# New tank



## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

Just got a 20 gallon long hagen tank. Was thinking of starting a planted setup but am completely new to the concept, would any kind souls help guide me through the process. I am a complete newbie when it comes to plants so even the basics would help.

Would the normal light in the hood that came with it be enough for some plants. What substrate should I use, what plants should I get, how should I scape it to look natural, what fish should I add, what filtration will be adequate, powerheads, fertilization, co2, etc.

Also would I be able to possibly put any plants in my show tank with h.o. Lights and cichlids?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

olvap377 said:


> Just got a 20 gallon long hagen tank. Was thinking of starting a planted setup but am completely new to the concept, would any kind souls help guide me through the process. I am a complete newbie when it comes to plants so even the basics would help.


Please take a look at the planted tank guide that I wrote; it is linked in my signature.



olvap377 said:


> Would the normal light in the hood that came with it be enough for some plants.


It depends on the types of plants you want to keep. With most stock hoods, only low light tolerant plants can be kept.



olvap377 said:


> What substrate should I use,


This depends if your goal is. You can easily spend a lot of expensive substrates, or just use plain gravel/sand, etc. It depends what you want to grow, how much you want to spend, etc.



olvap377 said:


> what plants should I get,


This depends on several factors. On one end, the lighting that you have will determine what kind of plants you can grow. However, on the other hand, if you have your mind set on a certain type of plant, then you will need to build your equipment around the requirements of that particular plant(s).



olvap377 said:


> how should I scape it to look natural,


This comes from experience 



olvap377 said:


> what fish should I add,


More on this a bit later, but some fish are definitely incompatible with plants.



olvap377 said:


> what filtration will be adequate, powerheads,


You can easily get away with HOB filters, or, if you want, you can always use a canister filter.



olvap377 said:


> fertilization, co2, etc.


Please take a look in my planted tank guide as well as my pressurized CO2 guide for information regarding fertilization and CO2, respectively.



olvap377 said:


> Also would I be able to possibly put any plants in my show tank with h.o. Lights and cichlids?


If you use T5HO lights, then you will likely be able to grow any variety of plant that you want. However, keep in mind that with high lighting, you will definitely need to fertilize as well as inject CO2.

What kind of cichlids were you planning to keep? Africans usually do not mix well with plants, as they find them quite delicious. South Americans can be kept fine with plants.


----------



## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

Thanks I will read your guide and I can use either a large hob or a large canister I have access to both , which is better for plants? Also I have a 48" t5 ho extra fixture for sale that I could sell and buy an ho fixture for the 20 long. Also do co2 systems typically cost alot? And by the way I meant I have t5 no on show tank not ho sorry for confusion but tank is still very bright as I have two fixtures on the one tank. It's a tang tank so would they eat up the plants? Is there any plants they wont eat. I don't really know much about plants but in your experience does a high light tank with co2 look much better than a low light?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

olvap377 said:


> Thanks I will read your guide and I can use either a large hob or a large canister I have access to both , which is better for plants?


Both are fine for plants; a canister is quieter, so that may be something you desire. In addition, it may be easier to avoid excessive surface agitation if you use a canister filter (something to consider if you will be injecting CO2).



olvap377 said:


> Also I have a 48" t5 ho extra fixture for sale that I could sell and buy an ho fixture for the 20 long. And by the way I meant I have t5 no on show tank not ho sorry for confusion but tank is still very bright as I have two fixtures on the one tank.


Either a T5NO or a T5HO setup would be fine for the 20 gallon long. The NO may be better, especially the T5HO bulbs emit a lot of light, and it may be difficult to work with, especially if this is your first planted aquarium.



olvap377 said:


> Also do co2 systems typically cost alot?


It depends. If you buy a pre-built pressurized setup online, you may end up having to replace parts, etc, so the cost will be driven up.

Alternatively, if you are handy with DIY and are patient, you can find excellent deals on individual parts, and then assemble your own pressurized CO2 setup.

That being said, you can forgo the convenience and cost of pressurized CO2 and go with DIY (yeast) CO2 (also explained in my CO2 guide). It is a viable option for a 20 gallon aquarium, but requires a little more maintenance compared with pressurized CO2, and can be a little fiddly to work with.



olvap377 said:


> It's a tang tank so would they eat up the plants? Is there any plants they wont eat.


Most likely, your plants will be eaten up. You can try _Vallisneria_ sp., which would be native to that area. You can also try hardy plants such as Java Fern and/or _Anubias_ species (tie them to the rock work).



olvap377 said:


> I don't really know much about plants but in your experience does a high light tank with co2 look much better than a low light?


High light and low light planted aquarium are both equally beautiful.


----------



## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

If I do low light, do I still need co2

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

olvap377 said:


> If I do low light, do I still need co2


Need to, no; can it still be beneficial, definitely.


----------



## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

ive decided to do a low light tank to start off after reading your guide. what low light plants would you recommend? I checked and the light in the tank cover is 22 watts, is that enough for a 20 gallon low light tank? If yes, do you think i could get away without using co2. Despite it being better im thinking of starting without it. Would the plants still grow without it. If so what substrate should i buy for the tank to get it going.


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

There are a variety of low light plants that are available to you. Some more common ones include _Anubias_ spp., Java Fern, Java Moss, and _Cryptocoryne_ spp.

22 watts is not a lot of information; do you have a T8 bulb? T5? The type of bulb matters. However, in any case, it is not a lot of light, so it would put you into the low light category. CO2 can be beneficial, but is not required.

The plants will grow (albeit slowly) under these conditions.

As for your substrate, you will not really need to worry about it too much if you are planning for a low light aquarium; whatever you like should be fine.


----------



## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

Its a t8 and I'm thinking of getting some anubias for both my show tank and the planted , anyway thanks for all the help, do you know where I can get some anubias

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

_Anbuias_ spp. are quite common and should be found in almost any pet store.

I would first check the Buy/Sell forums here to see if anyone has it first


----------



## olvap377 (Aug 27, 2011)

I tried , I looked and no one wants.to sell it separately and i.made a looking for ad and.havent got much replies

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

You just have to be patient.

If you are desperate, you can always buy from an aquarium store, but they will most likely be significantly more expensive than what you can find on the Buy/Sell forums.


----------



## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

olvap377 said:


> I tried , I looked and no one wants.to sell it separately and i.made a looking for ad and.havent got much replies
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


I know that Jimmy sells some, he has a big thread in buy/sell now, I just bought off him.

Alternately, for good price check www.aqmagic.com but be prepared to wait up to 3-4 weeks.


----------

