# help for starting



## lumpyfunk (Dec 22, 2004)

you should be ok with that light, as long as you stick to low light plants. but whether you should buy it depends on what you want it to do, if you just add a few other low light plants it should work just fine, I would recommend looking at AHsupply.com for other lighting options.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

thanks for the site but it doesnt really have what i need. im looking for a brighter light for my fixture already or another fixture that will fit on my 10g tank with a 25-40 watt light included.

also, my fixture now would hold an 18" t12 light. 

the more watts the better the plants you can get and the better they will grow right??? I would also love to know what plants would be easy, cheap, and appropriate for the lighting level i am looking at.

PLANTED TANK RULES THANK YOU ALL SOOO MUCH.


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## qpun (Aug 31, 2006)

"the more watts the better the plants you can get and the better they will grow" is not quite right in my opinion.. Adding the light intensity without adequate fert n CO2 will causing alga grow everywhere.
I think it's enough to use 15-25 Watt light fixture for your tank, and keep some low light plants such as anacharis you got there, java fern, anubias and cryptos.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

have you guys heard about seachem excell? i heard its a good thing to use instead of c02 and fertilizer. remember i am totally new to this stuff so any thing u have to say will help


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

If you are going to use Excel use flourish as well.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

what are those things and how much of each would i use for my 10g tank? how do i put it in? how often? please help me with these questions.


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

Seachem Excell and Seachem Flourish are water forum additives for your tank. 

1: Read the label
2: Add accordingly


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

ok thanks and i woulnt need any co2 or anything right?


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## mr.gaboozlebag (Feb 22, 2006)

Seachem exxel is good, but it doesn't provide all the nutrients that you need. Have you read rex's guide, it is very good for beginners. What substrate do you have? If you want A high light tank, You propably need CO2


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## cbennett (Oct 20, 2005)

i think you have a good plan so far. 25 watts is a good starting place although you will not be able to grow the most demanding plants. I would start out with crypts, anubias, java moss, java fern, dwarf sag, or marselia. 

Excel is a great product, it is the carbon (CO2) source. You may need to add some Flourish (micro ferts) as well. I have a 12 gallon tank with 28 watts and I just add about 1 mL of Excel every other day. I don't really fertilize the tank on a regular basis but everyone's water is different so YMMV. I grow a couple different types of anubias, dwarf sag, crypts and xmas moss in that tank and it's doing really well. Very low maintenace.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

hi i just ordered some plants and here they are.
java fern
Hygrophila polysperma
anubias barteri
these are all easy plants right?

im thinking about gettting flourite for my tank cause i have bad gravel and not enough.

also he is adding another plant called Bacopa Monnirie to the order.
im excited to get it all thursday!


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

today i bought some flourite seachem flourish and kents plant thing. i tried to get seachem excel but they dont have it.
should i take all my fish out then change the gravel or what should i do.

also ive heard i have to wash the flourite a lot! how do i do this?


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## cbennett (Oct 20, 2005)

plants sound great, the bacopa may be a little tricky but you never know. You definitely want to rinse the flourite, use a paint filter thing that's described in rex grigg's website. your ferts sound fine but you're definitely going to need either Excel or CO2. You can order Excel online if none of your local stores carry it. My 12 gallon tank just has regular aquarium gravel with some laterite at the bottom and it's been going strong for 5-6 years now. You can top the gravel you have with the flourite, mix them or take everything out and replace the gravel. If you do the latter, make sure you save as much of the old water as possible so your fish stay happy. Also keep a bunch of the old mulm in the bottom so the beneficial bacteria can colonize the new substrate quickly.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

i dont no where to put my fish while changing gravel because i have no other tanks, ever heard of that kents freshwater plant thing. i dont want to change the gravel with all ny fish in it because there will be dust cloudsans stuff probably. thank you


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## RoseHawke (Mar 10, 2004)

Just siphon your water to a 5 gallon bucket or the like and put an an airstone in it, or if your filter will work, transfer it to the bucket to circulate and aerate the water while you're changing out the substrate. They'll be fine for a day or two. If you're using an HOB (Hang on Back, similar to an Aquaclear) filter, don't clean it before you put it back on the tank, your beneficial bacteria should be in the sponges and floss and you'll want them (likewise the mulm such as cbennet mentioned) to help seed the new substrate.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

i got the plants and planted some and floated some because i havent changed the gravel yet which i will do tomorow do u think the plants will be ok with the clouds from the gravel changing or should i take out the plants too.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

a few minuted ago i took out all my fish and put them in a 5 gallon bucket.
i took out most of the plants too but left some. i then put the flourite in slowly and carefully and now im done but there is a huge cloud. i can barely see anything, i guess its good i took all my fish out. 
how long will it take for this to clear? will it be ok to leave my fish in the bucket for that long? and should i leave my filter on to help with the cloud or is it worse. i need responses ASAP please. thank you


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Uh, did you was out the Flourite like someone told you to in this post? here.
It gets really dirty, so you should've washed it out before moving all your fish.


edit: The URL thing here is broken or something. The post said to use a paint filter or something. Rex's Guide to Planted Tanks tells ya how to do it.

"Ok, here is the way I wash substrates that need to be washed. Go to the local home improvement store and get a paint strainer that fits over a 5 gallon bucket, if you don't have a 5 gallon bucket get one of those also. Take the strainer and place it over the bucket. Pour about 5 lbs of the substrate in question into the strainer. Use the hose to wash the substrate. Don't use a high pressure sprayer. You don't want or need to break it up just get it clean. Now pull the strainer off the bucket, dump the water and repeat till the water is fairly clear. Using this method will save the "fines" but get rid of the dust. Substrates that benefit from this method are Flourite, Onyx, and plain old sand or gravel." --Rex Grigg


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

i did wash it like 8 times but theres still a huge cloud using that exact same method


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Yea, it's not easy to wash Flourite. Wash it a few more times in the tank and let it settle.


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

just an update:~~~~

i still dont have excel but my hygrophila polysperma bacopa and my annachiris are growing crazy! I also recently got downoi which hasnt changed a bit since i added it. probably because its new. on the other hand my java ferns ok some of the leaves have browish spots and on the anubias theres been no growth and some leaves are cracked but my SAE loves to rest on top of the big leaf


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Awesome! Glad to hear your plants are growing well.

Edit: Hm, this was my 666th, post...interesting, no? =P


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

and in the past 3 days you have already done another 60ish to get to 725


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

It's a great board, what can I say?


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## qazplm25 (Mar 3, 2006)

now on to you 1000 mark congrats


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