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Thread: A Beginner's CheckList & Costs

  1. #1
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    A Beginner's CheckList & Costs

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    Hello all Qaua Plant gurus,

    I am new and quite like fish but have not been doing it the last 20 years. For now my aim is to have only aquatic plants with a 2F aquarium.

    Can someone help provide a checklist of equipments and what sunstrate is required for use in e tropics like SG.

    once done, I'll put in the cost factor preferring 2nd hand equipments of course.

    I keep noticing everyone saying it's quite simple and you need to stabilise the system.... it this true?

    Appreciate any help out there... thanks.

  2. #2
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    Read the stickies in the beginner's section. They are created for such purpose. If you have any doubts after reading, you can post your questions. No fish and only aquatic plants is going to be very easy if you get a gas tank CO2 system. The only potential problem is mosquito breeding.

    Regards
    Peter Gwee

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    Perhaps you might want to use Seachem's Onyx sand or Lapis Lazute sand as your substrate. Try to avoid ADA Aquasoil, it alters water values and is very easily broken down so it's not suitable for a first-timer.

    A 2feet planted setup should cost you no more than $200 if you scrimp on the equipment. The only real expensive stuff is your lights and CO2 setup.

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    IMO, ADA Aquasoil is a good soil both for starter and pro. Plants can grow nicer and easier in it. Breaking down is not really a critical point to be worried about.

    Tank is cheap now. Get a nice CO2 cylinder and a adeaquate light set. The rest is up to you. Most people that I came across gave up their budding hobby because they couldn't produce nice looking plants after using DIY co2, DIY ferts etc.

    Leave all the measurements and micro management to the time when you know better of the hobby. Spend the little bit more and show something nice to yourself and family. Afterall, saving $100 does not make you stay in the hobby longer if you get a crap result. A nice looking tank at the end of the day keeps you coming back for more and learning more.
    人的一生﹐ 全靠奮斗﹐ 唯有奮斗﹐ 才能成功

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    I just setup my tank less than a month ago. Most expensive stuff are
    - Tank/cabinet with light & filter
    - CO2 system with solenoid
    - ADA substrate

    Another useful item is a fan. It drops 2-3 degrees for my tank as compare with before adding it.

    I only use 2x30W light with reflector for my 3-ft tank. So far have not encountered a plant (total 20+ types and a mixture of high/low light plants) that can't grow in my tank. Probably thanks to the substrate, CO2 and fan (average 27 degrees). I even saw fry swimming yesterday in this relatively new tank, but not sure spawn from which fish and most probably got eaten up already.

    I view initial "investment" as necessary so less worry later. Think of it as long term interest so that the money spent is worth, and enjoy the fun of setting it up, learning, and making mistakes

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    Beginner list

    Hi,

    Do you have e set up list for starters?

    Thanks.

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    As already mentioned by the moderator, read the sticky articles first, including this http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ead.php?t=4036 on what you need.

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    The basic thing that is required for a planted tank is CO2 and lighting. As this is the two most important thing for plant to grow.. I think there are a few articles in the forum which will give u a good understand of the things required. For a tank setup, the cost will be in the lighting and CO2 set. The following is the things I bought for my 3 ft setup

    1) Tank
    2) Filter
    3) Gravels + Base fertilizer
    4) Lighting
    5) CO2 set

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    Basic Set Up

    Thanks for your updfate. As per adv, I have been reading the forums and besides getting through the first 4 weeks, the only thing Iam confused is this: CO2 or non-CO2. I would in theory prefer non CO2 asthere is lees work involved right?

    Can anyone help me here?

    Thanks.

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    hI Merduka,
    All the beautiful tanks you see here came with alot of work(maintenence from their respective owners). There is just no easy way out of this. Actually the ones with non Co2 is the most difficult to maintain if you are new to this hobby. I would propose you go with Co2 first, you would learn alot along the way, about the plants, water parameters, lighting, fertilisers....Then from there you can cross over.
    It is a ardous journey but a most rewarding one. Keeping plants is like an science by itself but the fun part is the learning part.

    Peace
    Something about the water & the fishes that calms me down.

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    Agree with Michael... Aquascaping is a quite a science... I will suggest planted tank with CO2 for beginner.. The no. of plants that you can plant will be much much more...

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    Quote Originally Posted by CT
    The basic thing that is required for a planted tank is CO2 and lighting. As this is the two most important thing for plant to grow.. I think there are a few articles in the forum which will give u a good understand of the things required. For a tank setup, the cost will be in the lighting and CO2 set. The following is the things I bought for my 3 ft setup

    1) Tank
    2) Filter
    3) Gravels + Base fertilizer
    4) Lighting
    5) CO2 set
    can be broken down further into

    1) Tank : Glass, Acrylic? Nice or Ugly tank?

    2) filter : No OHF please. Internal filter and cannister possible if possible. UHF if no choice. get a filter with flowrate 3-5 times your tank volume of water.

    3) get 1-3 mm diameter gravel. I wont worry about base fertiliser yet cos once you set the fertiliser, you cant reuse your gravel (at least not that easily)

    4)lighting: aim for 1.5ft- 40 watts, 2ft -55 watts, 3 ft 90 watts. it depends what plants yuo are growing. pls read up on this.

    5) co2 set. Manual and solenoid regulator is about $100 difference. and its all about control literally.


    i would recommend go for CO2 set up first. this will give you speed in growing as Co2 is no longer a limiting factor. Only after you are sick of the Co2 method, you will learn to appreciate the non-CO2 method, which is slower, but less of a hassle. I highly doubt that being a starter in this hobby, patience is something you will have. most people giveup on this hobby when they cannot see the effect of plants growing. what kind of person are you?

    regards

    jiesheng

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    What's more, a proper CO2 set will make things easy for you to concentrate on other areas of this hobby. Many people have given up when they can't seem to get plants growing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by |squee|
    Perhaps you might want to use Seachem's Onyx sand or Lapis Lazute sand as your substrate. Try to avoid ADA Aquasoil, it alters water values
    From what I can remember, Onyx sand does raise your PH a little too... But I like the colour...

  15. #15
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    A little only what compared to ADA Aquasoil

    Besides pH and kH will never be totally unaffected by anything in the tank. I think.

    Merduka, have you got your answers yet?

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    Quote Originally Posted by |squee|
    What's more, a proper CO2 set will make things easy for you to concentrate on other areas of this hobby. Many people have given up when they can't seem to get plants growing.
    I feel my plants are growing too fast now. Hope I would not give up this hobby because have to trim often

  17. #17
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    The speed of growth often also depend on the type of plant you are growing... Some plants grow slower then the other... For example nana and fern grow relatively slower when compared to other plants such as densa for etc...

  18. #18
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    Start Up

    Quote Originally Posted by gregorsamsa
    can be broken down further into

    1) Tank : Glass, Acrylic? Nice or Ugly tank?

    2) filter : No OHF please. Internal filter and cannister possible if possible. UHF if no choice. get a filter with flowrate 3-5 times your tank volume of water.

    3) get 1-3 mm diameter gravel. I wont worry about base fertiliser yet cos once you set the fertiliser, you cant reuse your gravel (at least not that easily)

    4)lighting: aim for 1.5ft- 40 watts, 2ft -55 watts, 3 ft 90 watts. it depends what plants yuo are growing. pls read up on this.

    5) co2 set. Manual and solenoid regulator is about $100 difference. and its all about control literally.


    i would recommend go for CO2 set up first. this will give you speed in growing as Co2 is no longer a limiting factor. Only after you are sick of the Co2 method, you will learn to appreciate the non-CO2 method, which is slower, but less of a hassle. I highly doubt that being a starter in this hobby, patience is something you will have. most people giveup on this hobby when they cannot see the effect of plants growing. what kind of person are you?

    regards

    jiesheng

    Hi Jiesheng,

    You are spot on, I am a busy profesional who happens to have reared fishes during the kampong days... seeing a grren planted aquarium provdes me good relaxtion for the eys but am afraid to venture as i have been reading this wnderful forum and am a bit apprehensive. I am compiling the check list and also will do a costing. Perhaps once I am sure to take the plunge i can share the spreadsheet. Patience is a virtue I have not much to spare...

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