# 95 wave tropical planted project



## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

Hey guys! i just acquired a 95 gallon wave front aquarium with an overflow and sump! i got it for 800$ :drool: !!! (being a poor 8th grader it ran me out of all my three years of saved birthday money, with some financial help from my parents) so im on a budget to start this project and want to keep it as cheap as possible, i so far have the sump set up, a 216 watt t5 HO unit on the top (100$ from aquatraders :icon_cool) and a glass canopy. no heater yet, but going to get one, have a few plants from in other tanks that im going to move, and about 1.5-2 inches of inert, black, gravel. (i know what some of you are going to say about inert gravel, but i do dry ferts in the gravel and then put more on top of that, and i mix the gravel with at least 25% of the total gravel with some from an existing tank. im planning on having a lush growing tank with DIY injection into the sump, lost of java fern, swords, vals, and rotala. for the fore and middle ground, im going to have mostly melon swords, tiger lillies (i love em), micro swords, anubias, and glosso. I am also going to order a big piece of driftwood to put into the big corner of the tank and a small one to use in the middle/ small corner. Im planning to put angels, rams, rainbowfish, diamond tetras, scissortails, platies( for cycling and for the angels to have a surprise snack on their fry when they breed), cories, plecos, loaches, and maybe some gold barbs. buy this is LONG TERM and the project might stretch out over a year, maybe two. ALL INPUT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED, PLZ TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK AND ANY OTHER IDEAS.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Welcome to TPT!

It really sounds like you've put alot of thought, patience, and planning into this setup- nice! :thumbsup:

My recommendations- first of all, unless you're planning on also getting a pressurized CO2 setup for this tank, you won't want to run anywhere near 216 watts of T5HO. I run only 108 watts of T5HO over my own 90gal low tech, and it's a challenge to maintain even that much without CO2. I have to watch my photoperiod carefully, and usually can only run 6-7 hours/day without running into algae issues. If you can, I'd plan to suspend the fixture up off the tank 6-8", this would really help moderate the light and let you run a longer photoperiod (though still only using 2 bulbs at a time).

Glosso probably isn't the best choice on a non-CO2 tank, either. You might want to look at Marselia minuta to give you a very similar appearance, but will carpet and do well without needing CO2.

I think your substrate plan will work, but some more very economical options to consider that would give you a much higher nutrient content in your substrate would be to make your own Mineralized Topsoil (see the sticky at the top of the substrate forum) or to get a big bag of Miracle Gro Organic Choice potting soil (about $10 at Home Depot/Lowes) and lay about 1" down in your tank under the gravel.

GL and I really look forward to seeing your project move along!


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## WaterLogged (Feb 2, 2011)

Sounds like this is going to be super fun!!! Post some pics plz!


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## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks for the input! i have DIY co2 into the sump so, i will have moderate co2 fertilization, and i have a glass top with the tank so no need to suspend the light. and to the lighting thing, i have a timer that runs two lamps for twelve hours and four for five, is that ok? im planning on having lots of plants and algae eaters (my saimese algae eaters spawned).


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

There's no way that DIY CO2 will work on a tank this size, unfortunately. Even if you ran 3 bottles spread across the back of the tank I doubt you could generate enough CO2, much less keep the levels consistent. Unless you can upgrade to a pressurized setup in the near future, I'd personally plan to keep this tank as a low light/low tech setup and just ditch the DIY CO2 all together.

With that in mind, 108 watts x 12 hours will be way too much light. I doubt you'll be able to run all 4 bulbs at all without running into problems. Algae eaters can HELP reduce algae maintenance, but cannot "solve" a tank that is not in balance.

You're certainly welcome to experiment and see if you can make it work, though!


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## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

Darn, diy co2 isn't going to pull it off? I was thinking, will it work if I put the two generators airlines (large 1gallon milk bottles) into a T- fitting and then put the airline from that into the venturi fitting on my pump? I do that with numerous other tanks using power heads and it creates loads if micro bubbles, similar to the ones produced on the diffuser in my one- and only- 10 gallon hi tec tank.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

YAY, another teenage aquarium hobbyist! roud:

To be honest, even if it would work, i don't think it would be worth the hassle to use DIY co2 on a 90g... You'd notice very minimal differences, or none at all.

I'm interested to hear what you think of the aquatraders light fixture. I've heard good things about them, but for that price they seem almost too good to be true! Definitely post some pictures and a review when you get the chance.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

A fellow 8th grader! It is good to know that Me and Phillip are not the only teenage aquarists.


Your tank plan sounds pretty good, but there are a couple things that I think need some "tweaking". For one, although gravel is OK for growing plants, you would get much better results with top soil (to provide nutrients) and/or pool filter sand (used to cap the other substrate) as Laura suggested. Both are very easily and cheaply available. 50lbs of sand for $10 and under, and about the same for the soil.

Like others have mentioned, DIY CO2 is not going to cut it for a tank this size. And with that amount of lighting over this tank, you are going to have some decent algae problems. This could be fixed if you hang the light fixture several inches above the tank. This'll lessen the light intensity that reachs the plants. You will still have enough to grow a good number of plants, but algae will not be as much of a problem.

Your stocking list is a little on the crazy side. (For me atleast!) I would take out a couple fish out of that list, such as the pleco, platys, and loachs rainbows. Just keep the Angels, cichilds, tetras, and cories. This would give you a good South American theme.

I look foreward to your progress!

-Jake


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## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

NEW UPDATE!!!!! so the LFS by my house is moving and had this GIGANTIC SALE!!!!!!! i spent the last 50$ to my name, but got 80 lbs of black gravel, liquid and dry ferts, two large melon swords (red), two large amazon swords, three bunches of rotala, two pots of dwarf hairgrass, 3 jungle vals (in ok shape), three "panda loaches" the guy was selling them as FOR FREE, and eight scissortail rasboras. (two of which are pregnant).so there is water in the tank!!!!


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## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

pics
DSC_6241.jpg
DSC_6240.jpg
DSC_6249.jpg
DSC_6248.jpg
DSC_6251.jpg


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## kharma (Sep 20, 2010)

Budget aquarist said:


> pics
> DSC_6241.jpg
> DSC_6240.jpg
> DSC_6249.jpg
> ...


Can't see any picutes man. You guys aren't the only teenagers i'm still considered one for the next year at least :icon_smil


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## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

huh, bad w/ computers.......
i give up. heres the link to my photobucket
http://s1180.photobucket.com/albums/x415/superfishdude/


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

To link your pictures over here, just copy and paste the link at the bottom of each picture that has the


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

Ta Da!










It looks good!


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## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks! The "panda loaches" turned out to be barbs, don't know what type, but they nip fins like crazy so.... I took them out. I'm going to use the scissortails as cycling fish and next weekend may get my heater.... Finally. And do you guys think I should spread out my dwarf hairgrass?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yes, if you separate out the hairgrass it should spread more quickly... if it does OK without CO2 in your tank (I've never managed to get it going without CO2 personally).

I'd go very, very slowly stocking this tank. Give your plants some time to establish.

I'd personally also invest in a quarantine tank. An epidemic in a tank this size can be a very expensive and frustrating disaster.


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## Budget aquarist (Feb 1, 2011)

AHHHHHH ALGAE!!! i woke up this morning to find the start of hair algae! i am now turning the lights down to only on for four hours a day, adding another another DIY CO2 combing my hairgrass with a toothbrush, pruning the infected leaves, and going to treat all of the plants w/ 2 ML per gallon of H2O2. oh and i turned off all my actinics. running one 10,000 k daylight. (the other one burned out) any other suggestions?


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