Newbie here - A few questions before I embark on this new found hobby

[aktivate]

Hi all,

First off, great forum. I've been passively reading this forum (anonymously) for quite a while as well as visiting some LFS to amaze myself with browsing their tanks. I have ZERO experience in aquariums but after months of passiveness, I have finally decided to embark on this wonderful hobby. But before I do, a few questions:

1. I run a small business and I'm almost always the only person in the office and therefore, I thought I'd could do with some company (by starting a planted tank). My office is a small 40sqm unit (no windows) and the airconditioning unit is turned on manually when I am around (About 8 hrs a day), else is off. When it's on, the temperature can be as cold as 18 degrees. Else room temperature when it's off should be around 24 degrees (complete darkness). My question would be if such an enviroment is ideal for a planted tank? ie. since no sunlight.

2. I am extremely intrigued by Iwagumi scapes but I have also read that it's possible one of the hardest to master. Would it be a step too steep for a total beginner like me? Or should I take another route to kick start this new adventure?

3. If I were to start a simple tank with HC and Dwarf Hairgrass (I hope I got the names correctly) and probably rocks, which equipment should I pay more attention if I want to establish faster (and higher likelyhood of success) results?

Sorry if my questions are too newbish but I guess I have to start somewhere...Any advice and comments appreciated.

[Biofeedback]

i think that at a temp of max 24degrees, HC and hairgrass would grow pretty well.

You should read this thread before starting your tank if you want to skip the hassle and disappointment of your HC dying. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=42183

Another plant that would do well in that temperature would be the US Fissiden. Personally I like it a lot and it looks great when well grown on driftwood or bogwood.

The absence of sunlight would not be a problem if your lights are strong enough. A rough guide would be to have at least 3watts per gallon.

Can I suggest that you get some shrimps too, they like cold water, but you might want to consider not switching your aircon too cold. NOt sure if 18deg would be too cold. Don't you feel cold at 18degrees too?

[aktivate]

i think that at a temp of max 24degrees, HC and hairgrass would grow pretty well.

Thanks for the advice.

You should read this thread before starting your tank if you want to skip the hassle and disappointment of your HC dying. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=42183

Will do. I've read this article before and thought it was some pro-method. Perhaps I should give it another shot..

Another plant that would do well in that temperature would be the US Fissiden. Personally I like it a lot and it looks great when well grown on driftwood or bogwood.

Hmm...this plant looks nice. Other than on wood, where else is it suitable for growing on? I don't intend to use any drift/bog wood. Planning on just a simple 2-3 plant types , preferably carpet (HC) with a few variables (D.HG) on the back with rocks....Any suggestion on the plant I can use it on rocks?

The absence of sunlight would not be a problem if your lights are strong enough. A rough guide would be to have at least 3watts per gallon.

Can I suggest that you get some shrimps too, they like cold water, but you might want to consider not switching your aircon too cold. NOt sure if 18deg would be too cold. Don't you feel cold at 18degrees too?

Noted on the lights.

For the shrimps, I'm alittle uncomfortable to introduce it early because I'm still new to this and I don't really wish to kill the poor shrimps due to my lack of knowledge...

Cold I can stand, hot is another thing altogether..LOL.

Also, do you have any suggestion on which LFS that has more patience with a newbie like me? I don't mind purchasing everything from 1 place. I've been to 2-3 LFS and they don't seem very helpful when you enquire on starting up a basic tanks and they only push you the most expensive stuff.

[Desewer]

My 2 cents here.

If 18C is too cold, you can always install a heater inside your tank. The heater can be set to 24C hence if your office aircon temp is too cold, the heater will ensure your tank water is 24C and not too cold for your plants or fish.

p.s. Aircon units in my organisation are manually preset to 24C-25C to save on electricity cost. If you can preset your office aircon to 24C then your tank won't need a heater hehehe...

p.p.s. I went to NA @ Thomson when I was a newbie and they were quite helpful with my queries back then.

[Blue Whale]

I also agree to have heater. Imagine you are the fish. Suddenly hot, suddenly cold. Most fishy are sensitive to water temperature.

Ever remember seeing people who bought new fishies in a plastic bag, put it on the water surface so as for the new fishies to get use to the water temperature?

Depends how you look at it. If this is the first round, do you think you will go by without paying tuition fee? If you just want to try out first, how about starting with cheap cheap $1-2 plant available from most LFS, color of the plants would depend on your mood settings for your office. Personally I don't go for names...I see red plants, I like it, I buy it. Save me a lot of homework.

Here is one of the pict I put in my MSN. Not a good photographer though.

[eviltrain]

There's some journal on Dry start HC planting in the Aquascaping Forum. You can find a thread which is about Iwagumi scapes with HC and Hairgrass planted. You might try "copy" the steps from there. As for lighting wise, its better for you to get a light just for your tank. Those office lights are NOT ENOUGH for your scape. Like what Brother Biofeedback said, you need at least 3wpg for your aquascape.

List of items you will need.

Tank - Size of ur preference ( i recommand 2 feet x 1 feet at least if space allow, lesser mistake for water qualities )

Filtration - Depends on your tank size and the inhabitant you going to put inside ( i recommand you to get external canister just in case if you wants to upgrade later dates. Lily pipes look stylish, rain pipe work as well )

Lights - base on 3 watt per gallon.

Subtracts - depends on what plants you getting ( i recommand ADA amazonia Soil, if you worry about subtract break down, u can always get lapis sand. Smaller grain size helps the root system of HC and HG to grow better )

CO2 - 3 bubbles per second ( depends on your budget, a CO2 system can cost up to 180. )

All these are base on my experience for the pass 4-5 months. You can actually do up a small scale up first to try out if you scared of faliures.

-all the best-

[sheng]

You can use a timer to set the timing for your lighting. So it wont be in complete darkness even when you are not in office.

[aktivate]

My 2 cents here.

If 18C is too cold, you can always install a heater inside your tank. The heater can be set to 24C hence if your office aircon temp is too cold, the heater will ensure your tank water is 24C and not too cold for your plants or fish.

Monitoring temperature when I'm around is ok. I'm just worried that the temperature when I'm not in office (ie. all shut down).

p.s. Aircon units in my organisation are manually preset to 24C-25C to save on electricity cost. If you can preset your office aircon to 24C then your tank won't need a heater hehehe...

I odn't think I will buy a heater la...probably will try and get a fan to run on timer when I'm not in office.

p.p.s. I went to NA @ Thomson when I was a newbie and they were quite helpful with my queries back then.

NA - The shop with the guy who runs the shop with an old couple (presumably his parents) ? I've been there before to browse around but it seems the other shop few doors down has alot more plants. Looks like I will need to go back there again...

[Desewer]

You're right about the smaller shop having more plants. I patronise them for their equipment and hardware, though I managed to talk the proprietor into harvesting some plants from their display tank for me once :-)

[feide]

The other shop with lots of plants is called Colourful.
Plants there generally comes at a good price, plus they are healthy.
You can try to 'steal' a trick or two from the owner there but keep in mind that most plants are 'easy' for him as he is very experienced...
IMO, Thomson is quite a good place to visit, NA have most of the equipments while Colourful have the plants.