[marinecaneantpie]

Hello There,

My name is Carmen, and I have been researching your method for several months now and was finally able to set up my tank a couple of days ago.

Here are the details:
Tank - 10 gal
Filter - Sponge filter with "whisper" air pump
Heater - Oase HeatUp 25W
Lighting - Leddy Slim 10W/8000K
Soil - Better Homes & Gardens Natural & Organic Professional Container Mix (1")
Gravel - Spectrastone aquarium gravel (0.75")
Water - Tap water treated with Tetra "Aquasafe" de-chlorinator
Plants - 8x Vallisneria, 2x Lobelia Cardinal, 4x Sword Compacta, 1x Crypt Wendtii
Decor - 1 medium-sized Mopani wood piece

Here are the questions:
I added the plants to the tank yesterday with 2 teaspoons (as directed) of the de-chlorinator and this morning the tank has a more greenish tint and is slightly cloudy.
1. Is that normal when first starting out? Any guesses on why this is happening?
2. Should I have the heater on? My tank is at about 69F. I haven't looked into how warm the tank should be for the marine life I plan to add. I'm thinking guppies and tetra.
3. As far as lighting - I was planning to do the siesta method. 6 hours on, 2-4 hours off, and 6 hours on again. Does that sound right for the plants I have? And do you think the plants I chose go well together?

Thank you!
Carmen

1. Yes, it is normal for the tank to be slightly cloudy and have a greenish tint when first starting out. This is usually caused by the initial cycle of the tank, as well as the presence of bacteria and other organisms in the water.
2. The heater should be on, as the ideal temperature for guppies and tetra is between 72-78F.
3. The siesta method of lighting should work well for the plants you have chosen. The plants you have chosen should go well together, as they all require similar amounts of light and require similar water parameters.