# Keeping planted tanks again...



## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

Hello, new to the forum, and haven't kept planted tanks in a long time. I am wanting to start off easy. I have a 30glln that I am planning to use. I picked up some soilmaster select, and some peat to put down. I want to cover the SMS with some of the 3m colorquartz product. My lighting is a 65 watt PC I believe the bulb is a 6500K. I think that my wattage is at the higher end of the low tech setup, but I don't want to run co2 off the bat. I was thinking that I would plant real heavily to start off so that I wouldn't have to worry about algae, then remove some as the tank got established and I could add plecos and shrimp. Any thoughts or criticism welcome, sorry for the long post, and thanks in advance.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

WELCOME to TPTF! Sounds like you have a good plan. What kind of plecos? You do know some get huge? Maybe otos or cories might make a better choice? Olive nerites do a great job on the glass.:thumbsup:


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I agree, welcome to TPT and sounds like ya got a good plan to me! :thumbsup:


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

Thank you for the welcome, I do know that some plecos get huge (I have several large ones in my bigger tanks!). I had been thinking about a clown or BN. I have always had trouble with keeping the ottos. I have tried putting them in a tank on their own and I have tried putting them in well established tanks. I have always kept them in groups, and I always lose them. I haven't tried to keep them in a while, so it might be time to try again.


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

I was wondering about filtration, I have an emperor 280 that I could put on it, but I was thinking that it might agitate the water surface to much, any ideas on a decent filter that would work on a budget? Thanks for your input, getting more confident feeling about setting it up.


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

Started working on these tonight. Here are the first picks of the tanks with the substrate in them. 





This is going to be fun, what isn't going to be fun is planting the bottom tank with my large man arm  .


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

*New pics*

I finally got some time to work on these again. Here are a couple pics of them. I am using the AGA 8000K bulb in the top fixture and a Current 6500K bulb in the bottom tanks fixture. I strongly prefer the look of the AGA, and I am on the hunt for a square pin 8000K for the bottom fixture. I think that I am ready to plant at this point, hopefully Swap and Shop will help with that. If you like the driftwood, I picked it up here from Badcopnofishtank. I didn't intend to use it in these setups, but couldn't resist. I guess now I will have to order more wood from him.


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## plantoon (Jun 24, 2008)

driftwood looks good:thumbsup: , is that lion or frog? :icon_eek:


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

I love the driftwood! Looks like you're off to a good start to me!


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

Nice wood! A BN will enjoy that.

Is the statue a permanent resident?


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

> is that lion or frog? :icon_eek:


 It's a Fu dog.



> Is the statue a permanent resident?


I haven't decided yet. I hate to admit it, but I am known for not being able to pass up cheesy Asian themed ornaments :redface:. Funny part is I don't keep many fish from Asia at all. 



> I love the driftwood! Looks like you're off to a good start to me!


Thanks! I am hoping to get plants going in them this weekend/early next week. It all depends on if the people I know locally can provide with enough plant trimmings. Otherwise I am going to have to go with mail order. The input is appreciated. :thumbsup:


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Look forward to seeing the plants go in!


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## mizu-chan (May 13, 2008)

Love the placement of the drift wood. Can't wait to see the plants grow in.

btw -- i really like that statue


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

> Love the placement of the drift wood. Can't wait to see the plants grow in.
> 
> btw -- i really like that statue


:icon_bigg Thanks! It is nice to know that there are others who enjoy a good ornament. I keep telling the people who see my tanks that next thing they know there will be a Fu Dog or stone dragon in every tank they see, 'cause I am a trendsetter :hihi: . Mostly they just laugh, but not in a good way.


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

Actually, I had an Easter Island head in one of my small tanks, and after it was covered in mossy green algae, it looked quite awesome, IMO!

Have you tried putting your statue more to the back and off-center?


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## mattd390 (Jun 19, 2008)

I have that exact statue in my 30 gallon tank too. I didn't know it was a Fu Dog though, thanx for enlightening me. Thank God for petsmart huh lol.

MattD


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

> Actually, I had an Easter Island head in one of my small tanks, and after it was covered in mossy green algae, it looked quite awesome, IMO!
> 
> Have you tried putting your statue more to the back and off-center?


I have an Easter Island head in with one of my bettas:thumbsup:, it looks great especially when the betta curls his fins around it. Not to mention I love the juxtaposition of the "large" betta curling around a small Easter island head, when in reality you would be hard pressed to find a betta big enough to wrap around an actual Easter island head, but my sense of humor is off like that:redface:. I haven't tried moving the statue around, I will give that a shot. Thanks.



> I have that exact statue in my 30 gallon tank too. I didn't know it was a Fu Dog though, thanx for enlightening me. Thank God for petsmart huh lol.


SWEET! It is weird because I only go into Petsmart about every six months, and was getting ready to walk out empty handed when I decided to walk down the "decor" isle. I saw it, and it was on sale for 7.99! Needless to say you couldn't stop me from walking out with it at that point :fish:. Fu dogs are an awesome part of Japanese mythology. You should check out the background on them, even if you only have the slightest interest in Japanese culture.


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## mattd390 (Jun 19, 2008)

xdoomsongx said:


> I have an Easter Island head in with one of my bettas:thumbsup:, it looks great especially when the betta curls his fins around it. Not to mention I love the juxtaposition of the "large" betta curling around a small Easter island head, when in reality you would be hard pressed to find a betta big enough to wrap around an actual Easter island head, but my sense of humor is off like that:redface:. I haven't tried moving the statue around, I will give that a shot. Thanks.
> 
> SWEET! It is weird because I only go into Petsmart about every six months, and was getting ready to walk out empty handed when I decided to walk down the "decor" isle. I saw it, and it was on sale for 7.99! Needless to say you couldn't stop me from walking out with it at that point :fish:. Fu dogs are an awesome part of Japanese mythology. You should check out the background on them, even if you only have the slightest interest in Japanese culture.


Will do boss. Can't hurt to learn something huh .

MattD


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## xdoomsongx (Apr 28, 2008)

Matt D-:icon_lol:

Here is a pic of one of the 30's that I have been working on planting. Not done yet, just waiting on plants to show up. LMK what you think. Thanks.










Gratuitous new nanos pictures.


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