# New 65 gallon planted tank



## lnk (May 11, 2013)

Hello, I have recently set up a new 65 gallon planted tank. I have a few different plants in it, not sure what they are, just went to the fish store and bought some plants I was told were low light. The lights I have are 3 100W daylight 6500K CFL bulbs.

The tank currently has 6 tetras and 3 tiger botia. All fish seem to be doing well. The tiger botia I rarely see, they just hide in between the rocks.

I am looking for stocking ideas. I would like to have one or a few larger fish along with some smaller ones.

Also are there any plants that would work for covering the ground ? That don't require co2 or fertilizer or anything special like that.

Here is what the tank looks like now:


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## lnk (May 11, 2013)

Here are a few more images.


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## Assassynation (Dec 23, 2011)

Sweet wall formation man. I too just bought my 65 and now working on the filtration aspect.


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## merritt1985 (Jan 16, 2013)

Tanks looks good. You might try Pygmy chain sword for a low light ground cover or use some of the smaller crypts. I think you may have some non aquatic plants in there right now though. The smaller plant to the left with white edges is Dracena sanderiana. It will live for awhile and then die and rot in your tank. it also looks like the taller ones might be cherry hedge not 100% on that from the pictures though.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Sagittaria subulata, dwarf sag, does very well in my 65 gallon tank, with low light, Excel, and no CO2. I do use ADA Aquasoil for a substrate, so the plants get most of their nutrients from that.


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## Adamson (Mar 2, 2012)

Best background ever, do you mind sharing how you did that?


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## lnk (May 11, 2013)

Assassynation - thanks! For filtration I have a eheim 2217 and 2213. They have worked great so far.

Merrit1985 - thanks for the plant suggestions I will look into those. As for the non aquatic plants, I bought all of them at my local fish store so I would be pretty pissed if they weren't actually aquatic plants! Im disappointed that the green and white plant wont make it. It looks cool. How long will they last if they aren't aquatic? They have been in there going on three weeks now. I know the really tall plants in there grow in aquatic and non aquatic environmnts . I had them in my paludarium and they grew everywhere like weeds! It would actually grow up out of the water which was pretty cool.

Hoppy - I like the look of those plants. Do they grow and spread like that or do you have to buy a a whole bunch of them?

Adamson - the tank was put on its side and then the rocks were siliconed onto the glass with aquarium safe silicon. Looks cool, but makes the tank crazy heavy!

Any suggestions on good algae eaters? Im starting to get an algae problem.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

lnk said:


> Hoppy - I like the look of those plants. Do they grow and spread like that or do you have to buy a a whole bunch of them?
> 
> 
> Any suggestions on good algae eaters? Im starting to get an algae problem.


I bought a lot of plants so I could start a "carpet" and not have to wait so long for it. They do send out runners and "thicken" the carpet, but at the light level I have, they don't seem to grow as high as S. subulata is noted for, which is great.

Algae can be triggered by several things, including inadequate CO2 and other nutrients for the plants to be able to grow as fast as the light drives them to. Imperfect tank/water/filter cleanliness can also trigger it. Algae eaters never do keep up with the algae growth.


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## lnk (May 11, 2013)

Cool I will see if I can find some of them.

I think the algae might be from switching lighting. I went from 3 5000K bulbs to 3 6500K bulbs. After the lighting switch the algae really started.

I tested the water everything was fine. I did buy a couple otocinclus to eat some of the algae.


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## stanjam (May 12, 2013)

After showing my wife I am afraid you definitely have one or two non aquatics. They will live for a while underwater. Looks like you have a nice anubias on the right, but if you don't uncover the rhizome it will die.


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## lnk (May 11, 2013)

Damn! That really sucks that I bought some non aquatic plants. So non aquatic plants are the green and white one and all the taller ones?

Which plant to the right is the Anubias? The short far right plant or the plant closest to the tall one in the front? 

I think I need to learn about my plants...


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## merritt1985 (Jan 16, 2013)

Your Anubis is in the far right side of the tank next to it is a Java fern. Both of which need to have their rhizomes out of the substrate and really do better on rock or driftwood. You can attach the longer roots using some cotton thread or even super glue, I think they would look really good on that slate background. Your non-aquatics will live for a month or two and then start to melt away slowly. Sadly non-aquatics get mixed in alot at stores. If you need some plants you should look around on the for sale threads. Also sign up for some of the RAOK on here. I know a lot of us have been there. When i first got into planted tanks i bought some Mondo grass and some type of fern that quickly died in my tanks. Good luck with the tanks


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## lnk (May 11, 2013)

Ah ok. I have had that plant in the tank for about 3 years now. It was in the paludarium before I turned it into a full aquarium and it hasn't grown since the day I bought it. I guess now I know why.

I will move the java fern and anubias onto the rocks and driftwood. Thanks for the advice.

And what is RAOK ?


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