# New Setup



## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

I am getting ready to start a planted P setup. Wanted to know if anyone has ever tried using eggcrate as an anchoring system under the substrate? I thought this would be a good way too ensure they didn't get pulled up by p's zipping by them. Maybe it is the small little squares that appeal to me, but I think it would be a good way to ensure even spacing when you are designing your aquascaping as well. It may be way too much anchoring as well. Let me know your thoughts.


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

Im thinkn that I saw something like that on a site. Im sure someone will chime in ans say what it is. But I do remember reading about it. Once your plants get a good root system they shouldnt really need anything to hold them down.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

I am planning on letting the planted tank setup for a couple months before I introduce any p's so the root systems should be setup, with or without the eggcrate. I am afraid that pulling any plants out would be near impossible with the eggcrate system.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

Ok, substrate is driving me insane!







I like the turface but God forbid any lesco store selling anything less than a pallet. I am checking a local hydroponic store for something similar. Any leads on where to find it that could maybe ship it to me?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

There is a website that sells the same thing only they put it in a bucket and put there name on it. http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/ss.htm

Have you talked to a manager at a lesco? They should just sell a bag or two.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

He said they can only bring it in by the pallet.I will check out that site. 
*not as bad... only $75 shipped, but still not $20*

I was looking at flourite black, but it is $23/bag and i need 6 bags for a 75 gallon. Kinda steep for my budget right now when you add the lights and plants into the current budget too


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I love flourite black, Big Als has the best prices.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

That's where I found the $23/bag price. If it must be, it must be....


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## SeedlessOne (Nov 21, 2006)

3M colorquartz is nice also


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

Read your old posts seedless.... Did u end up going with 100% colorquartz, or quartz + topsoil?
And how much is in a bag of colorquartz, it didn't say. How big is the grain? close to sand?


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## SeedlessOne (Nov 21, 2006)

jharrison said:


> Read your old posts seedless.... Did u end up going with 100% colorquartz, or quartz + topsoil?
> And how much is in a bag of colorquartz, it didn't say. How big is the grain? close to sand?


100% colorquartz. $36 shipped to your door. http://www.ramrfq.com/

T-grade is a Tad bit bigger than sand. S-grade is sand size. T-grade is the way to go IMO.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

colorquartz does look great!


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

Think i am sold! I definately wanted the black, I love the way it makes your p's look, seedless. Those wild caught?


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

I like this stuff

http://www.AquariumPlants.com/product_p/ss.htm


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## SeedlessOne (Nov 21, 2006)

jharrison said:


> Think i am sold! I definately wanted the black, I love the way it makes your p's look, seedless. Those wild caught?


The 10 caribe are wild of course and the 3 reds were CB. You will love your 3MCQ.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

Ok, next topic.... Powerheads. I haven't used many powerheads in the past. What gph should I be looking at for inside a 75 gallon? And where would the ideal placement be?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I have a hydor koralia 2 in my tank, but I am still messing around on where to put it. If you go with a maji-jet, get the 600.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

So aim for 600 gph. Gotcha. I was thinking hydor koralia as well


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

SeedlessOne said:


> Read your old posts seedless.... Did u end up going with 100% colorquartz, or quartz + topsoil?
> And how much is in a bag of colorquartz, it didn't say. How big is the grain? close to sand?


100% colorquartz. $36 shipped to your door. http://www.ramrfq.com/

T-grade is a Tad bit bigger than sand. S-grade is sand size. T-grade is the way to go IMO.
[/quote]

Ended up being $62 shipped for me. Who did you blow?


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

Ok, Sand and chemicals are in. Lights, powerhead, and test kits will be here tomorrow. 
Looking for some plant suggestions. Here is a very rough drawing. I need some suggestions for a short grasslike mat and moss type for driftwood/rocks. 
Also, background plants and some type of nice center piece plant.
I have looked at a ton of individual plant pics, and they are all staring to look the same!
View attachment 176739


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

jharrison said:


> Ok, Sand and chemicals are in. Lights, powerhead, and test kits will be here tomorrow.
> Looking for some plant suggestions. Here is a very rough drawing. I need some suggestions for a short grasslike mat and moss type for driftwood/rocks.
> Also, background plants and some type of nice center piece plant.
> I have looked at a ton of individual plant pics, and they are all staring to look the same!
> View attachment 176739


I would recommend not placing the rock up front but more in the middle to back. You want to keep low up front and high in the back so you have a good view of everything you put in your tank. I like micro swords for ground cover way easier than hairgrass and it grows a lot faster.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

yeah, I was thinking microswords, too. I was thinking the rock would hold down the driftwood, that was why it was in front, to hide however i managed to weigh that end down. Maybe a rockpile would be better?


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

Ok, got my plants in today. Everything set up.....

Plant List 
2 clumps micro sword 
3-BCH Giant Hygro 
3 BCH anachris 
3 BCH Hornwort 
3 Red val
3 Med. Amazon sword 
2-Anubias Nana

I wasn't sure what I wanted, so i got a bunch of stuff.
Here are the pics...
Full tank
View attachment 177324

View attachment 177323


Hornwort was exceptionally nice I thought.
View attachment 177325


Amazon sword (I think, my ID skills aren't great yet)
View attachment 177326


Random shot
View attachment 177327


Red Val
View attachment 177328


Male Bristlenose (m/f pair are the sole inhabitants right now)
View attachment 177329


Comments??


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## SeedlessOne (Nov 21, 2006)

everything looks great. How do you like the 3M CQ? Man they sold me my bags for 36shipped. Where do you live? AK? LOL. What are you using for nutrients?


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

Hornwort is nice but if you see it starting to die take it out and save yourself alot of cleaning up. That suff flies everywhere when it dies off. Any plans for Co2?? The set up looks nice but the powerhead in the front you need to hide to make it look a little cleaner.. If you mount your spray bar vertical it adds to the current also. Other then that looks great!!


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

SeedlessOne said:


> Hornwort is nice but if you see it starting to die take it out and save yourself alot of cleaning up. That suff flies everywhere when it dies off. Any plans for Co2?? The set up looks nice but the powerhead in the front you need to hide to make it look a little cleaner.. If you mount your spray bar vertical it adds to the current also. Other then that looks great!!


Actually I think Hornwort looks like sh*t but I got it to help use up ferts to keep algae down until I figure things out and get things established. Then it will probably go in an outdoor pond for the same reason around April. No CO2 plans yet. Gonna see how it runs like this for a bit. I placed the powerhead there to blow sh*t to the opposite corner. Not worried much about looks ATM. Gonna pick up some cories and guppies Tuesday. Wanna brred some food for the RBP's going in there once it is running good.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

If you break up the microsword into 4-5 leaf clumps, and plant them about 1" apart in the area you want them to fill, it will work out better for ya.

I'd seriously consider a carbon source, preferably pressurized. It really makes the difference in planted aquariums, IMO


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> If you break up the microsword into 4-5 leaf clumps, and plant them about 1" apart in the area you want them to fill, it will work out better for ya.
> 
> I'd seriously consider a carbon source, preferably pressurized. It really makes the difference in planted aquariums, IMO


thanks, I was wondering about how to plant those.

I will be considering it just as soon as my wallet (and fiance) recovers from the initial hit of lights, substrate, chemical, etc. Just wanted to see how it will do without it. Also, how does the addition of additional CO2 effect fish in the aquarium? I have always tried to oxygenate it as much as possible due to the fish. Will the plants' O2 production offset the CO2? I should be able to buld a CO2 setup on the cheap with the help of my beer distributor. He has "found" me regulators laying around the warehouse before for a kegorator, so I will hit him up.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

What are the opinions on yeast based reactors? Would this be better than nothing until I get a regulator/tank setup going?


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

You can get the red sea Co2 system.. It is a nice beginner setup. Its about 156 for everything. It wont break your bank and you will have Co2. I just wanted to get something cheap at the moment to get me into this type of setup. Works really good. Im gonna post pics of my progress so far in teh next couple of days..


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I hate hornwort, cause it looks like like crap to me. The yeast co2 option is usually for smaller tanks. You can try it, but you will understand why I say that after a while cause you will be spending more time mixing and changing the batches than you will anything else. I think I would try excel before yeast and then move on to pressurized. At low levels, co2 doesnt hurt the fish, but at high levels it will kill them.

You can get a beer regulator to start off with and add some components to it like a solenoid to shut it off and a needle valve to control the rate. It might be easier to buy a prebuilt one and go from there. Definetly get the co2 from the beer distributer though.


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## jharrison (Dec 7, 2004)

Ok, did a little rescape today. Got rid of the sh*tty hornwort, spread out the grass, picked up a loach, two cories, and a 3 or so pairs of guppys. Got a few new plants as well. It is all kinda unorganized, I just bought a bunch of plants that looked good, and figured I will get some ideas on how to landscape it better later.

Full Tank
View attachment 177433


Microswords
View attachment 177434


Rest of the plants
View attachment 177435


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