# 55g Planted tank



## JustJoshinYa (Mar 25, 2006)

Ok heres the deal ive decided to try my hand at growing plants, but i know absolutely nothing about growing plants (aquatic)







, i have a 55gal tank, with 10gal in tank wet/dry sump, external XP3, 15watt UV sterilizer, i was given everything so i dont have alota specific details about all the components, like gph of the wet/dry im assuming 350gph, the lighting fixtures i was given is a big "amplifier" regulator or whatever(see pic) no idea of max output, and i currently have a single 1x 36watt 7100K white pc, i was just wondering what all else i will need. i know i need more lighting but i need suggestions on 6000K-10000K and wattages, also my tap water params are as follows,

PH :8.0
Nitrite :0ppm
Amonia :0ppm
Nitrates :15ppm

I do not have the test kits specifically for plants so i will give those params as soon as i get all the test kits.

(it wont let me add a pic)


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## Guru (Apr 20, 2004)

JustJoshinYa said:


> Ok heres the deal ive decided to try my hand at growing plants, but i know absolutely nothing about growing plants (aquatic)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The best would be a mix of 6700k and 9325k bulbs. The combonation brings out the best colors in a planted tank.
Check out this thread
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...-ge-9325-a.html


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## JustJoshinYa (Mar 25, 2006)

thanks for the info nuggz :nod:


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

i'd stay low light with the sump.

get about .8-1.2wpg, and get low light plants. Keep nitrates @ 10-25ppm, phosphates @ .5-2ppm and dose flourish comprehensive or tropica master grow for best results


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## JustJoshinYa (Mar 25, 2006)

I liked the grassy types and alot of plants thant arent on the low light plants, the sump will cause bad health?? or what?? would getting a CO2 system help??

shape of my tank
View attachment 107107


Sump
View attachment 107108


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## Guru (Apr 20, 2004)

JustJoshinYa said:


> I liked the grassy types and alot of plants thant arent on the low light plants, the sump will cause bad health?? or what?? would getting a CO2 system help??
> 
> shape of my tank
> View attachment 107107
> ...


The sump will make it hard to keep co2 levels high.


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## JustJoshinYa (Mar 25, 2006)

My sump can be flooded to just under water line and there is generally no wet/dry transition would this help and would i just have to try it all out and see how it works??


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## JustJoshinYa (Mar 25, 2006)

i bought some flora base substrate, but im looking into a co2 system, would putting a co2 system in counteract the effects of my sump??? i cannot take the sump out or disable it so im stuck with a sump 1 way or another, also from the tap my ph is 8.0 would plants do fine in this or would i have to use a buffer of some sort???

final readings on my tap water are

PH 8.0
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrate 15ppm
KH 11
Gh 2-3


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

you can go CO2, but it wont be efficient. you will go through lots of CO2 that way.. I suggest getting a pH controller then. Maybe even go 2 cylanders for CO2 so you can always hae a full one around.

That is wierd tap water! U sure you dont have the GH and KH backwards?
Super high pH.. you can cut your tap water with RO if you want to drop pH..
Hope that helps


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## JustJoshinYa (Mar 25, 2006)

Yea it took 11 drops for the kh reagent to turn yellow and on the GH the very first drop stayed mostly clear with a green tinge and each drop i put in after just made it darker green so i assumed a 2-3 degree for gh was just an estimate since it was a tinge of green on the first drop. what are the desired ranges of KH and GH, i know slightly softer.right.

would a peat bottom under the flora base, lower the ph, to acceptable standards?? then i could just split tap and distilled to get the desired ph for weekly water changes...alota work but i dont mind, and i will probably cap everything with black moon sand


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Peat would sure lower the pH..it isn't for everyone, you have to be careful.. and you have to do it right.. 
PM me if you want to try it


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