What is the next step to start a planted tank?

[kzi]

Hi all,

I have started to setup a planted tank for quite some time, however, not succesful even to let the plant grow in my tank.

Everytime I try to plant a new plants, they will die off few weeks later.

Appreciate brothers, sisters to advise what is the next steps can I take.

I have equipped the following:

1. 18" tank, 5.33US gallon
2. 1" substrate, brown colour, recommended by LFS
3. 24W PL light, switch on 8hrs a day
4. CO2 cylinder, manual regulator, 2bps
5. Water change frequently, put in few drop of Lush Gro
6. Temperature between 28~30C

I look forward to start with easier plant, what I want is to see the green in the tank.

Thank you in advance.
kzi

[Shadow]

What plant have you tried? Some plant do melt because they were grown emerse.
Can I assume you are using lushgro aqua?
What substrate are you using?
Which method do you use to mix CO2 with tank water?
How about the fauna?

[uklau]

It would also be good for you to know the type of planted tank that suits your lifestyle. High, medium or low maintenance. From there, you can start to choose the appropriate plants.

Based on the plant's requirements, you can then determine your lighting, CO2 & fertilizing needs.

Hope these may guide you through. This is a wonderful hobby! Don't give up.

[PeterGwee]

Proper ID of aquatic plants is important since newbies often buy terrestrial plants thinking they are aquatic ones.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[kzi]

Hi all,

Thank you for all the responses.

I have tried riccia, and some other that I don't know the ID.

Basically, I have tried those plants that selling cheap. In the sense that, cheap plants are easier to grow, that is why they are selling cheap.

The substrate is loosely pack by LFS, and I don't know what type it is. It is brown color and light weight.

CO2 is mixed at internal reactor, CO2 tester appear green color shown that there is CO2 in the tank.

Meantime, no fauna.

Let say, low maintenance refer to low tech tank. I am looking at medium, that required CO2, lighting and etc.

Lets set a target plant, riccia, how you shall advise to start with it?

Thank you.
kzi

[Shadow]

My experience, riccia need high light. With lower light they will start grow tall and melted at the bottom part. They also need frequent maintance if you dont want them to melt and start floating

You can float them and it will soon take over the surface

You probably have clay type substrate, that one do not have nutrient in it. Do you have base fert? if not you can also add root monster or similar type of fert. However, you do not need to do that if you don't plan to plant rooted plants.

If you do not know the plant name, post photo

[Reginald Ho]

My personal experience... the more you care for a planted tank, the more the plants in it will not survive.. leave it and it'll florish. Haha. On a serious note, i've had riccia and Shadow is right. You'll need adequate light for it to grow, or else it'll turn yellowish.. or worse still rot and contaminate the other plants with black algae. A simple way to know if your lighting and CO2 is good is to see if there's 'bubbles' forming on your riccia. If it has, then all's good and well... at least for me. You mentioned that there's no fish in your tank? In that case, there's no waste from fish to start the biological cycle. Anyhow, for planted tanks, remember to age the water too. Hope my 2 cents worth of personal experience helps!

[PeterGwee]

Riccia does grow in low light but pearling might not be that intense due to rate of growth (light drives growth but also increases demand for good CO2, NO3, K+, Ca, Mg, PO4 and general trace mix). The key to low light is not to let the plant get shaded by other plants. It is more of a maintenance issue imo. Low light gives you more room for error as it lowers the demand.

LushGro Aqua does not cover everything and might be a tad too light in NO3 unless you dose a lot. PO4 is missing in it and our tap has very little to none.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[charleston]

May try to reduce temp. 26~27C

[kzi]

Hi there,

Now, the light is 4.5watt per US Gallon, CO2 2 bps.

Is it to increase lighting and CO2 further until riccia bubble?

Some of the riccia floating, however, not grown and die off.

From the advises, now I can try to add base fert.

And, shall try to put in some fish.

As commitment to work, lazy in nature, I look for medium maintenance planted tank.

Thanks,
kzi

[medicineman]

Temp control seems to be missing factor here. Have you tried at least mini fan running some air to the water surface? Leave it on 24hrs a day and it can surpress your water temp at 27C or so. Some plants just cannot survive under constant excess heat, you that might be your issue.

Next is to add some bio load. Select the appropriate fish. Start from algae eating squad. A lone Ottocinclus would be correct for this size tank. Then at least half a dozen of ornamental fish. Perhaps some ornamental shrimps, easy and cheap is cherry shrimp.

After that you may want to look at what you put in to supply the tank with adequate nutrition. Try to fulfill all a tank would need in macro and micro elements as well as Fe.

You may not want too much light under a small tank, 24W to start with is somewhat adequate though 36W replacement would be nice on the high side for a medium maintenance tank.

[kzi]

Thanks all!

The next step I shall look into,

1. Base fert, read that JBL is good.

2. Fan, to lower down temperature to 27C.

3. To get in some plants.

4. Look for fauna.

Look forward to seeing the plant growing in my tank.

I relly look forward to seeing the planted tank, like the one in Suntec, beside the koi pond. It really make me feel . . . . relax, peaceful kind of things.

Thanks for all the supports.

kzi