How to start a planted tank

[FrontosaurusRex]

I have a little 10g that I got from my brother and since he isnt asking for it back yet, i figured I was try my hand at a small planted tank. No fish. I was wondering what kind of plants a beginner should use. I have zero knowledge about plants, co2, soil, etc. Any advice on how to get started?

[FrontosaurusRex]

oh, I also need to know what kind of light and filtration i would need to use

[mark razmandi]

what do you plan on doing. it all depends on the light you have...

[FrontosaurusRex]

all i have is a 10g tank with no lid. I needed to start from scratch. I need to set up a beginners tank. Something easy that will give me the basic foundation of how to do planted tanks. From the soil to the water to the plants themselves.

[myjohnson]

all i have is a 10g tank with no lid. I needed to start from scratch. I need to set up a beginners tank. Something easy that will give me the basic foundation of how to do planted tanks. From the soil to the water to the plants themselves.

From my time with planted tanks...it's about the soil, ferts, lights, and co2.

Get you a co2 system, jack up the lighting (I got a 72W PC fixture you might be interested in), and hit the plants with ferts.

I use to dose with G. Watson ferts...worked good for me.

[Darbex]

+1 on MJ. The most important things are lights, ferts, and CO2 and in that order. If you dont have enough watts then you wont get anything to grow once you have that then you need ferts to fuel the plants that are getting the light and same with CO2. Soil I would recommend ADA soil I never fert my tanks with that stuff its so rich in all the right nutrients. ADA soil, CO2 system, and a powerful light you would be able to get anything to grow like its on crack. I would recommend for a hi-tech tank to go with around 6+ watts per gallon. I would do a closed loop filter so any cannister you trust will work fine but it doesnt need to have hella flow. Finally because I like it looking pretty do an inline CO2 injection. DIY CO2 reactor works fine. I have a CO2 regulator and tank available if you want.

[myjohnson]

DIY co2 are for rednecks and cheap again dudes.

Get you a 10 pound bottle and jack it up!

[Darbex]

No not DIY CO2, DIY CO2 reactor. I have the Milwaukee regulator but for my big tank I made a reactor out of PVC. On my 29G when I had it I used the Calaqua inline diffuser. That thing was sweet but not cheap.

[myjohnson]

My bad!

I miss read that.

You are right.

I kind of miss planted tanks but SW took its place for me.

[Darbex]

Same here or atleast hi-tech planted since I technically have one with the Discus. Its just not the same.

[Mzungu]

How much money are you willing to spend on this tank? That's really what it comes down to.

Regardless, use ADA AquaSoil. Get a nice 20" or smaller compact fluorescent fixture. They make 20" fixtures with 40 watts, and some with smaller wattages.

Think about what plants you'd like to do - look at some pictures, or just get a picture in your head of what you want - tall stem plants, rosettes that stay lower to the substrate, rhizomes (ferns, anubias, etc.) that attach to rocks and driftwood...there are tons of options. What you get after that all depends on the plants you choose.

[Mzungu]

If you're willing to spend some money, I'd do an Eheim 2211 as the filter, and get a small pressurized CO2 system and some nice lights.

If you're wanting to go the cheaper route, get an HOB and dose with Excel or set up a DIY CO2 system (which can be done very cheaply, but also gets annoying because you have to replace the yeast mixture often).

[mnemenoi]

I have a low tech 10 gallon that seems to be doing very well. I set up with a 24" 72 watt PC I got off Ebay, with Eco-complete substrate. I use an Aquaclear HOB with a natural sponge cut and placed over the suction line. I use simple Ozarka Distilled water (has a ph of 6.8) and dose with Excel and a handful of various other ferts. I have a few critters in it, Otocinclus (never see them), cherry shrimp, crystal red's, Amano shrimp, and Guenther's Notho. Snails and various oddball inverts abound in it, but they are all hitchhikers from the various plants.

I do cuttings every month and throw away all the excess, but should anyone want any just let me know and I can save them for whoever is interested.

[Somefishguy]

I say go cheap. Cheap cheap cheap low tech. You can get wonderful results from a cheap tank.

Just make a simple DIY hood from wood. Install a couple 15-20 watt daylight spiral bulbs from walmart(5$)... or maybe a single 26 watt bulb. If you do not want to make a hood you can always looks for the 10g lightstrips that have in sockets for screw in type bulbs. NO CO2, no ferts, no excel. Just a regular HOB filter. For substarte you can get a bag of Shultz aqua soil from home depot for less than 8$.

Plant setup would consist of easy to care for plants:
Java ferns (3 kinds)
Mosses (many varieties)
Anubias (many varieties)
Some Crypts
Vals
Anacharis
Hornwort
Duckweed
Water Wisteria
Other I am sure

The reality is you can make some amazing looking low tech tanks with little or no money. Heck you would not even need any kind of substrate if you did a planted tank using anubias ferns and mosses (I have seen before and they look good, also have a 5 gallon of similar setup and the plants do great)

I have two low tech tanks (29 and 5 gallon) Both use the cheapo CLF bulbs from walmart, both not special substrate, both no ferts or added CO2, and both with HOB filters. I they have done well from day 1 and my 29 g has a variety of plants. All have done fine and it is so easy to maintain. I have it overstocked yet I hardly have to do water changes, plants grow but not to the pace where they need to be trimmed every 3-4 days. Easy going tanks all in all

[cameracorpus]

+1