
3. Mine are amazon swords and anubias nana
4. I've never had a problem with snails sorry
5. Flourish tabs
6. I'm sure there are more plants out there that would work other than the ones I've recommended.

 

[Epicoz]

Here’s a pic of mine I also have some driftwood to put in

 

[kallililly1973]

1. The reason a taller tank is tougher to grow plants is due to the lights reaching the plants
2. Sand will grow plants but you will need root tabs for certain plants that are heavy root feeders such as swords and crypts. ( as well as decent lighting )
3.Root tabs on either side of the swords( there are a few kinds. I personally use Flourish . But there are Thrive and osmocote a quick search will find them.) and the Anubis should be tied to a decoration, driftwood or a rock, and that thick branch ( the Rhizome shouldn't be buried ) ( PS I sell easy to grow plants but you need at least 50 posts and then you can PM me for details).
4.Some snails are beneficial imo as long as you don't overfeed your tank you can usually keep them under control and the reason their beneficial imo is they can clean the tiny leaves where as a bigger snail or fish may accidentally damage it.
5.Thrivec is a great all in one fert. for low tech easy to grow plants.
6. Bacopa, Java fern (also tied to deco,driftwood or rocks ), Java moss or any type moss simply wrapped around branches of driftwood deco or rocks, Water wisteria, anacharis. Here are a couple of my tanks
Good Luck!!

 

[Nierums]

Hey there, I am pretty new myself, and converted my tank to planted. I have the exact same tank so here are some things I have and did.
1 - as stated above it is because of light reaching the bottom. You may want to convert to an LED when you can, for a low tech tank you should be good, but I'd keep thay in mind.
2 - I'm not sure about sand, I am pretty sure it's no issue, you just need to use root tabs. I'll get into what I do below.
3 - I ordered some of my plants from . I'm not sure about driftwood, I found a local fish pet store (like local local, not petsmart or petco) and they sold it by the pound so I got it cheap.
4 - snail defense can be salt dips or even bleach dips, I have not personally done that, so you would need to look that up.
5 - for liquid ferts, I HIGHLY recommend Aquarium Co-op's. For root tabs, A cheap way to do them is to go to Lowes or home depot (where doesn't matter) and get Osmocote Plus pellets. It will last you years for $11. You take 10 to 15 pellets, put them in an ice cube tray with a little water, freeze, and insert where needed.
6 - Some easy plants I did that took off was Water Sprite (really nice plant, grows so fast), Anacharis, Bacopa, Creeping Jenny (an outdoor plant that thrives under water), Anubias, Java Fern, Swords. Things like that.

If you have any other questions I'm happy to help! I have had my tank 3 months, so I'm new to the whole planted tank (well all of it) so I've been trying to do this all budgeted and right. Good luck! Plants tanks are so much fun

 

[Merilial]

Thank you everyone! All the input was extremely helpful, and seeing everyone's tank gave me some wonderful ideas.