Please Critique My Planted Tank

[LivingLegacy85]

Hey all,

I'm looking for constructive criticism to enhance my 20 gallon high.

My only two goals are to have a jungle-like tank, or at least have the plants grow and not shrivel up and die.

My set up is as follows:
20 Gallon High
CaribSea Flora Max Planted Aquarium Substrate (PetSmart)
Pressurized CO2 set at 1 Bubble/ Second
I now have a light hack system. Allow me to explain. A buddy of mine works at Lowe's and has created a dual bulb light fixture for my tank (See photo below).

The light sits approximately 6 inches from the water surface. (I believe this may be an important factor)

This is a 2 foot 2 bulb T8 Fixture (Residential Grade which can sustain 18 watts Max/Bulb)
The two bulbs are: T8 "Cool Whites" manufactured by GE. Each bulb uses 18 watts. Each bulb has a 4100K cool white light. Each bulb contains 1150 lumens.

Now my dosing/ maintenance schedule is as follows:
Religious 50% water changes once per week.
Religious dosing schedule of Potassium and Iron (opposite of each other, every other day)
Flourish Excel every Thursday.

Fish Population Include:
2 Plecos
1 Mono Sebae
1 Angel
1 Algae Eater
2 Mystery Snails
1 Albino Cory

Now with the information presented, do you think I am on my way toward my goal? Why or why not?

Thanks in advance for your valuable input.

[CharlesTheG]

NOT ENOUGH AMAZON SWORDS!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CharlesTheG]

Jkjk!! It looks great man good plan


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mnemenoi]

My only two goals are to have a jungle-like tank, or at least have the plants grow and not shrivel up and die.
(I think you are achieving this, but I can offer some opinions on issues that might work against those direct goals that I see) My set up is as follows:
20 Gallon High
CaribSea Flora Max Planted Aquarium Substrate (PetSmart)
Pressurized CO2 set at 1 Bubble/ Second (CO2 is a great option, but you really need high light. Lacking that lighting becomes the limiting factor) I now have a light hack system. Allow me to explain. A buddy of mine works at Lowe's and has created a dual bulb light fixture for my tank (See photo below).

The light sits approximately 6 inches from the water surface. (I believe this may be an important factor)

This is a 2 foot 2 bulb T8 Fixture (Residential Grade which can sustain 18 watts Max/Bulb)
The two bulbs are: T8 "Cool Whites" manufactured by GE. Each bulb uses 18 watts. Each bulb has a 4100K cool white light. Each bulb contains 1150 lumens. (With traditional fluorescent lighting an easy way to calculate intensity is watts per gallon, 18/20=0.9 watts per gallon. I would recommend closer to 40-60 watts on a tank running CO2. Also plants uptake higher lighting for reds and proper growth. I'd shoot for a kelvin temp of 10K-6500K. Intensity in T8 fixtures is old, so I'd recommend a T5/PC fixture for penetration into a 20 gallon tall tank)
Now my dosing/ maintenance schedule is as follows:
Religious 50% water changes once per week.
Religious dosing schedule of Potassium and Iron (opposite of each other, every other day)
Flourish Excel every Thursday.

Fish Population Include:
2 Plecos (Regular Hypostomus sp.? They get huge and never do a great job at algae control) 1 Mono Sebae (Can survive in harder water, but really brackish. CO2 lowers the Ph and this fish will suffer, also get huge)
1 Angel 1 Algae Eater (Assuming Chinese Algae Eater? get huge, poor algae eater and very aggressive when larger) 2 Mystery Snails (Nerites are a better algae focused eating snail) 1 Albino Cory
(I'd recommend some Amano Shrimp and Otocinclus for algae control. They stay small and are true algae eaters, They will not outgrow your tank)

Now with the information presented, do you think I am on my way toward my goal? Why or why not?
(Only other issue is with a plant in the tank, I see what appears to be a variegated Dracaena (Bamboo plant?) Its a terrestrial or emmersed plant. It will die if completely submerged. Many folks sell poor plants as aquatics and are lying, especially pet stores. Check all species with your phone prior to purchase, most are well known and cautioned in online sources.) I think your set up will definitely work, just might have a few issues and thought I'd offer what advice I could. Good luck and keep posting to let us know the progress!

[LivingLegacy85]

Mnemenoi,

Thank you for chiming in! Your expertise is greatly appreciated as I learn more about the Hobby.

Responses to some of your questions:
1 Albino Pleco and 1 Tiger Pleco (The informational card at PetSmart said they don't get large and they may be lying)
The plant in which you are referring is a Top Fin:Ribbon (Not sure of it's submerged growth capability)

Questions I have for you:
Where can I start looking for a "T5/PC fixture" suitable for the 20 gallon.
My Mono has gotten large, I was looking for a place to adopt him. Do you know any places in Houston that adopt fish that have outgrown tanks?

[troy tucker]

I think instead of rehoming the mono. You should get a bigger tank. your plants look great but would have more room to grow in a bigger tank.

[mnemenoi]

Responses to some of your questions:
1 Albino Pleco (Albino Bristlenose L-144 most likely, still get 4-6"at adult size and are clumsy and uproot plants) and 1 Tiger Pleco (Maybe a Clown? Panaqolus maccus? Clowns are wood eaters and heavily omnivorous. Not good algae eaters, but only get 3-4". Are very territorial and also fast and not very graceful. Will knock around plants and uproot them. Could be a Gypsy Tiger or King Tiger, they are mostly carnivorous and would do little to nothing for algae control)(The informational card at PetSmart said they don't get large and they may be lying) (I.D.ing these will help in determining their best care and for your future with them in your care. There are literally over 500+ species of Loricards and ID is tough, but we can get there. Always happy to help, lol)
The plant in which you are referring is a Top Fin:Ribbon (Not sure of it's submerged growth capability) (Dracaena sanderiana, Not a true aquatic and will die eventually completely submerged, here is a link to an article)

Questions I have for you:
Where can I start looking for a "T5/PC fixture" suitable for the 20 gallon. ( I buy from Top Dog Sellers on Ebay, they are out of Houston and offer affordable choices in different size fixtures with customizable temperatures on whatever bulbs you desire, here is a link to one for a 20 high tank for plants 48W Dual, 96W Quad) My Mono has gotten large, I was looking for a place to adopt him. Do you know any places in Houston that adopt fish that have outgrown tanks? (They do great in any Rift lake tank that has a high PH and they are everywhere in the city, Malawi, Tanganyika, Victorian tanks are perfect. Fish Gallery, HAW, and ADG would all most likely take him or anyone nearby. Just call prior to going there and double check. If your set on your angelfish some larger tetras would work like Serpaes, ect. If you decide to get rid of him your option open into smaller rasboras and tetras that you can have an impressive school due to their smaller size. I could see a school of 30-40 Bororas brigette or ember tetra and they love softer lower Ph tanks like you have. Apistogramma or checkerboard cichlids stay a bit smaller and are far less aggressive then angelfish and could breed in a tank that size)

[AquaticAddict]

Looks great in would add a little java fern it dose great with low/med Light, flourish excel and c02...and a few oto cats

[Fancyfish]

Several suggestions, List the plants you have in the tank. I would get rid of the Ribbon plant. Since you want a jungle, I would add more of the Val, or what ever it is in the left front corner. All across the front of the tank if it stays short or put it mid way back to the back if it gets tall. Just some thoughts.

[LivingLegacy85]

FancyFish I really can't name them all. I was more excited to get them in the tank than anything, just being perfectly honest.

[LivingLegacy85]

FancyFish I really can't name them all. I was more excited to get them in the tank than anything, just being perfectly honest. I was thinking of adding some more of that plant as well. If memory serves me correctly, I believe it's corkscrew val.

[mnemenoi]

Get some bigger close up pics and we should be able to identify them

[troy tucker]

Corkscrew val. Will grow tall. Mine is 12" and I don't us ferts. Some dwarf hair grass would look good in the front.

[LivingLegacy85]

Mnemenoi,

I've purchased the 48W Dual, but where can I find the appropriate light bulbs for the planted tank?

[mnemenoi]

Plants prefer from 5000K-10,000K spectrum. Many use 6500K and that is what many "plant" lights are actually. The fixture should have come with 6500K, "plant", or 10,000K bulbs. The 420nm actinics are the only ones that do plants no good.