Advice on tank with plain substrate - El Natural

plantblr · 06-10-2008, 03:22 AM

Hi all

,

It's been a long time since I asked for advice on this forum......!!!!!!!!

I have a 50 gallon tank with the below details:
Plants : Anubias & Java ferns only
Light : 2 x 20 watt CFL daylight( I know its the worst lighting set up

.........) )
Hardscape : 4 pieces of drift wood & some rocks
Substrate : 1 mm artificial black gravel only.
Fish : 12 cardinal tetras , 3 harlequin rasboras , 2 guppies, 4 flame gouramis.
Fertilizers : Aquanutramin(Micronutrients) & Aquaferomin(Iron) once a week during 25% water change.

Now.....

Its a healthy & well settled tank now(will soon post some pics),but I'am bored of seeing only the Anubias & ferns & wish to add more variety of plants into it.So pls advice what plants can I add to the current set up without disturbing anything & also some advice on my bad lighting set up.

Thanks in advance,
Ravi

davemonkey · 06-10-2008, 04:19 AM

Cryptocorynes might work. Most any moss would work (Java, Flame, Christmas, Peacock...)

dwalstad · 06-10-2008, 04:30 AM

If it were my tank, I would put a couple pots (with soil) containing large reliable swordplants (Echinodorus major and/or E. bleheri) into this 50 gal. I would not bury the pots in the gravel, at least until plants starting taking off. Make sure that the pots aren't too big for smallish plants starting out. That is, I would start out with 1/2 to 1 cup of soil and the rest sand or gravel in the pot. Since you'll have only a small volume of soil for this large tank, you don't have to worry that much about soil being "too fertile". A little extra phosphate in the soil should not hurt the tank, and it would make the swords very happy.

plantblr · 06-10-2008, 06:58 AM

Hi Dave & Diana,

Thanks a ton for your quick replies........

Do I need to improve my lighting?Currently it is less that 1 watt per gallon & no sunlight at all.

Also,I heard from an expert here that I can plant the plants directly in to the existing substrate as the fish poop,the decayed leaves & the ferts that I add is enough for the plants to grow as the tank is almost a year old,the substrate is mature. - Pls advice on this.

Thanks,
Ravi

plantblr · 06-12-2008, 03:37 AM

Could someone pls reply...............

AaronT · 06-12-2008, 05:06 AM

What sort of lighting is available in India Ravi? The newer T5 Hight Output flourescent tubes are becoming more and more popular here in the United States.

What are the dimensions of your aquarium?

plantblr · 06-18-2008, 04:36 AM

Hi Aaron,
The lights in my tank are normal white CFL bulbs(20watts).The dimension would be 42x18x18"(50 gallons).Finding Flourescent bulbs here is very difficult & they are very expensive.I know the lighting is no way enough for my tank

.Iam getting lights to get it to 3 watts per gallon

.Currently I have injected laterite paste into the substrate using a syringe to give my plants some good food

.Have planted some Vals & Swords.Hope they do good.

Thanks,
Ravi

AaronT · 06-18-2008, 04:43 AM

Yes, adding some more light to your tank will definitely help because the tank is so deep. Do you have good reflectors available or perhaps you can find some material to make good reflectors? That is usually a cheaper solution than buying more bulbs.

aquabillpers · 06-21-2008, 03:56 PM

Your substrate depth is 1 mm? Are you sure?

Even 1 centimeter would not be enough to grow rooted plants.

Diana's suggestion that you grow plants in pots is a good one. But before you transplant them, be sure that they have something to root in.

Good luck!

Bill

plantblr · 06-23-2008, 02:32 AM

Ooops......I'am sorry Bill.My mistake

.....

I meant the size of the substrate is 1mm & 2.5" deep.

Aaron,
I got 2 x 65 watts CFL daylight bulbs & fitted them in.I think the light part is taken care of now

.
Now,as the light has increased, I need to plant some fast growing plants to avoid a algae bloom in the tank.Could you please suggest some plants for plain substrate with Laterite paste injected in it with 10hrs of lighting a day & Aquanutramin(Micronutrients) & Aquaferomin(Iron) once a week during 25% water change.

Thanks,
Ravi