thinking about planted tank, need suggestions

this is my tank now.




I am interested in planted tank, have no experience of doing it earlier, I learned that with plant substrate, good lighting and some basic plants can thrive without adding extra Co2, I can provide them with needed fertilizers like seachem plant fertilizer etc. and will my fish nip the live plants (that what my LFS says).

right now I have:

5 black skirt tetra
3 columbian shark (babies)
2 silver koi (small)
2 angels (babies)
2 plecos (babies)

however in a few weeks I am going to give those big fish to my LFS in exachange of 5 platies and 5 mollies. keeping the plecos as I am thinking they will control algae on live plants.

need suggestions am I going right path?

 

That's all basically correct. If you want stay low tech and grow low light plants you can probably do quite a bit without spending the considerable amount of money that EcoComplete or similar plant substrate costs by using root tabs and seachem flourish (liquid ferts). Java fern, java moss, and anubias attach to driftwood or rocks and do not need fancy substrate at all. Vals, water wisteria, and many others grow fine without anything fancy. You do want a good light with the right 6700k bulbs. But not excessively strong or it will force you into CO2. Plecos should control most of your algae. And the algae that plecos don't eat, the mollies will. Not sure what else to tell you without a specific question.

How big is this tank btw, I can't really tell, those plecos are going to get awfully big unless they are bristlenose.

 

that's 23 G

 

Yes, definitely get rid of the fish that will get too big. If those are not bristlenose plecos try to exchange the ones you have for them. Other plecos grow enormous.

You might want to get away from the bright gravel in a planted tank. Get the EcoComplete for that small of a tank you should be ok with one bag and the expense isn't enormous, if it doesn't seem to be enough and you don't want to spend another $20 for a second bag, mix some small gravel with it. It will help with the plants quite a lot, but it isn't by any means necessary.

The main thing you want to do is select a good light, this has more influence than anything else. Not sure what fits on your odd size tank, but like I said early you don't need the best or you will have too much light for a no CO2 system and will just get a lot of algae. LEDs are nice, you don't have to replace bulbs and they don't get so hot. Get some advice before you buy one though, they vary in output considerably and it is hard to tell from the manufacturers description.

 

is this what is needed, its 4 kg, will that be enough for a 23G surface?



and these are plants I am thinking about?



and this is the fertilizer:




and then what I need is just put plants, fill the tank and it will work right?

 

That substrate should be fine. But 4 kg is not very much, more likely take 10 kg, and even then you might want to mix in some cheap gravel to get enough depth. I have no idea of comparative cost but I would at least search for the best price on SeaChem EcoComplete. It is the de facto standard when it comes to plant substrate. One 20lb (10kg) bag should serve your needs.

I imagine that the liquid ferts should be ok, but if you can find a non-Chinese brand I would simply because there is no way to know what is in there. SeaChem Flourish is more expensive for sure, but it is much more concentrated than any others.

I'm not sure how much luck you will have with those different hygro species. They may or may not work, I haven't tried to grow any of them in low light. Any crypts are good though. I would suggest looking at this eBay seller, they have a wide selection of low light and other plants and they are in Malaysia so you should be able to find them on Indian eBay. I have an order in the mail from them at this very moment.



And yes, once you put all the supplies together you simply plant the plants, if you have good enough light they should grow. The one other thing you will want to invest in is a cheap timer to turn the lights on and off. If you leave the lights on too long or the duration is erratic you will have algae problems and less success with the plants.

 

indian ebay is limited as compared to global one. so I can't order from there:



this above is one indian seller, if you guys can suggest some starting plants, I can order them individually.

 

Okay, let's start with stocking:
Koi and plecos....No-no. Koi need hundreds of gallons, and even 2 goldfish can't live in a 23g.
The tetras migggght nip at the plants, but you can keep them.
The columbian shark requires a way bigger tank.
The angels will out grow it pretty quickly.

 

Any cryptocoryne, any vallisneria, bacopa caroliniana, hygro difformis (water wisteria), hygro corymbosa, I can recommend with some certainty for low light. That should give you a good variety of different kinds of plants to start off with.

Amazon sword if you are willing to pull off the leaves that get too big, otherwise it will grow out of your tank.

 

Okay, let's start with stocking:
Koi and plecos....No-no. Koi need hundreds of gallons, and even 2 goldfish can't live in a 23g.
The tetras migggght nip at the plants, but you can keep them.
The columbian shark requires a way bigger tank.
The angels will out grow it pretty quickly.

definaltey, I am going to remove all big fish with tetras, platty and molly

 

Here is what I suggest. Remove all the fish that you are not wanting anymore. Koi/goldfish will eat plants.

Get your plants ready on the table and keep them moist

I suggest you do not use Fluval stratum if you are doing a low tech tank. What you want to do is Dirt your tank. This is WAY-cheaper and more efficient. I like to mix 1 part peat moss with 2 part miracle grow potting mix. and 1 clay pot smashed into 1000 pieces. but everything is optional. some people use potting mix.

Once you have your dirt mixture ready. put the dirt into your tank. touch it with water so that it is a firm mud. Add your plants. this allows you to scape without having the issue of floating stuff or moving substrate around. then cap the mud with gravel, or what ever you want to use. this will allow you to have a wonderful substrate without dosing anything at all.

I love to dirt my planted tanks. However I do suggest for plants: baby tears or java moss for the foreground. 1 wisteria, crypts and last, vals for the background.

another suggestion: Hygrophila difformis (wisteria) 1 plant only, Sagittaria subulata (foreground), Vallisneria americana (natans) [background], Cardamine (Cardamine lyrata) [mid]. as for midground areas you can also add Bacopa caroliniana or Bacopa monnieri

As for lighting, a 6500k bulb fluorescent bulb will do fine. I use 2 fluorescent bulbs and they do wonderful.

As for fertilizer, the only thing I would suggest is: Flourish Excel.

Do note, adding such a rich substrate and adding nutrients like the fertilizer above will cause algae blooms, even though it says it inhibits algae growth. Algae growth is typically due to too much nutrients. But as for Flourish: Excel, it is a liquid form of co2 thus it is different than fertilizer. This product also fights against BBA if spot treated.

 

Do note, adding such a rich substrate and adding nutrients like the fertilizer above will cause algae blooms, even though it says it inhibits algae growth. Algae growth is typically due to too much nutrients. But as for Flourish: Excel, it is a liquid form of co2 thus it is different than fertilizer. This product also fights against BBA if spot treated.

doesn't plecos will keep algae in control?

 

Ok coderbanna I can help. I just started a low light planted 1 month ago. It's a 55 gallon with small gravel for substrate. I have marinelame LED hood light's for light and also added two 21" marineland hidden LED light's to the tank. I'm growing hygrophillia polysperma, water wisteria, water sprite, Jave fern's and jungle val's. I dose with seachem compreheisive every water change (which I do 2 a week) and I'll add a dose of API leaf zone if the plant's need it. I have some root tab's in the gravel for the jungle val's, which helped them tremendously. I run my light's about 9 hour's a day. My stock is 4 large angel's and 4 ram's with cory's for my bottom feeder's.. Here's the tank at 1 month of growth.




I don't have a before pic to show, I forot to take one when I first planted it.

 

If you do not use the previous poster's suggestion of potting mix (where root tabs are unnecessary), I would suggest the following for root tabs since they are way cheaper than any other alternative. You should be able to find them somewhere, but not likely at a aquarium store or site, most likely home and garden store.



I have no opinion about the potting mix substrate as I have never tried it.

 

Just to let you know, there are plants that you can do with gravel, without ferts, and wimpy lights. I managed to do anubias like this, astonishing but true. With enough wattage and kelvins (5600), you can do moneywort, vals, and swords. Of course, these all do better with Eco complete or Flourite, but if you have difficulty buying something, you can make do.

Lastly, it's best to put Eco complete and Flourite into an empty tank. It can take 2-3 days for the water to clean up, and your fish will be happier elsewhere during that time.

And of course, I've been learning all of this here and from the reviewers on Amazon.com.

Have fun with your plants and fish!

 

If you do not use the previous poster's suggestion of potting mix (where root tabs are unnecessary), I would suggest the following for root tabs since they are way cheaper than any other alternative. You should be able to find them somewhere, but not likely at a aquarium store or site, most likely home and garden store.



I have no opinion about the potting mix substrate as I have never tried it.

I found those tabs on indian ebay



are they fine

 

Just to let you know, there are plants that you can do with gravel, without ferts, and wimpy lights. I managed to do anubias like this, astonishing but true. With enough wattage and kelvins (5600), you can do moneywort, vals, and swords. Of course, these all do better with Eco complete or Flourite, but if you have difficulty buying something, you can make do.

Lastly, it's best to put Eco complete and Flourite into an empty tank. It can take 2-3 days for the water to clean up, and your fish will be happier elsewhere during that time.

And of course, I've been learning all of this here and from the reviewers on Amazon.com.

Have fun with your plants and fish!

I am going to order substrate if its better, cause I don't know dirt way and don't know if local dirt near my home will fit it, cause of lots of bacteria. if I use substrate, will I still need those root tabs?

 

I am going to order substrate if its better, cause I don't know dirt way and don't know if local dirt near my home will fit it, cause of lots of bacteria. if I use substrate, will I still need those root tabs?

Yes, local dirt is a problem as you don't know what's in it. You won't need ferts and co2 with Eco complete or flourite unless you're doing a particularly demanding plant. Be sure to read up on plants before you get them.

There's a sure that will tell you how much substrate you'll need. If you Google Eco complete calculator, it should come up. A 2-inch depth should be enough.

 

is that the right pott mix to use, I seen people using that in videos instead of substrate.

 

I put gravel over my Flourite so I never had to deal with the grime and dirty water,, just a thought. When you plant just submerge enough that the roots hit the Flourite (or Eco, whatever you choose), and you're good.

I have purchased mostly low-tech and typical, Anubia, Swords (Amazon, Melon, Red-Flame), Vals, Java Ferns, Cabomba (that one is really a pain in my tank) but what I really get a kick out of and is really easy to grow is my Tiger Lotus. It's absolutely gorgeous, grows very quickly, and roots itself. The color that it adds to the tank is awesome!

 

if you have a department store with dirt you can purchase the cheapest topsoil available with no ferts and add it straight out then cap it with sand or smallish gravel to keep it down and with proper lights you can grow anything without adding ferts tabs or whatever, that's what I suggest. you can also add clay to it so that red plants have a better color but that optional.

 

these are the plants I selected to grow, are those fine? with two 20 watt CFL on top of my aquarium:

 

Those links didn't work

 

Those links didn't work

they were working few minutes ago, see how bad service we have in here

 

Those tabs look similar to what I use. I don't know much about that brand, but I bought a reactor for my CO2 that is well built and works great from the same company..

 

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/general-guide-to-low-light-planted-tanks.11697/

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine/oct07/plantedtank.htm



https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/aquarium-plant-important-topic-stickies.14287/

Some great tips in the links above.

Ken