# New to setting up an aquarium on a budget.



## Lycosa (Oct 16, 2006)

Ok, lots of questions.. maybe I can help.

1) I recommend you clean the gravel with water only, but rinse it well until the rinse water is clear and there is no debris. Mix the gravel as you rinse it in order to get it as clean as possible. The tank you can clean with just about anything you wish as long as you rinse it thoroughly. There should be no residue of any chemical in the tank when you are done. For heavily stained tanks from waterline mineral deposits, CLR cleaner works well.

2) If you are on a budget, any appropriately sized filter will do. You don't 'need' a canister filter, it's just a luxury. You can get by just fine with one of those 'hang on the back' type power filters at Wal-Mart for 10-15 bucks. However, if you plan to run CO2 (even DIY) choose a filter without one of those Bio Wheels that rotate in/out of the water. You'll off-gas a lot of your CO2 with one of those.

3) Gravel works fine as planting medium. It is relatively inert, but works just fine if you supplement your plants with a rooting fertilizer. Everyone has their preference for their planted tank when it comes to gravel, but it's a matter of personal choice and knowing what to expect because of your choice. In other words, a substrate high in nutrients needs little extra root fertilization in the beginning because it will have what it needs already in the substrate. Plain washed aquarium gravel will need supplementation for nutrients.. even then people grow plants without extra fertilization, but it helps. Most people in the planted community tend to use natural or black/white colors as other colors like bright orange tend to clash with a planted tank, but that is just another personal preference.

Further, you'll need lighting for plants to grow. This can be really expensive, or really cheap depending on the choices you make. I have run a 20 gallon aquarium with 2 - GE 6500k fluorescent bulbs in a DIY hood that I made out of a peice of gutter and 2 gutter endcaps that works amazing. The bulbs are the regular lamp base screw-in type bulbs only they are rated at 6500k (temperature color) and approximately 27 watts each. They are the ones that say 'sunlight bulb' on the package and cost $7.00 for 2 of them. If you decide to go the DIY route, pm me for more information because it has to be done correctly so heat in the fixture is not an issue. There are a ton of other options as well, but it all depends on your budget.

If you are growing plants, you'll need fertilizer. There is a ton of information in this forum regarding how to properly dose fertilizers and what type to use. You can type in 'EI Method' to search this forum for guides on how to use that popular method of dosing fertilizer. 

Lastly, if you really want to get the most out of your plants growth, you'll need CO2. Only use CO2 if you can get adequate lighting (I can't give you an estimate of what 'adequate' means unless I knew what type of plants you were growing and the bulb you were selecting to use). You have the really cheap method of dosing CO2 in your tank by using a yeast/sugar-water mix or go the more expensive route of buying a pressurized system. For more information on the yeast method, just type 'DIY CO2' and search this forum for more info on how to do that.

4) I really don't want to answer what plants you should grow until you post what system you can put together. Different plants have different requirements. Java ferns, Java moss, hornwort are all easy to grow with low light. Your restrictions to what you can or can't grow will be determined on how much experience you have, how controlled your system is, and if your system can meet the basic requirements on the plants you intend to grow. Have no fear though, you're in good company in this forum. Feel free to ask more questions the further you get into your setup and someone will help you along. This forum is responsible for 99% of what I've learned over the years so you have come to the right place. Welcome


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## Leichty (Jun 11, 2010)

*Thank you alot...*

Thank you for the information, It will help alot..roud:


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## luisgo (Jun 15, 2010)

Very good info to start a planted tank, thanks.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Leichty said:


> 1. how would you recommend I clean all this with.


I'd clean the tank out well with a mild bleach solution. Rinse well, let the tank dry, and then rinse again. If there are any hard water deposits, white vinegar and some elbow grease should work with those. You may need a razor for really bad spots, just make sure not to slice the silicone seals.



> 2. what filter would you recommend.


I agree that if you're on a budget, an HOB filter would probably be the way to go. The AquaClears are my own favorite HOB. Personally I'd probably run an AC70 on a 30gal planted tank. If you do want to go in the direction of a canister filter, I'd put either a Rena XP2 or an Eheim 2215 on this size tank. (I'm currently running an Eheim Ecco 2264 on my own 29gal and it's doing well, but I do like the Eheim classics better than the Eccos...)



> 3. I have gravel that came in the tank what else will I need to have healthy plants.


I personally prefer substrates with nutrient content, and especially substrates with a high CEC value (Flourite, Turface, EcoComplete, etc), as these help ensure a steady supply of nutrients for the plants. You can definitely have a nice planted tank with just regular gravel, but smaller sized gravel ("pea" gravel) would encourage better root growth over "regular" size gravel. Or pool filter sand (PFS) is another economical option out of the inert substrates. I would definitely switch to either PFS or pea gravel if you do have larger gravel- IME the plants will root and establish themselves much more quickly.



> 4. What plants do you recommend.


This depends on how much light you put over the tank and whether or not you add any CO2. Different plants have different needs as far as light levels and supplemental ferts/nutrients. In general, the more light and nutrients you provide, the more options you have as far as plant species selection.

Also, the more light and nutrients you provide the more quickly the plants will grow and fill in the tank. Faster plant growth also equals more maintenance on your end to keep the plants trimmed and from choking each other out in competition for light and nutrients.

However, you can still have a very nice planted tank even setting up a low light tank without supplementing with CO2 or even dosing the tank with any ferts at all. The key here is selecting slower growing low-light-tolerant plants and patience on your end to give them time to fill in. Since my goal is always to set up planted tank that require minimal ongoing maintenance from me, this is how all of my own tanks are set up. 

So that's the long answer. The short answer is- pick out your light fixture and then we can help with more specific plant options. :hihi:

Personally, I run this Coralife T5NO over my own low tech 29gal and am very happy with it:
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30

Under this light (Flourite substrate, without any CO2 or ferts) I am growing assorted Crypts, Needle leafed Java fern, Anubias nana 'petite,' Hygro 'kompakt', and a Lilaeopsis mauritiana carpet


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## Leichty (Jun 11, 2010)

I'm really glad I fell upon this site . There is a lot of information here, everyone is very helpful.. Thanks to all.


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## javatank (Jun 13, 2010)

^^agrees with lycosa^^.


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