# New to planted tank 55G



## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

Hello Everyone!

I've previously had a 55G aquarium set up with your typical crap: plastic plants and black sand substrate. We've moved and have our first house and the tank is now completely empty and no hood / lights (got rid of them, they were really quite awful).

So I literally have an empty 55G and a stand with a bunch of black sand which I have removed but still have.

I've tried so hard to find a complete tutorial video on what I'd need and I just can't find one! There is no tutorial out there what literally start from point A alllll the way to Z with FULL information, at least from the ones I've been bumping into.

What light / hood I need to get
What substrates I need
What sort of filtration is required and what should be purchased
What can be expected / water changes
Do I need to add supplements / how often

I literally need it all and just can't find it anywhere.

They seem like such simple topics but literally every video skips at least on of these things and I'm left scratching my head. I got to another video and the next one conflicts with what the first one said. There are so many different opinions and I'm completely lost, actually worse off then when I started thinking about it. And my biggest pet peeve is stuff listed as a "tutorial" when it's really a time-lapse. Lots of those around...

Please help a noob out. I'm done with plastic plants.
I have a moderate amount I can spend to fix this tank up.


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

I am not an expert by any means, but will need a little more information to kind of narrow down what you may need.
What type of fish are you planning on keping?
Do you want a low tech tank or are you planning on adding CO2?


P.S.
I live in MA too


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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure which direction to go in terms of low maintenance or regular tech. C02 seems so complicated but again that could be the confusing videos. I'm not very tech savvy so the C02 has been scaring me away.

In term of fish, again, completely up for debate as there are not plans, but I do like rainbows a lot so I'd probably be leaning towards them.

Sorry it's so vague, I truly have no plans other than I want a planted tank, but where to start?


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## Hitaiwan666 (Nov 24, 2016)

How about tell us your budget first?


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

I personaly do the low-tech set up, it is the least expensive way too. 
Lighting can be cheaper and not adding CO2 would save some too.
I have attached a picture of my 20long just so you can see what i have done,


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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

No real limit. I'd prefer to not be spending thousands. I'm looking for quality items but not TOP of the line as that's probably more than I'm looking to spend. 

So, I dunno, like... $600 I'd be okay with, but I could go more and obviously less is even better. I don't even know if that's realistic, like I said I literally have no idea. This isn't including fish and plants, this is just for the set up / getting ready so like: Light, filter, substrate, hood if needed

Bump:


j-pond said:


> I personaly do the low-tech set up, it is the least expensive way too.
> Lighting can be cheaper and not adding CO2 would save some too.
> I have attached a picture of my 20long just so you can see what i have done,



Ah, that's a nice example. My husband has a 20L he plans on planting also after I've learned and set up my 55G so I can help him.


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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

I just bumped into this guy's videos and so far they've been okay.
PPA (Paul's Planted Aquariums) and this fellow has the same sized tanks I do so that's even better. most of the videos are for nanos.


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

Miki said:


> Ah, that's a nice example. My husband has a 20L he plans on planting also after I've learned and set up my 55G so I can help him.


Thanks, it is a work in process, I actualy just ordered more plants from this forum.

Just a few things I have read or been told that may help.
The substrate should be 2">3" deep for planting, I used ECO-complete as my substrate, I add root tabs every few months. 
Filtration, I try to do about 10X's , ie...55 gallon 550GPH, I have used either the HOB or now on that tank I use a canister (which I love). The light's I was using clamp lights with bulbs that were 6500K rating. I got alot of growth, the picture is about 3 months old.


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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

j-pond said:


> Thanks, it is a work in process, I actualy just ordered more plants from this forum.
> 
> Just a few things I have read or been told that may help.
> The substrate should be 2">3" deep for planting, I used ECO-complete as my substrate, I add root tabs every few months.
> Filtration, I try to do about 10X's , ie...55 gallon 550GPH, I have used either the HOB or now on that tank I use a canister (which I love). The light's I was using clamp lights with bulbs that were 6500K rating. I got alot of growth, the picture is about 3 months old.


Ah, good to note. Yeah, I've heard maybe 3 inches is a good bet for depth of substrate. I've never used a canister as I've honestly only had a basic out of the box set up *embarrassing*. I'm a little torn about eco-complete because of the conflicting views but I need to do more research or maybe get more ideas. Some folks use multiple layers of different things so I'm not sure if that's the way I should go. 

I hope to perhaps purchase a nice LED fixture, while more expensive I think they are worth the investment in the longrun from what little I know.


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

Miki said:


> Ah, good to note. Yeah, I've heard maybe 3 inches is a good bet for depth of substrate. I've never used a canister as I've honestly only had a basic out of the box set up *embarrassing*. I'm a little torn about eco-complete because of the conflicting views but I need to do more research or maybe get more ideas. Some folks use multiple layers of different things so I'm not sure if that's the way I should go.
> 
> I hope to perhaps purchase a nice LED fixture, while more expensive I think they are worth the investment in the longrun from what little I know.


I understand, I am always willing to try new ideas. Hope I helped a little,
Good Luck, please post pictures whe ready I love checking out peoples set ups!


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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

For sure. I'll get some photos going once I have something more than a beat-up, empty 55g, hah  Thank you so much for your thoughts!


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

just saw this in the For Sale section of the Forum

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/153-sale-trade/1118058-finnex-planted-plus-24-7-48-a.html

Might be just the light you need!


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## Doogy262 (Aug 11, 2013)

Hi Miki,it is pretty hard to get everything but we will try.
first for substrate if you have black sand use it plants get most of their nutrients from the water clumn
so anything that will hold them in place will do,possibilities are eco complete but a cheaper 
way is black diamond blasting sand{ Don't let that scare you} many of us use it.
For lighting options are endless but I have two finnex 24/7 and they would be great for a 55,but again you have many other options.
https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Planted-Automated-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B00U0HMWSG?th=1
For a filter a popular canister filter is the sunsun brand,and again many options and prices on other models.
https://www.amazon.com/4-Stage-External-Canister-Sterilizer-Aquarium/dp/B00896IILA
You will need a 200 watt heater of your choice after you have this all together the fun begans,first and most important is cycling your tank
there are many threads here 
on that subject.The rest is about wood,rocks and plants that your imagination can come with.
In a low tech tank some fertilsation is needed,you can get a micro macro mix from some members here or Greenwood,
Water changes are important and my advice is 40-50% once a week.
Here a python water changer is invaluable.https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...vqmt=p&hvbmt=p&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6v59us13pz_p
Whatever you choose to go with reseach and ask questions and keep it 
simple or you will 
not enjoy this great hobby as you should...Ed

Bump:


j-pond said:


> just saw this in the For Sale section of the Forum
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/153-sale-trade/1118058-finnex-planted-plus-24-7-48-a.html
> 
> Might be just the light you need!


This may be right for you and Freemananana is an upstanding guy...


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## Jardiamj (Oct 31, 2016)

j-pond said:


> just saw this in the For Sale section of the Forum
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/153-sale-trade/1118058-finnex-planted-plus-24-7-48-a.html
> 
> Might be just the light you need!


I followed this link and It says that the post has been deleted by an administrator.

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## Doogy262 (Aug 11, 2013)

Jardiamj said:


> I followed this link and It says that the post has been deleted by an administrator.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


It works for me it is in the for sale section...


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## Jardiamj (Oct 31, 2016)

Doogy262 said:


> It works for me it is in the for sale section...


I don't want to hijack this post, but I wonder if there is something wrong with my account settings because it's not the first time a can't access a thread.

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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

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Doogy262 said:


> It works for me it is in the for sale section...


Just checked it, worked for me again.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

I agree you should start low tech with lower light levels as well as easier plants.

jumping in with both feet (higher light / CO2 / difficult plants) can lead to a lot of struggle and frustration at first. fighting algae sucks and this is almost inevitable with no prior experience + higher light.

invest in good filtration / water movement first and then lights. good filter can be used anywhere, good lights are nice to have if you are able to adjust the light levels (aka you can still use for high tech if you go that route in the future).

again, depends on what your end goals are...


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## PatrickMas20 (Jan 10, 2017)

j-pond said:


> I personaly do the low-tech set up, it is the least expensive way too.
> Lighting can be cheaper and not adding CO2 would save some too.
> I have attached a picture of my 20long just so you can see what i have done,


What is that white thing on the right side of your tank?? I'm seeing them a lot in planted aquariums...


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## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

PatrickMas20 said:


> What is that white thing on the right side of your tank?? I'm seeing them a lot in planted aquariums...


Mag-Float Glass Aquarium Cleaner, I usually take it out before taking a picture, but forgot to, lol.


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## Jardiamj (Oct 31, 2016)

It is always difficult to decide when there are so many options, I have been and still am going through this process of researching and evaluating the different possibilities.
I find useful to list down the things that are important to me in the setup, I try to picture what it will look like when done, I go through some picture for inspiration (tank journals are great for that).
I think about the required maintenance, the space I have available for the setup, how much money am I willing to spend?, How much time am I willing to spend?, What's my purpose for doing it?, Etc.
Then I research my options and decide base on what I have prioritized and their pros and cons, very often there are more than one product that will satisfy the requirements so I read people's reviews and experiences (at this point I might as well just flip a coin... Lol).

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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

Doogy262 said:


> Hi Miki,it is pretty hard to get everything but we will try.
> first for substrate if you have black sand use it plants get most of their nutrients from the water clumn
> so anything that will hold them in place will do,possibilities are eco complete but a cheaper
> way is black diamond blasting sand{ Don't let that scare you} many of us use it.
> ...


I just wrote out this great reply for this and the site crashed. Sigh. But thank you so much! I can view that link but I can't post anything to it, I'm too new I guess :/ 

I do have about 7 years experience with freshwater aquariums so I'm not new to aquariums in general, I'm just new to having actual plants. Having a basic set up (from my understanding) is a far cry from having to maintain live plants thus why I'm not sure where to start. I never replaced any of my fish over the years so the 4 I have right now have been with me for as many years: 1 Large marbled Angle (wanda), 1 Clown Pleco (Gramps), 1 very angry female kribensis (Rage), and 1 stunning male lake tebera rainbowfish (sunny) who is oddly best buds with Rage. All of those guys are currently in a 30G we set up in the mean time using the original sand and water from the aquarium we had set up before we moved.

Bump:


klibs said:


> I agree you should start low tech with lower light levels as well as easier plants.
> 
> jumping in with both feet (higher light / CO2 / difficult plants) can lead to a lot of struggle and frustration at first. fighting algae sucks and this is almost inevitable with no prior experience + higher light.
> 
> ...



That's a really good point on the lighting: buy something adjustable so if I decide to go high maintenance I can. That is something I'd like to do just in case, no sense in buying two full light fixtures! Thank you!

My end goal is to have something nice to look at that is lush with a lot of movement be it from the fish or from the plants. I'd show you pictures but I know everything I'm looking at is high maintenance which I know I'm not ready for. I'll get frustrated and quite for sure, haha.

Bump:


Jardiamj said:


> It is always difficult to decide when there are so many options, I have been and still am going through this process of researching and evaluating the different possibilities.
> I find useful to list down the things that are important to me in the setup, I try to picture what it will look like when done, I go through some picture for inspiration (tank journals are great for that).
> I think about the required maintenance, the space I have available for the setup, how much money am I willing to spend?, How much time am I willing to spend?, What's my purpose for doing it?, Etc.
> Then I research my options and decide base on what I have prioritized and their pros and cons, very often there are more than one product that will satisfy the requirements so I read people's reviews and experiences (at this point I might as well just flip a coin... Lol).
> ...


All fantastic points! Thank you! I'm pretty sure eventually I'll want to graduate to higher maintenance though not extravagant amounts of time and effort. I'll have to go find some low-tech tanks I like, most of the ones I've been seeing I know are high maintenance / light which will not help me  I have my black sand still which WAS originally Eco-Complete but I've had it in my tank for about...5 years? And now it's all dried out in a bucket from the move. I guess the most difficult part for me is the substrate and lighting, I'm just not sure what will be sufficient.


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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

Question:

My 55G is from an Aqueon aquarium kit way back when and thus it's rimmed with a half bar in the middle (to hold two of their smaller hoods).

My question is should I de-rim the tank if I go planted and if I do, is there an issue with fish jumping out? I've never not had a cover over my tank.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

low tech can produce unbelieveable results with minimal maintenance. the trick is you just have to be PATIENT.

for substrate just save your $$$ and go with black diamond. just make sure you rinse it out before putting it in your tank.


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

Miki said:


> Question:
> 
> My 55G is from an Aqueon aquarium kit way back when and thus it's rimmed with a half bar in the middle (to hold two of their smaller hoods).
> 
> My question is should I de-rim the tank if I go planted and if I do, is there an issue with fish jumping out? I've never not had a cover over my tank.



Don't de-rim a tank with a center brace. The center brace is part of the structure and keeps the glass from bowing too far.

Sounds like you're moving in the right direction and doing a lot of research first. I started with a low tech setup and moved it into higher light high tech. It gives you a chance to see what the maintenance is really like. It will be a lot better than setting up high tech and then trying to go back!


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## Fishly (Jan 8, 2010)

It's hard to find a full tutorial about setting up a planted tank because there are a million different ways to do it, and any of them can succeed or fail depending on certain factors. The first thing you need to know is that the light determines how fast the plants grow. High light (40-50+ PAR) will get fast growth and that fast growth will need lots of ferts and CO2 to support it. If the plants aren't getting the CO2 and ferts they need, algae will pick up the slack. Low light (less than 25 PAR) won't produce as much growth, but it also won't be as prone to algae. Tom Barr has done a lot of experiments and found that most plants don't require high light to grow, but CO2 will improve the growth of any tank, including low light. 

CO2 can be made DIY with yeast or citric acid or you can go pressurized with either a large 5-20lb canister or little 3oz bottles. You can also use glutaraldehyde as a liquid CO2 substitute. Glut is fine for low light tanks, but CO2 gas is easier for the plants to use. 

The next thing you need to know are nutrients. There are two kinds of ferts: macros, which are needed in large amounts, and micros, which are needed in small amounts. Macros include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, while micros usually come in a mix of trace elements. The most important micros are iron and magnesium, which are sometimes needed in larger amounts than found in a trace mix. Both micros and macros can be found to some degree in tap water or are produced by fish, but usually not in the right amounts. You'll usually have to supplement with fertilizers, which come in two forms: water column ferts (dry or in solution) and root ferts. Which you use is a matter of preference, since the plants will adapt to whatever's available. Column ferts are more flexible, but root tabs are less work. I like to use both, with root tabs under my more demanding plants.

Dry ferts seem complicated, but they're really not. Use a dosing calculator to find the amount you need according to the estimating index and mix it all up at once. Then you just pour some in every day when you feed your fish. If your tank is low light, start with half doses, increasing only if your plants show signs of deficiency. 

Then there's substrate. Substrate can be fine or coarse and nutritious or inert. Finer substrates are great for foreground plants, but they can become compacted sometimes. Coarse substrates sometimes have trouble holding plants down and might trap fish waste. Nutritious substrates include dirt and aquasoil, which have nutrients in them and release them slowly over time. This provides a buffer if you miss a dose of ferts, and in some tanks, can serve as the sole source of nutrients. Inert substrates don't have nutrients in them, but this can be fixed with root tabs or just good water column dosing. I suggest getting the substrate that appeals to you visually, then worry about nutrition.

An often ignored aspect is water flow. Water flow ensures that plants get a constantly refreshed supply of CO2 and nutrients. You can add a ton of CO2 or ferts, but your plants won't be able to use any of it if the water isn't carrying it to them. Good water flow is especially important if you aren't supplementing CO2 because it will help your plants use the little CO2 that has been absorbed from the air.

That's the basics. If I were to make a cookie cutter tank, I would suggest:

*Very low maintenance:*
Low light (20-30 PAR)
Daily glut dose with fish feeding
Dirt capped with sand
Monthly 50% water change
*Note: Plants do need water changes, but the size and frequency is primarily determined by fish load. Although it's possible to set up a tank that only needs a water change a few times a year, as a beginner you should be getting your hands wet at least once a month.

*Low maintenance:*
Low light (20-30 PAR)
Citric acid CO2
Dry ferts (potassium nitrate, monopotassium phosphate, iron, trace mix, Epsom salt) mixed into solution and dosed weekly after water change
Fine inert substrate
Weekly 20-50% water change

*Moderate maintenance:*
Medium light (30-40 PAR)
Citric acid CO2
Dry ferts dosed daily (macros and micros on opposite days)
Any substrate
Weekly 50% water change

I wouldn't recommend high light to a beginner. Save that for when the plant bug really bites you and you want to try making money selling cuttings.


I don't know how much research you've done, so I just tried to cover the basics here. If you need more detail on a particular topic, just ask.


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## Miki (Jan 12, 2017)

Kubla said:


> Don't de-rim a tank with a center brace. The center brace is part of the structure and keeps the glass from bowing too far.
> 
> Sounds like you're moving in the right direction and doing a lot of research first. I started with a low tech setup and moved it into higher light high tech. It gives you a chance to see what the maintenance is really like. It will be a lot better than setting up high tech and then trying to go back!



Ah! Good thing you told me! I was seriously considering de-rimming because it would look nicer! Crisis averted! Thank you!

Bump:


Fishly said:


> It's hard to find a full tutorial about setting up a planted tank because there are a million different ways to do it, and any of them can succeed or fail depending on certain factors. The first thing you need to know is that the light determines how fast the plants grow. High light (40-50+ PAR) will get fast growth and that fast growth will need lots of ferts and CO2 to support it. If the plants aren't getting the CO2 and ferts they need, algae will pick up the slack. Low light (less than 25 PAR) won't produce as much growth, but it also won't be as prone to algae. Tom Barr has done a lot of experiments and found that most plants don't require high light to grow, but CO2 will improve the growth of any tank, including low light.
> 
> CO2 can be made DIY with yeast or citric acid or you can go pressurized with either a large 5-20lb canister or little 3oz bottles. You can also use glutaraldehyde as a liquid CO2 substitute. Glut is fine for low light tanks, but CO2 gas is easier for the plants to use.
> 
> ...



This is absolutely fantastic! This gives me a really good basic overview to work from and from there I can dig in deeper on each topic then come up with my own questions. I was so lost I couldn't even find footing to start asking anything specific! Thank you so much for taking the time to type all the out for me! I'm going to be digging through this and doing my own research over the weekend and see what I come back with.


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## H2O Life (Dec 31, 2016)

Hello everyone. I too am a newbie at this planted tank adventure. I am at my second attempt with it. For my first attempt, I spent months researching and prepping but I failed miserably...maybe too ambitious with a 150 gallon tank. I started with a dirted tank capped with black diamond blasting sand. Plants grew but never lush. When the rhizomes of my anubias began to melt, I tore down the project...everything came out...sold the tank...done! So I thought...months later, I picked up a 75 gal, upgraded my lights, ordered fluval stratum as substrate (plan was for a shrimp tank) and threw in a C02 system. I quickly found out the substrate was much too light for my liking but that's what I had and went with it. Substrate is so delicate, I ordered a set of aquarium tools (tweezers, scissors, etc) to help with the planting. 

Tank has been running for 2 months now and I'm very pleased with the outcome. To me, it's still a beginner tank with stem plants, anubias, Java moss and a red tiger lotus. Everything is growing nicely and I'm able to propagate the stem plants and the shrimps are multiplying. 

At this very moment, I'm encountering the dreadful problem with algae (string algae, bba & gsa). I'm experimenting how to rid or manage this problem and this forum is a great source of information. 

Miki, this post is just to share my experience in failure and give you an idea of what you may encounter. I too have had many years in tropical freshwater fish keeping and breeding but this planted tank venture is by far the most difficult for me. I never knew how rewarding and enjoyable it is to watch plants grow in an aquarium.


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## SloMo (Jan 31, 2017)

People keep suggesting low light, medium light, high light , and par levels. I am looking for a low light option. What is a good example of a low light? LED? T5HO? etc. Some of us new people might need those kind of suggestions. Thanks.


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## ThePlantedMedic (Dec 29, 2015)

@Miki

Start up a tank journal once you begin the process, as you add to it and run into issues and questions people will chime in and help out. Everyone goes through similar issues while starting up. It does get intimidating once you get into the bowels of this form because of how intricate the hobby can get and how much knowledge the people here have. I still feel silly sometimes asking a question however haven't had any issues with responses. Make sure to use the search bar up top as well to start when you have a question because it has more than likely been asked and answered. This place has a plethora of knowledge and passion on all aspects high, medium or low tech. Enjoy the process!


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