# First Planted Tank



## Guest (Feb 3, 2011)

Alright. I read the pinned post, and it is a lot of info for someone to take in who has no knowledge of keeping livep lants in an aquarium at all. I have a 72gal bowfront aquarium. All I have is the standard light, normal flourecent bulb, and I was going to use large gravel I already have. But that was like the first thing I noticed your not supposed to do. I just need some guidance. I am looking to have around 5-7 cariba piranha. I want EASY beginger plants and would like to know what substrate I should use. Oh and filtration... I have two HOB aquaclear 110's.... And am looking into those power heads right now. Thanks a lot in advance... if i forgot any info needed to give me a good response / solution let me know !!! again thank you.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

If you want easy and cheap to learn the ropes, I'd look into adding a 48" dual strip T8 shop light from Home Depot/Walmart outfitted with a couple 6500k bulbs -- you should be able to get all that for $20-40 depending on how much effort you put into looking around. For substrate, I'd recommend something like Turface, it works well for low-tech setups and it's REALLY cheap, if you're in the US, you can find a distributor by plugging in your location on this site...

http://www.turface.com/turface-products/infield-conditioners

For easy plants, you could look into crypts, java fern, anubias, dwarf sag, some sword species such as Amazon swords and E. tenellus, lotus, Brazilian pennywort -- there are plenty out there depending on what type of look you are going for.

Two AC110s should be plenty of filtration for now, although if you decide on a group of pygos, you'll probably want to look into upgrading or adding a canister when they get a bit bigger.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Right now i have a 40W t12 over 4ft of my 125g (only 4ft of the tank planted). The tank is planted farily heavily with crypts and it also has some java fern and java moss. I just got a plant bulb from homedepot so i'll see how that goes but im sure it will be fine though the spectum is a bit weird but as long as it works im happy.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2011)

So that turface would be the only thing on the bottom of my aquarium???? and I really thought the 2 "AC110's" would be enough even when they were larger..... I have not purchased my second filter yet..... I am not familiar with how a canister system even works.. guess I will have to do some digging was really hoping adding a twin to my existing filter would be enough.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

As your cariba get bigger, you'll need to thin things out or upgrade tanks -- 5-7 adult cariba will be too big for a 72 bowfront. Even with 3-4 large cariba in that tank, I'd want more than 2 AC110s.

The Turface would be your only substrate or you could pair it with something else, it's up to you... I use Turface by itself in my tanks.


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2011)

Is this substrate like a dirt???? Do you have to replace it??? Since you cant clean dirt??


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

No, it's more like a gravel... I have some that's been in my tanks for a couple years now.


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## I Can Mate (Apr 8, 2010)

turface is what you see on baseball diamonds. its great stuff but very very light in water and can be easily disturb.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

c_granger21 said:


> So that turface would be the only thing on the bottom of my aquarium???? and I really thought the 2 "AC110's" would be enough even when they were larger..... I have not purchased my second filter yet..... I am not familiar with how a canister system even works.. guess I will have to do some digging was really hoping adding a twin to my existing filter would be enough.


If you dont have a second filter yet id get a cannister liek eheim 2217 and mayby a ac110 too. Cannisters are containors that sit under the tank where water is siphoned down them pumped back up. They can hold alot more media then hob filters so they are generally gergarded as alot better then hob filters for bio filtration.

Turface is a finer gravel.

Is turface from lesco too or do other places sell it? I think 5 caribe in a 72g would work if you went with a larger cannister like eheim 2217 and an ac110


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2011)

Alright now I just need to find a distributor of this turface around me... I am near chicago in Indiana.. I went to their site was not very helpful but I will look again.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

I'll see if I can find one for ya


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2011)

If it is so loose... how does it hold the plants down????


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

It can hold them down just fine, sometimes it's hard to keep certain stem plants rooted, but if you go with a low-tech setup, Cryptocoryne and Echinodorus species develop really big root systems, Anubias and java fern both attach to driftwood, and there are plenty of other low light plants that will develop roots that will keep them planted in the substrate.


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2011)

will those plants attach to anything??? I am looking for something that is going to grow on a cinderblock.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

c_granger21 said:


> will those plants attach to anything??? I am looking for something that is going to grow on a cinderblock.


 Why a cinder block? Those plants should be in gravel. About the only thing that attaches to rocks are differnt mosses but the rock has to be somewhat porous so it can attach.


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2011)

I am going to do an urban themed tank. Will have pictures up as soon as I get this going ! Have to get the turface.... And I think for now... While they are small (my imaginary cariba that is) I am just going to run the one AC 110.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Be aware that a cinderblock will displace alot of water and will take away some swimming space from your fish. Im also not sure if it would impact your water chemistry or not. If your set on an urban theme id suggest using some smaller sized blocks


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2011)

well I was going to break it.... was just going to be one cinder block total and also they have the holes in them was going to have those like cave type deals.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

c_granger21 said:


> well I was going to break it.... was just going to be one cinder block total and also they have the holes in them was going to have those like cave type deals.


 Ok that would be better, make sure there are no sharp edges so the p's dont run into it. If you want some moss on the block you may want to rought up the outside a bit with some tool.


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## e46markus (Dec 9, 2010)

I was intimidated by a cannister filter aswell, trust me listen to these guys...it's easy to set up and maintaining it is a breeze just need to build your own routine for maintnence. I picked up a eheim classic 2215, you'd probably want to have a look at the 2217 as mentioned above paired with your AC110.

I'm also a planted tank newbie, have a single bulb T5 HO light, using regular natural gravel and have some crypts planted in a 40G long aquarium. I'm also using Flourish since my subtrate has no nutrients. My fingers are crossed, I just hope I won't be replacing plants every month.


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## Dolphinswin (Jun 26, 2010)

e46markus said:


> I was intimidated by a cannister filter aswell, trust me listen to these guys...it's easy to set up and maintaining it is a breeze just need to build your own routine for maintnence. I picked up a eheim classic 2215, you'd probably want to have a look at the 2217 as mentioned above paired with your AC110.
> 
> I'm also a planted tank newbie, have a single bulb T5 HO light, using regular natural gravel and have some crypts planted in a 40G long aquarium. I'm also using Flourish since my subtrate has no nutrients. My fingers are crossed, I just hope I won't be replacing plants every month.


id also be intimidated. The instructions were hard that came with my eheim and i ended up with a overflow on my basement carpet!!! Becareful my friend.


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