# 30 Gallon: First Planted Aquarium!!



## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Hi, My name is Cory and I am new to this forum. I have been interested in aquariums my whole life. I always remember growing up with at least one tank the house. My family has owned many fish though the years mostly being community fish. It was just this year that I decided to try out live plants. So I headed off to Big Als and picked up some plants and fish. Since I had the 30 gallon already set up and cycled I was able to put the new fish in and planted the aquarium strait away. (I should note that the two cottages in this tank are a requirement by my dad so that i could have a another tank lol)

Any tips and tricks to keep the plants alive and well are greatly appreciated.

Stay tuned for pictures! (sorry for bad quality using an IPhone. and it does not like the light)

*Start.*








*
Current.*









*Plants* 
Hygro Stricta 
Corkscrew Val 
Bacopa Australis
Dwarf Sag

*Fish*
21 Neons
2 Glass Cats 
6 Oto cats


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

*Week 2*

Not a whole lot of growth. I use flourish iron, nitrogen, phosphorous twice a week. Fish are so tiny right not cant even see them in picture!


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

That java fern grew quite a bit! Those houses are very cute!


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Wow did not even really notice that. guess its cuz I look at it every day! and I believe that is the hygro not the java in the middle there. also thanks the cottages are kinda cute. I think I am going to get some grass like plants and put them around the cottages. Any recommendations?


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Fish on the Mind said:


> Wow did not even really notice that. guess its cuz I look at it every day! and I believe that is the hygro not the java in the middle there. also thanks the cottages are kinda cute. I think I am going to get some grass like plants and put them around the cottages. Any recommendations?


Yes you're right, it's a hygro. The leaves looked pretty large in the first pic, so I thought it was the java fern.

The houses are a bit crooked, any way to level them and make it look more like a cabin in the woods?

As for grasses, you need good lightning and CO2 to get carpeting plants.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Yeah I will think of something and level them out a bit . I was more worried about that plants because it is my first planted tank so I did not bother to place the cottages in good. 

How much lighting for basic carpeting plant. Would just having a fair amount of fish do the trick for co2. I'm prob heading out tomorrow an picking up more fish.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Fish on the Mind said:


> I think I am going to get some grass like plants and put them around the cottages. Any recommendations?


Dwarf sag. Sagittaria subulatta.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

thanks for the recommendation. ill keep that in mind.


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## rubadub (Sep 12, 2010)

Will said:


> Dwarf sag. Sagittaria subulatta.


+1 Dwarf sag would be awesome


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

I am starting to see why you guys/gals aer saying the dwarf sag. the hairgrass would look out of sorts in the tank because of the leaf being to small and slender. where as the sag the leaf is more broad and would match in better with the vals.


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

Those little houses look like they came out of a model railroad diorama lol, they look nice underwater too, as long as they don't get covered in algae  Dwarf sag would be dynamite as a carpeting plant, just make sure you give it plenty of light, otherwise it will grow TALL.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

thanks. one was originally a candle holder lol the other i think just a ordiment!

also my tank has 3, 15 watt flurscent tubes 18 inches long. would that be enought to keep them nice and short?


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## shadow_cruiser (Jan 26, 2010)

I'm not into ornaments at all but those houses look really nice and add to the aquarium nicely!!


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Yeah I was not to fond of the idea at first but the cottages are certainty growing on most people. I can't wait till the sag comes in from will. He is giving me an amazing deal!!


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## lemuj (Dec 7, 2006)

the java fern shouldn't be buried, the rhizome should be just on top of the gravel otherwise it will rot and melt. It is best tied to something like driftwood or a rock...


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Changed the java by tieing them to drift wood and rocks put them into 4 groups of java. Thanks for the suggestion it looks better tied up.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

*The New Canopy*

This is my first build on a wooden canopy too going to have lights hooked up also!! Obviously going to go onto this tank. Stand will be being made later when I have some more time. What do you guys/gals think about it?





































All Painted up



























Next all put the lights in and post more pictures.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

*Week 3*

Moved Java around.









Ended up fastening it on drift wood sunk down by a rock.









And onto a little rock. also in this picture is one of the glass cats.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

I like your wood canopy, looks like the plastic ones you see sold with tank kits. All I can suggest is some heat vents on the back, facing down on an angel to avoid lght shining up and away at the wall behind and above the tank. Also unless your using a glass lid, you'll want to seal the inside very well so as not to have water spalsh and evaporation damage.

Also when you add your "lawn" effect around the houses, you may want to put the houses on a bit of a mound or hill so that the lawn is a little lower than them. Some larger smooth stones mgiht look cool as pathways up to the houses door. Heck now I'm jsut rambling thoughts...


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Thanks, I was going for the classic look but with out the 2 piece canopy (light and lid). I also made a kind of skirt around the canopy down to hide the plastic on the tank so we will see how that looks in a bit.

Yeah I have no put in the glass and heat vents yet. I'm finding out how I want to wire in the lights first so nothing gets in the way. 

And yeah I might do the pathways and I am going to rise them up some because of the fact the sag will grow and possible cover the cottages.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Skirt Idea sounds good. When/If you build a stand you can do do the same thing with the bottom trim of the tank too. What type of lighting are you using? Are they a retrofit or are you going to place a fixture inside?


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Best way I can describe it is like two light plug ins for fluorescent tubes that I wire up and set the distance I need them apart. Its deff not a store bought fixture.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Oh and yes I am going to do the same to the bottom skirt when I build the Stan so it looks the same


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Fish on the Mind said:


> Best way I can describe it is like two light plug ins for fluorescent tubes that I wire up and set the distance I need them apart. Its deff not a store bought fixture.


I guess that would be what's called a retrofit. T5HO bulbs?


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

The bulbs I am using are aqua-glo t8 and there is three. However I though just crossed my mind should I go two 24 inch t5ho (s) or stay the three I have now. I can go ether route right now because I am making it and can make changes easily now than later. 

Just to add I made a mistake of calling my thread a 40 gal it is really a 30 gal lol. Found that out when I did the measurements for the canopy.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Yes it looks like a 29G? I'd do 2 T5ho- giving you 48W. Also consider making a nice metal parabolic reflector, i'm thinking the way you have designed the hood should make it easy to bend and fix in place a peice of shiney metal flashing. If you intend on using Co2 later then a third bulb would widen your limits, but without co2 would likely be too much.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Hmm I think I am going to use the three bulbs I already have them and everything I need to set them up. I can always change it up later on if I need to. I do not plan on using co2 at all. And for now I am using tin foil to reflect the light which will work good for now.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

The more light intensity, the more the plants demand for CO2 and Nutrients. Algaes are not limited by those, so increasing light without increasing the others causes imbalance.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Then I could take out one of the three bulbs to lessen the light if I see a imbalance no?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Fish on the Mind said:


> Then I could take out one of the three bulbs to lessen the light if I see a imbalance no?


Yes, (if your wiring allows) you almost undoubtibly will.

Also your going to have to divise a way to gradually increase the light from what you have now, to what you are putting in, as a sudden change will cause both plant damage and algae blooms. One example is to use several layers of mesh, or window screen under the bulbs and gradually remove layers to increase intesity.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Yeah man do it your self light fixtures. I made it so I can run one, two, or three bulbs if I want to


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

And Finally The End Product


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Thanks Will for dwarf sag.

Took out the cottages









Just put in the sag


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)




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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Fish on the Mind said:


> Hmm I think I am going to use the three bulbs I already have them and everything I need to set them up. I can always change it up later on if I need to. I do not plan on using co2 at all. *And for now I am using tin foil to reflect the light which will work good for now.[/*QUOTE]
> FYI Tin foil is the worst thing for reflectors, you will get waaaay better results by painting the inside of your DIY canopy with *Flat* white paint.
> BTW i think the tank looks better now without the cottages, but that`s just my take.
> Regards


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Really? Would not have thought that. Yes it deff does look better without the cottages Fer sure.


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Fish on the Mind said:


> Really? Would not have thought that. Yes it deff does look better without the cottages Fer sure.


Yea , many moons ago , i read in a book about reflective surfaces & if memory serves me right foil had something like 50% compared to flat white with around 80% & was pretty clcose to Mylar but cheaper & easier to apply.
Regards


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Week 4

Completed stand!! First one I ever made too. Cottages are gone. Couple rocks added. Got some feeder shrimp till I can afford some cherries.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Took and angle fish and ripe fish out of my 90 gal. The angle was not suppose to be in the 90 gal (due to the other fish in the tank) so that's why it's so ratty looking. Hopefully it will make a good recovery and look better soon. As for the rope fish I never really seen em in the other tank so I moved em over .


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Well I just figured out this week that I had a problem occurring in my tank. The hygro was dying! For some reason which I have not found out it had gotten really soft at the bottom and had some fuzz on it. It was so soft I touched it and it broke off! So hopefully what I did will get it back living. Took done sharp snips and cut it back to where it was no longer soft then took off the roots that were comming out all up the stem off that we're brown and dying too. Don't worry though there is nice looking white roots already there and more forming.

If any of you knows what might have happened I would be happy to know

Here is what they were cut down too


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Well I did it again! I gota keep my hands out of the tank until it needs to be trimmed up.
























Not going to change the tank until I buy some Eco-complete.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Went to BA's midnight madness. That was neat. So I bought 2 bags of Eco-complete. Much better than the gravel for sure. Should have just bough it in the first place.









Now for the wait till it grows in.

How long will it take do you think? I am dowsing using the ei index with DIY co2 and med-high light.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

Small update

Had some of the rotella and jungle Val's left over from the oscar experiment so in they went. Big Al's sells a good quantity in they plant bunches.


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## Fish on the Mind (Feb 9, 2012)

So due to work this tank is going up for sale. I thought that it could last a couple weeks with no attention but I was very wrong. As it sits right now there is tons of hair algae ... I think and bba. There is also a couple neons and ottos and tons of pond snails. Plant wise Val's and dwarf sag. Selling it all pump- aqua clear 70, substrate Eco complete, drift wood piece ... All there even a timer that's controls lights. Not sure what I should ask for it though. Thinking around 100$. 

I will be going back to work for a couple months in two weeks so if you want it or someone you know wants it, you will have to get it within two weeks from now June 24th.


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