# Back Into Tanks, Wife permitted a 15G Column.



## Carpathian (Dec 23, 2016)

Finnex 12" planted plus & an airstone to get some oxygen deep down.

Maybe some jungle val or crypt spiralis, something to reach near the top of the tank

I skimmed through and didn't see you made mention of the two plants I suggested, oops.


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## thutton (May 31, 2017)

Thank you. 

Would the light be enough on its own or would I run the stock too? 

For the airstone, I always found them cheesy. Is there a nice way I couldn't incorporate it do you think?

And ya the Back needs some tall ones for sure. The open spot in the centre with be a crypt likly. And the moss ball will move to right side of tank

Bump:


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## Carpathian (Dec 23, 2016)

Depends on your fish selection but airstones always help in tanks that deep. I just put some more jungle val in my fifteen that came from my co2 injected 40b. The mother plant keeps spitting new runners out and I ran out of room in the 40. AFAIK the light sits inside perfectly. I was reading up on light mods when I got mine. It took a back seat for a while because I was just doing wisteria, jungle val, anubias, and anchor moss. I ended up not finding the dual lampholder base for a couple 6500k cfls, so I bought the 12" Fugeray for $31. I found a review on Amazon that states this particular led drops in perfectly. Wait a few days and I'll provide comparison pics and show the setup. I'll if I can find the thread regarding the diy route.

DIY lights 15g Column

I also forgot that I used reflective tape on the light housing so I can get everything I can out of the tiny t8. No use searching for a replacement bulb that is better. Nothing found in that size. I considered removing the top and making a sliding glass lid with a clip lamp and some 13 or 23w cfls for the lighting. A few options to get some decent plants in there. As it is stock, your options are extremely limited with fish and plants.


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Don't be embarrassed, we all start somewhere! 

Depending on what the stock light is, you should probably replace it. This might be as simple as swapping out the bulb for a better bulb or a new fixture.

With a planted tank there's often no need for an air stone. If you were to run one, I would suggest doing it only at night while your lights are off. 

I'd definitely add more plants into your setup. If you're wanting to stay low tech, you should double up on the Java ferns & Anubias. Fill in the driftwood with more of the JF. If you don't wanna buy more of the same plants, much of this can be done as the ferns self propagate and the baby ferns can then be attached to the wood. That takes a good bit of time though. Anubias barteri var. 'nana' could also be a cool option to fill in your driftwood. I've done this on some driftwood in my 55 & love it. 

Crypts are a great choice, I love the variety of sizes, colors and textures that are available within the genus. I'd probably grab a combo of C. parva & C. x willisii 'lucens' for the foreground. Vals or other tall plants like C. crispulata var. balansae or C. spiralis would work well for the background in a low tech system. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

thutton said:


> Hey, just thought I'd post up with my setup and see if there is any advice, I will also post progress in it, Not new to tanks however new to fully planted.
> 
> Current setup.
> 15 Gallon Column Tank kit
> ...


Welcome back!
I just set up a 15 gal column 2 months ago as well. Good thinking on the filter and circulation pump upgrades, I did similar. No need for an air stone with proper flow, especially if its open top. A couple suggestions that may prove beneficial to you would be, look into an ista surface skimmer attachment for your hob, I got one and love it, keeps my surface like glass. I also use bonded filter pad as a saddle in my aquaclear 50 and put an ac70 bio bag in there with a bag of chemipure green. That filter runs flawless. 
Not sure what your budget is like but i needed to curb my spending at the time so I found a 6500k 50w led flood on ebay for 20 dollars with free shipping and it works so well i had to add co2 and start dosing nutes. They have lights ranging from 10w to 500w, the more expensive lights work, and work well but equal effectiveness can be achieved for far less, for 20 dollars I have >50 par at substrate level. The light that came with this tank is far to weak to do much aside from make it easy to see fish. I added co2 via 2 liter bottles, sugar and yeast, keeps my drop checker green/yellow consistently. I use my powerhead (koaralia nano) to distribute my co2 to the tank, works insanely well. If adding co2 youll want minimal surface agitation (lose co2) so angle that bad boy down. I also use seachem equilibrium to balance my ro water for water changes and the initial fill up, plain ro to top off. I use ro because i have less variables that way (more control). Consider api root tabs or similar for your stem plants and root feeders, I found doing so immensely helpful. This is my 15 column.

Ps. If you dont have them yet gh, kh, no3, and po4 test kits would be very useful as well as ph. Make sure you never plant rizomes (anubias, java fern) below the substrate, they need flow and to be kept clean to prevent rot.


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## thutton (May 31, 2017)

Thanks everyone. 
I do have a reflector on the stock light to get as much as I can out of it but I will be getting that LED for sure. 

I'm not able to throw bills at it but the budget isn't nothing. The java fern I got was with children lol. Each leave I was able to propitiate. There Are 3 on the wood already. One more on the lead still, it will be put on the "platform" part of the wood soon. 

I think at this time I'm keeping away from co2 injection but I dose flourish and will also root tab once I get the remaining plants. 

I do have a cheap test kit (strips) so I had an idea. Where I live the water is very soft and low ph, I don't want to have to dose to alter water if I can avoid it. 


I think I touched on each recommendation so far. If I missed one it's cause I'm on my phone working haha.


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

Haha this tank was all my wife allowed me to have at first too. I have this exact tank. I am tearing it down this summer after 4 years and moving on to a 24.1 Aquamaxx cube.

A couple things,

1.	You don’t need an airstone or a powerhead if you have a good filter. I have an Aquaclear 50 on mine and fill my tank high. Don’t fill this tank pass where the black brace begins. I run this tank with about 30ppm C02 with no fish breathing issues.

2.	The stock light sucks. Do this…

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/9-equipment/161451-15-gallon-column-what-have-you-done.html

I HATE DIY stuff and even I could handle this mod. Cheap too.


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

sevendust111 said:


> Haha this tank was all my wife allowed me to have at first too. I have this exact tank. I am tearing it down this summer after 4 years and moving on to a 24.1 Aquamaxx cube.
> 
> A couple things,
> 
> ...


That ac50 wont turn over enough volume to keep particulates suspended for the filter to grab. You will see build up on the bottom. Its an old reef habit but I like flow, some plants/mosses require it. The powerhead sure helps keep my 15 clean and the plants appreciate the flow. If its a koralia type head it moves volume, not so much a jet stream. Op has a high wood piece like me, his blocks flow even more though the extra flow seems necessary ime.


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

thutton said:


> Thanks everyone.
> I do have a reflector on the stock light to get as much as I can out of it but I will be getting that LED for sure.
> 
> I'm not able to throw bills at it but the budget isn't nothing. The java fern I got was with children lol. Each leave I was able to propitiate. There Are 3 on the wood already. One more on the lead still, it will be put on the "platform" part of the wood soon.
> ...


Id go with a 30w led if you want to stay away from co2. The 50w made it necessary ime. I use equilibrium to bring up the gh/kh because r.o. is 0. Its good for the fish, plants, snails, shrimp etc... osmotic balance is more important for fish than ph and effects plants drastically as well. Elevated gh/kh stabilizes ph as well. Definitely check your water if you can. A tds (total disolved solids) meter is cheap and helpful also. The ista surface skimmer is 10-12 dollars on amazon or ebay and helps your tank by skimming the protein film that accumulates on the surface into the filter to be removed and cleaned regularly. I believe fluval makes one as well. I haven't tried the fluval but i do like my ista. It increases gas exchange as well keeping your tank healthier, the water cleaner and surface clear for light to reach plants. I cut a cube of loose foam pad to block the intake for curious shrimp and fish. It also keeps the occasional stray leaf and food from clogging up the filter.


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## thutton (May 31, 2017)

Updated the tank today, still waiting for the light, the 12" planted will be ordered soon. 

Took a trip to get some plants which made me rescape. 

Added:
Jungle val at rear
Bacopa at rear
Some water sprite on the left 
A red Rubin sword in middle. 

Some roots tabs

Removed: 
A couple river rocks for space 

Pics will come once all the dust I rucked up settles and water clears.

Edit. Still a bit dusty but here it is now


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## thutton (May 31, 2017)

Planted plus came today. Pretty happy with it pictures likly don't do it justice. Hope it's get my plants to fill in nicely lol

Dusted it up again with replants


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## thutton (May 31, 2017)

I’m back lol, been some time. 
The tank was basically stopped, left with just a betta the driftwood and the java ferns with moss. That was for about a year and a half.

I brought it back with co2 (first time with it), started with the fluval disposable cartridges and quickly upgraded to aquatek paintball kit, it has changed again since but here it was at its peak (I found nymphoides were too much, not a fan of roots growing in the middle either)









Since then I built my 50g planted (a thread will start on that soon), I moved my co2 to it and changed the focus of the 15g to be the fish and shrimp and their fry. It’s visible from three sides so I scaped to enjoy all 3

Stocked with
2 Guppies (room to keep fry)
3 Oto
1 Nerite Snail
6 Cherry Shrimp
MTS


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