Help

[Ballinxalex]

How do I set up a plant aquarium and can some body list what I need in order to be successfully and where can I get it from I want to spend as least as possible I heard ppl have made a co2 diffuser and regulator from a paintball co 2 tank can some one help me I will gladly appreciate it

[eklikewhoa]

Do some research and digging through this sub-forum, there's a lot of good information to help you get started.

it's hard to offer much of any help with no plans listed on your part. There are several ways to approach getting into a planted tank as well and many different levels or types of planted tank that you would need to decide on before getting started.

[wesleydnunder]

I'd start slow, with a low light tank. You can use eco complete, ADA soil or even sand for the low-light plants; anubias, cryptocoryne, java fern, etc. I'd use the sand for substrate. Pool filter sand from Leslie's works though I prefer the larger-grained Tex Blast available at Aqua Zoo. A normal-output fluorescent light fixture will work. I use T - 8 tubes with a color temp of 6500K. I'd go for about 1.5 wpg, watts per gallon. Keep the light on for around eight hours. You can adjust the photoperiod as needed.

After you figure out how to keep the simpler plants alive you can get ambitious with the high light, co2 and ferts. I'd suggest not doing that yet. Learn how to grow plants first, while you research some of the more sophisitcated set-ups.

Mark

[Ballinxalex]

Thanks a lot so far my plan is to set up the Eco complete in my 55 but do u think I should remove the frontosas from the tank and store them seperate while I remove all of the gravel and rocks from the tank then put in substrate

[wesleydnunder]

Yes, I'd move them while you reconfigure the tank.

Mark

[Totenkampf]

dont most african ciclids munch on softer leaved plants? The low light ones may be the only type that can survive in the tank since they have tougher leaves, i have seen them successfully housed with anubias and java fern