# New 15 Gallon - Help Needed



## xjasminex (Jul 26, 2011)

If its a 15 tall, you should look into a riparium! They are cool!


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## neodoxa (Apr 18, 2010)

It's not a 15H. :-/ Just a 15 regular.


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## xjasminex (Jul 26, 2011)

Alright, well it's manageable! What kind of fish would you like to keep?


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## Abscent (Feb 4, 2012)

Hmm with that amount of light i would personally stick with low light plants, Dwarf Anubias would do wonderful, frogbits as a floater, then you have your java moss or java fern, marimo balls would be great addition. All can be grown without a C02 setup and low maintenance.. i suggest just using the low light plant posting on this part of the forum and it should be a great start. You might be able to get away with mirco swords if running a DIY yeast c02 could make a great foreground/midground carpet.. hope this helps a little

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/56042-excellent-list-low-light-plants.html


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## xjasminex (Jul 26, 2011)

You could do vals, they get tall but can be trimmed with scissors and take no time at all to do, plus they come in varying sizes. Also marselia minuta is very cool to me, but i hear its hard to carpet for most.


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## Abscent (Feb 4, 2012)

Oh I forgot about marsila minuta.. it would make a nice carpet plant but i would dose or use c02 with them. If you do purchase some, divide it into smaller pieces and spread them throughout the area, where you want the carpet to be. Cut them so each plant has 2-4 leaves and you could plant the runner deeper so it will wrap into the substrate more. Just a heads up it is a slow growing plant in low light could take a couple of months to fill in.

Great suggestion xjasminex, there is many ways to go.


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## biogenetic40379 (Jan 19, 2012)

you can check out my 15g in my signature for idea's. I take it the cfl are horizontally mounted?


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## neodoxa (Apr 18, 2010)

xjasminex said:


> Alright, well it's manageable! What kind of fish would you like to keep?


I've had tanks with harlequin rasboras and rummynose tetras in the past. I liked the rummynose tetras the best, but I'd like to try a different small tetra species this time. Maybe ember tetras if I can find some. 



Abscent said:


> Hmm with that amount of light i would personally stick with low light plants, Dwarf Anubias would do wonderful, frogbits as a floater, then you have your java moss or java fern, marimo balls would be great addition. All can be grown without a C02 setup and low maintenance.. i suggest just using the low light plant posting on this part of the forum and it should be a great start. You might be able to get away with mirco swords if running a DIY yeast c02 could make a great foreground/midground carpet.. hope this helps a little
> 
> [URL="http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/56042-excellent-list-low-light-plants.html"]http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/56042-excellent-list-low-light-plants.html[/URL]


 
Thanks for the reply. I am definitely going to try some kind of anubias in this tank. Ive had java moss in the past and really liked how well it can accent things, so I will probably use some of that again as well. 

I love the look of micro swords as a general carpeting plant. 

What about the white sand substrate... What do I need to do for the plants to grow in it? _Will _plants grow in it? 

Thanks a lot for all the help so far.


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## neodoxa (Apr 18, 2010)

biogenetic40379 said:


> you can check out my 15g in my signature for idea's. I take it the cfl are horizontally mounted?


Cool tank! And yes, the CFLs are horizontally mounted. Actually, after looking at the lighting tonight, I'm not very happy with it. The CFLs create hot spots on the plexiglass of the hood that I'm not comfortable with. I might just add a third CFL bulb and make some sort of risers for the strip so it sits a couple inches off the tank. Not sure yet.


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## xjasminex (Jul 26, 2011)

When i try mm, i plan on either dry starting or, doing diy co2 just to get the mm to carpet then stop using it once it is how i like it. You could also use some dwarf sag too. I would definitely add the third light, it will help with spotlighting, plus you will still be low light but the extra light will help. 

Oh are you going to dirt this tank?


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## Hawkian (Apr 14, 2010)

neodoxa said:


> Cool tank! And yes, the CFLs are horizontally mounted. Actually, after looking at the lighting tonight, I'm not very happy with it. The CFLs create hot spots on the plexiglass of the hood that I'm not comfortable with. I might just add a third CFL bulb and make some sort of risers for the strip so it sits a couple inches off the tank. Not sure yet.


I have 2 CF bulbs @ 10w each on a 10G and find that this is more than enough light for that tank's size. And they are mounted about 3-4 inches above the water surface (I got rid of the hood). I would just lift the lights without adding a third one to start and see what kind of "algae situation" you get in it (if any) before adding a third one...


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## Abscent (Feb 4, 2012)

neodoxa said:


> I love the look of micro swords as a general carpeting plant.
> 
> What about the white sand substrate... What do I need to do for the plants to grow in it? _Will _plants grow in it?
> 
> Thanks a lot for all the help so far.


Micro swords can be uprooted easily, if you are wanting to use sand thats fine but it will grow incredible slow in it. I would suggest using a plant substrate for a bottom layer and then doing a 1/2 " layer of sand on top, also its prone to algae.


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## neodoxa (Apr 18, 2010)

Hawkian said:


> I have 2 CF bulbs @ 10w each on a 10G and find that this is more than enough light for that tank's size. And they are mounted about 3-4 inches above the water surface (I got rid of the hood). I would just lift the lights without adding a third one to start and see what kind of "algae situation" you get in it (if any) before adding a third one...


Good idea. Thanks.


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

neodoxa said:


> Cool tank! And yes, the CFLs are horizontally mounted. Actually, after looking at the lighting tonight, I'm not very happy with it. The CFLs create hot spots on the plexiglass of the hood that I'm not comfortable with. I might just add a third CFL bulb and make some sort of risers for the strip so it sits a couple inches off the tank. Not sure yet.


I have a 15 at work. I went to walmart and got two clip desklamps and put 13 watt CLFs in them, works pretty well. I have a left piece of plexiglass from another project that I use as a partial cover. You can check it out the link is in my signature.


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## neodoxa (Apr 18, 2010)

kamikazi said:


> I have a 15 at work. I went to walmart and got two clip desklamps and put 13 watt CLFs in them, works pretty well. I have a left piece of plexiglass from another project that I use as a partial cover. You can check it out the link is in my signature.


The desklamp idea is great. I think that's what I'm going to do... Would 3 of the desk lamps with 13w CFLs put me at medium light and let me grow more than just anubias/java/crypts? 

Update on the tank: I changed the substrate to flourite with a sand cap on the one side of the tank. I added in a crypt plant that I got for free. It's been in there for 4 days now and looks pretty good so far. About how many days before I know if it will melt on me? 

I'm still trying to decide on fauna for the tank. I was thinking either a herd of shrimp or a tight schooling fish that occupies the middle layer of the tank. 

What would be the better choice as far as schooling goes (and my tank size of 15g) out of the following fish: Ember tetras, Chili rasboras, Rummynose tetras, Harlequin rasboras, Flame tetras, Bloodfin tetras

Any other suggestions besides the species I listed? Looking to get a school of 11-15. 

Thanks!


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

neodoxa said:


> The desklamp idea is great. I think that's what I'm going to do... Would 3 of the desk lamps with 13w CFLs put me at medium light and let me grow more than just anubias/java/crypts?
> 
> Update on the tank: I changed the substrate to flourite with a sand cap on the one side of the tank. I added in a crypt plant that I got for free. It's been in there for 4 days now and looks pretty good so far. About how many days before I know if it will melt on me?
> 
> ...


You may have said this before, but are you planning on injecting CO2 or dosing Excel? If you go with 3 cfls that would put you into the medium to high light zone, and CO2 or Excel would be a must to avoid algae issues. 

Personally out of the fish you listed I like Harlequins and Rummynose. As far as which school best, I know most of the time rummynose school very well.


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## neodoxa (Apr 18, 2010)

kamikazi said:


> You may have said this before, but are you planning on injecting CO2 or dosing Excel? If you go with 3 cfls that would put you into the medium to high light zone, and CO2 or Excel would be a must to avoid algae issues.
> 
> Personally out of the fish you listed I like Harlequins and Rummynose. As far as which school best, I know most of the time rummynose school very well.


Thanks for the reply. I am planning on doing either DIY yeast-based CO2, or a paintball CO2 setup. Not sure at this point. I live in an apartment with my landlord as a roommate, so the last thing I want is a disaster from a plugged up DIY CO2 failure. 

And yeah, I've kept both harlequins and rummynose tetras before... Rummynose tetras do tend to school slightly better, at least in my experience.


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## neodoxa (Apr 18, 2010)

Hey guys! So it's been awhile since I've posted... But here is how my tank sits right now. The water is pretty cloudy from planting and stuff.

http://i44.tinypic.com/20gfx2b.jpg

I added a java moss carpet to the right side of the tank (ran out of moss, so I couldn't do the left side yet). I also have two crypts that have been in the tank for about a month. 

I have a couple of questions... I bought a micro sword, tennellus, and ludwigia. Do these plants require CO2? If so, I will set up a DIY CO2 today, but I'd rather stay away from CO2 if I can. 

Also, is 28w of CFL vertical bulb lighting enough for these plants? (15 gallon tank)

Thanks!

Oh, and sorry for the picture quality... took the picture with my phone.


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## tumbleweedz (Mar 1, 2012)

I like it.


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