# 20g Planted Tank fun!



## jdeath (Aug 14, 2010)

So I started a 20 gallon planted tank a few months ago. Everything is going well so far, it cycled nicely and my fish are quite happy...

I'm starting to realize that I don't know as much as I'd like about the planted aspect of the tank as I would like...

In the tank I have:

1 Java Fern attached to a piece of bogwood and 2 floating around...
1 Large Amazon Sword with 4 offshoots planted in the substrate
3 Cryptocorine Willisii in the front of the tank
3 Hygrophila difformis in the back of the tank

I have 2 adult molly's and 1 molly fry, 2 otto cats, 3 clown loaches and an albino bristlenose pleco for fish stock.

Water is changed weekly 25% at a time. Temperature is a steady 78F and I have minimal ammonia/nitrate readings when I test the water.

The substrate I have is eco-complete with some black sand on top... I don't think it's deep enough at ~1.5" at the back and slightly less at the front.

I have a coralife T5 lamp....

I have started to notice blackened leaves on the Hygro and Crypto plants, and some yellowing leaves on the Sword.

After doing some reading I'm beginning to think I need to add fertilizer and more substrate to the tank. 

Should I pull the plants and move the fish to a holding tank while I place more substrate into the tank? What substrate should I add, more eco-complete?

Does anyone have any suggestions for fertilizer based on my tank description? Would CO2 be of any help?

Any recommendations/advice regarding plant pruning and suggested water test kits would be very much appreciated!

Thank you,

Joel


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## 3020 (Jun 14, 2010)

Not to be a downer or anything but I'm pretty sure just one of those clown loaches will need a tank at least twice the size of your current one as they can reach sizes up to 14 inches.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

jdeath said:


> I have 2 adult molly's and 1 molly fry, 2 otto cats, 3 clown loaches and an albino bristlenose pleco for fish stock.


As mentioned, the Clown Loaches will outgrow your 20 gallon aquarium and will need to be rehomed.



jdeath said:


> Temperature is a steady 78F and I have minimal ammonia/nitrate readings when I test the water.


Your ammonia levels should be 0. Do you have a nitrite test kit? It should also read 0. Your nitrates should ideally be about 5-10 ppm, if you are aiming to keep a planted aquarium.



jdeath said:


> The substrate I have is eco-complete with some black sand on top... I don't think it's deep enough at ~1.5" at the back and slightly less at the front.


Indeed, a little more substrate would likely be better. Aim for about 5 cm.



jdeath said:


> I have a coralife T5 lamp....


Is this a standard T5NO bulb or a T5HO bulb? If it is a a T5NO bulb, it is likely 24 inches, 24 watts (though I am not sure).



jdeath said:


> I have started to notice blackened leaves on the Hygro and Crypto plants, and some yellowing leaves on the Sword.


Do you have a picture? The blackening of the plants could be due to algae. The yellowing on the Sword may be due to a variety of things, but it could be potassium deficiency.



jdeath said:


> After doing some reading I'm beginning to think I need to add fertilizer and more substrate to the tank.


You may not need to add fertilizers. Your lighting is not too high, so it may not warrant it. However, you can add it if you wish.



jdeath said:


> Should I pull the plants and move the fish to a holding tank while I place more substrate into the tank? What substrate should I add, more eco-complete?


You don't need to pull out the plants, but you may want to move the fish.

You can add more Eco Complete or sand, whichever you please. They will eventually mix anyway.



jdeath said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions for fertilizer based on my tank description? Would CO2 be of any help?


Please take a look at the article that I wrote regarding planted tanks. It is stickied at the top of these forums.

For CO2, regardless of whether your aquarium is high or low light, it will be beneficial for plants. However, under low light conditions, the demand for CO2 is not as high as in highly lit aquariums, so it may not be entirely necessary for your aquarium.


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## jdeath (Aug 14, 2010)

Thanks for the replies, I'll try to take a pic of the blackened leaves ASAP and post them here.

Hmm, should have looked more closely at the lamp... It's a dual bulb incandescent hood with T5-MP and T5-BP markings on the bulbs.

As for the loaches, I am aware that they will out grow the tank... They were a solution for a snail infestation, a very efficient solution! Hopefully I will have a larger tank by the time they are too big for the 20G tank. If not I planned on trading them back to the aquarium store I purchased them from.

Joel


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

jdeath said:


> Thanks for the replies, I'll try to take a pic of the blackened leaves ASAP and post them here.
> 
> Hmm, should have looked more closely at the lamp... It's a dual bulb incandescent hood with T5-MP and T5-BP markings on the bulbs.
> 
> ...


Clown loaches are better in a group of 6 or more...the more the better. If you have a snail infestation then try some assassin snails.
BTW, when my Clown loaches reached 8" to 9" they eat most of my jungle vals


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

I am not familiar with those type of bulbs, but if they screw into your hood (similar to an incandescent bulb), then it likely is not the proper type of lighting for aquarium usage.

You are better off getting a CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulb; these are the kind that are so called "energy saving" bulbs.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

T5 bulbs are fluorescent bulbs, not incandescent. 
Also, I'm not sure java fern just floats around. I believe it likes to anchor to something, but I could be wrong.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

BettaBeats said:


> T5 bulbs are fluorescent bulbs, not incandescent.


I am aware that T5 bulbs are fluorescent bulbs; however, the OP posted the following:



jdeath said:


> Hmm, should have looked more closely at the lamp... It's a* dual bulb incandescent hood* with T5-MP and T5-BP markings on the bulbs.


This implies that the T5-MP and T5-BP bulbs are not fluorescent tubes....


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## jdeath (Aug 14, 2010)

Apologies from the OP for any confusion... I meant fluorescent bulbs, not incandescent. Apparently I had a mild stroke when writing the reply.

One is white and the other is a red/pink colour.

The java ferns are floating b/c I haven't been able to anchor them to the bogwood feature I have, they spawned off the main java fern which is anchored!

Joel


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## jdeath (Aug 14, 2010)

*Sick Plant Picture*

Hello All,

Finally got a few minutes to collect some examples of my plants and photograph them.

Hopefully the image below is clear enough for diagnosis... If not I can probably post another if required.

Thanks,

Joel


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