My biggest attempt to create most dramatic planted tank. advice needed from all bros.

[darrezz]

Hi i just learning about planted tanks and i set up a small 2 feet. As just purchase a 6 feet i doing a huge underwater rainforest. Based i wat i see and learn bit and pieces here and there but still u guys expert advice.. Where can i find rocks? can i just see any rock i like and just put inside? and where can get the most variety of plants and reasonable pricing? i looking for lots of HC plant. Wats the best soil to use?

[Skechid]

Wow very ambitious for a newbie. BUT I LIKE. *lol* Mostly coz I want to do one for myself, but never had the time or energy.

My advice to you is, if you want to set it up properly... have some sorta blueprint first. Like decide on the design ya want, draw it on a piece of paper. Rough layouts. General idea of what kinda flora and fauna. The specs... etc. Don't just jump into buying stuff before ya do that, or you'll just be wasting time and money. For huge tanks I feel it's important to have the right equipment such as lighting, filtration, CO2...etc. So you'll need to list it all down.

THEN when you've got the right equipment and layout plans, you can start purchasing the substrate, rocks, wood, flora and lastly fauna. Probably in that order.

Rocks wise, besides shape and colour, don't forget to make sure they are suitable for the fauna you intend to have. So things like pH and chemistry are important too. Don't just buy them coz they are pretty.

If you want relatively cheaper fish and plants, get them directly from the farms. Like Qian Hu in CCK. If you make friends with ya LFS and tell them ya're doing a HUGE project and are gonna buy stuff in bulk, they might be willing to throw in discounts. You can try this forum for some stuff too. Esp from people, who for one reason or another, are giving up the hobby. But my advice would be not to just take all the free stuff. Take what you need, and pass it on.

Hope that helps. I'd love it if you could share the whole process with us. I'd love to help with the set up. Esp if ya're around the Bt Panjang area. HAHA. I'm a noob myself. So maybe the word isn't so much "help" as much as "kay poh".

ALL THE BEST!!!

[PKB]

Just sharing, don't just buy anything you like and put it into your tank. Most likely you will end up throwing quite a bit out of the tank when you realise that they do not match what you are trying to achieve. Plan how do you want your tank to look like when it is complete then purchase the item you need. It is unlikely that you can get all the rocks and plant you need in a single day or at a single location. You need time and patience.

Do up some measurement of your tank, bring along your measuring tape when shopping. It will be helpful when you need to know how tall, how long and how many rocks or plants you need. For planting HC, you will need strong lighting and low temperature.

[darrezz]

Hey thanks.. i am very ambitious at time i do admit.. guess that in my blood.

i already done a blueprints and a list of things. Drew up about 8 drawings on setup,design and backdrop, i am no designer but just picture in my head. i am doing autocad drawing on my designs too. I right now got my 4 feet tank, 3 cO2 cannister with solenoid, lightings, 3 eheim pro filter, uv sterillzer and a big teco chiller. I trying to create as realistic natural environment but a mystical green fairytale land. LOL i no even sure wat i meant too but is a image in my head.

The big headache is i not sure what rocks or stuff would disturb my pH. As some rock i seen are not those selling at aquarium shops. Need to do more research or that. Actually is not stuff that are cheap and free i go for but as u know if u see something u really like even if is expensive u will have to get it. Not to worry bro stuff i get will not go to waste as after this project i am looking for to a 6 feet tank creation already hahaha..

Bro u not "kay poh", every advice or tips is always useful to me. There no so called experts and pros of out who know all just that they have more experience then us. All of us are a bit of noob in us someway or other as we are always learning new things even the pros.. So any good lobang or tips we can always exchange. I will keep u updated on my progress. Btw i stay far away from yr area i staying at seragoon garden area but singapore isnt that big too.. All the Best to u too!!!

[darrezz]

Btw where to find HC or plants the most with a lot of variety?

[Skechid]

Like I said... the farms are good.

CAPRICORN AQUARIUM (Ah Pek Plant farm) - No. 33, Pasir Ris Farmway 2

That's pretty good. They do alot of aquatic plants. Kinda out of the way tho. I go to Qian Hu personally... but that's not near you. You can always talk to ya neighbourhood LFS and see if they can just provide cheaper prices if ya're buying in bulk.

[Skechid]

Oooh oooh oooh!!! Try this one. I believe they're near you.

Far East Aquatic
23 Simon Road, Singapore 545909

Contact Person: Karin
Tel: 6383 3733
Fax: 6581 3683
Hours: Tue-Sat: 12-9pm, Sun: 12-6pm

Type: LFS and Distributor
Specialises in: Plants from Tropica

How to get there: Nearest MRT station is Kovan, 5 mins walk
Map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...&t=h&z=18&om=1

[zonkkie]

Far East Aquatic closed for some time.

[Skechid]

Argh really? Sorry for the recommendation then. Coz it's in our LFS directory. Someone needs to update that?

Thanks Zonkkie. Sorry if I made ya head out there, darrezz. *hangs head*

[darrezz]

No worries.. was about to head there yesterday but went else where to hunt for my HC plants..

[Shadow]

you can try C328 they always have it. 6ft with HC, it will be back breaking task ...

[bossteck]

You can do a vinegar test to determine whether your rocks will affect the water parameter.
Add a few drops of white vinegar to the rocks, if you see bubbling, it means that the rock contains calcium which will affect water pH. You may have to scratch the surface of the rock a little or better yet, break off a small piece for the test.

By the way, you planning a 6ft or 4ft?

[darrezz]

Woah... that something i didnt know..Some of my rocks quite huge so do i need to cover the whole rock with white vineger to test? Break if a bit i scare with spoil the shape of my rock..Anyway that was very useful information to me.. thanks bro.

I planning a 4ft first then when i get more experience and understand i will get another 6 ft too..

[Shadow]

Normally should be fine. I never test mine . I don't really care as long as plants can grow nicely . Different story for the fish though . I guess there are two hobbyist, one that love fauna and one that love flora .

[darrezz]

i think once i put my rocks and plants in i will wait a 2 week or more when the water stable then maybe put in a couple of fishes..

[jiajuen900]

After setting up the tank, it will take time for beneficial bacteria to develop in the tank a.k.a cycling or new tank syndrome. Test your water before adding fauna. If you are not sure about new tank syndrome go read reade read ^^

[darrezz]

Thanks bro for the advice.. been readin and readin till i turning into a aquatic vegetable myself..

[darrezz]

Any of u know where to get ada soil cheaper? i need quite a few bags of 9L ada soil and powder form

[bossteck]

Price is pretty much standard at most places.
Even if 1 bag costs $2 more, you buy 10 bags only costs $20 more.
You're better off going to somewhere near your place and negotiating for free delivery than to travel to some out of the way places and having to lug everything home on your own. Just my 2 cents.

[darrezz]

Quite true bro but i have company lorry and manpower... but anyway thanks for the advice..