Stephen.scott

Hey there, I'm Stephen. After a little hiatus from planted aquariums, I am back! Setting up my first high tech tank. Looking for a few items. Light fixture. Either a macro-glo 25w fixture or similar or a 2x t5ho fixture I can hang. Tanks is 16x16x12. So a 20in fixture would work. Also looking for a ph controller. Sms122 is what I'd like with probe. Also looking for fluval shrimp substrate, just if anyone has some laying around. 8.8 lb for 18.25 @ amazon...
Cash in hand but do have items to trade. Eheim 2213 with media and all hoses, macro glo light (only if I get a t5 fixture), coralife mini pc fixture 2x 9w, coralife fuge fixture 13w pc, 3.5g rimless seamless tank, small hob, small zoomed canister with media(501 I think).
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks in advance.

digital_gods

I really don't recommend the Fluval shrimp substrate because something is off in its composition that just halts the shrimp from reproducing. I don't known what is off but I'd recommend a neutral substratelike sand or black diamond with nutrient rich layer beneath it like screened and washed top soil. Ask ForeverKnight more about details of the fluval soil issue.

Stephen.scott

Thanks for the heads up. Really wanting what's best for the plants, shrimp in the tank are just a bonus.

digital_gods

Phill, one of our past awesome members (he moved to JP, lucky!), is a botanist. What he says the roots need is nitrates, iron and micro nutrients. My shortcut to get all three is to make 3 layer substrate. I first screen potting soil to get all the clumps(wood fibers and bark) out so I have a fine powder. I add screen top layer soil. I make a 50/50 mixture in a bucket. Some recommend washing the soil, drying it, washing it again and drying it. My opinion, your washing out all the good stuff. Add water and mix till it is like pudding. Pour a 1/2in layer for small tanks and 1in for tall tanks. Then sprinkle a few clean, non galvanized, cheap nails on top of your mud layer. Add 1in gravel layer. Then top with a 1in sand layer. Make sure the gavel is the color of your likings. Because the sand will settle down and grave will come on top.

The science behind it. The potting soil has peat moss in it. It will break down into very rich nitrates for the roots. The iron nails. Under anarobic conditions, the oxidation of the nails will turn into FeO (ferrous oxide), not Fe2O3 (ferric oxide, aka rust). The roots can easily uptake the ferrous oxide. Sand and gravel are just caps to keep the soil down and out of your water column.

With the type of soil setup that I mentioned, I have never had to use any root tabs in my tanks. The roots grow fast and healthy.

Stephen.scott

I appreciate this info. My last go around I did the potting soil capped with gravel. Plants grew well. No co2 and cfl bulbs. I had problems with hc actually rooting. The gravel was too big. I've been debating and will probably use this method you described.

digital_gods

Use playground sand. Its cheap and it settles down.

fishyjoe24

jason will be doing a shrimp planted tank presentation this month. you might want to talk to him, I'd like to get in to shrimp.

odysea makes a 20x2 20x4 bulb fixture for cheap. I've used the 4 bulb one and really liked it. only reason i sold it was because it was hard to find replacement bulbs locally for it. but they can be found online. autotraders.com

Stephen.scott

I think I might go to the meeting. I found a macro glo. My tank is 16x16x12 and will have 2 25w 6500k cfl on this tank. Going to do potting soil and top soil mix capped with fluorite black.
Can I pay for membership at meeting or should I pay through site?

digital_gods

You pay at the meeting. Ask for Mike Cameron.

Stephen.scott

I've found everything on the list.
Thanks for the help.