New 20 gal for fw planted tank

NanoNewbie · 09-02-2008, 11:02 PM

Hi all, I got a 20 gallon tank and stand other day for 20 bucks
Want to do a freshwater planted tank.
I have a Odyssea 24 inch 65W fixture for it should be plenty for most plants
Still need filter. Anyone have good simple cheap plans for DIY canister filter? or suggest one ? Also what would be best substrate to use?

PEMfish · 09-02-2008, 11:43 PM

Filter; AC 50.

Substrate; heated sand.

krazykat · 09-03-2008, 12:34 AM

That's a great buy! Did you already have the light or did you have to buy it? Will you be doing CO2?

NanoNewbie · 09-03-2008, 07:03 PM

I bought the light for $47 I plan on using flourite for substate and maybe DIY CO2
I would rather use a canister filter with CO2 injected in the filter intake
Trying to keep it simple and inexpensive

krazykat · 09-04-2008, 12:17 AM

How much bioload are you planning on for your tank? I have a 29 gallon SA tank with 24 lbs of flora-base. I have some crypts, anubias nana, some java moss on a piece of driftwood, and some pygmy chain swords. All of them are doing well on a 15 watt flourescent lamp. I also have a lotus and some sword plants. The sword plants are doing just okay. All these plants and fish came from my 20 gallon (ran for 1 year) and my 5 gallon (ran for 2.5 years) Have you decided what kind of biotope or what kind of fish you would like? You have more than sufficient lighting if you're planning on getting low to medium light plants IMHO.

NanoNewbie · 09-04-2008, 11:45 AM

Plan on keeping community fish like tetras dwarf gouarmis and swordtails platys
Dont have any particular biotope in mind just lush jungle look some driftwood center piece with moss and plants growing on it

PEMfish · 09-04-2008, 04:58 PM

When I meant sand, I was talking about what I would put over the aquarium soil.

krazykat · 09-05-2008, 03:05 AM

You might want to make sure that all the fish you would like keep in the 20 have the same requirements as in pH, temperature, etc. Platys prefer a more neutral to alkaline water (7.0 - 8.0 pH). If you use flora base or some such substrate, this will act as a buffer and lower the pH. The tetras and gouramis should be okay, though, with the lower pH, and this planting substrate will really help your plants take off, if you want a planted tank.

krazykat · 09-14-2008, 12:01 PM

Anything new with this project?

yungreefer2410 · 09-14-2008, 09:47 PM

yea i'm interested in it

NanoNewbie · 09-15-2008, 10:29 PM

I got the tank set up this weekend. Put in Flourite black sand for substrate, and have cannister filter running filled with filter floss and ceramic media. I attached some java moss to driftwood and a rock now I am waiting to add plants
What should i do to cycle the tank?

PEMfish · 09-16-2008, 05:01 PM

Throw in some food and ride out the 3 spikes like a SW. It almost looked like an iwagumi at fist glance.

NanoNewbie · 09-17-2008, 03:08 PM

yea its kinda bare right now need lots of plants
just bought a trio of albino lemon swords Does anyone know if breeding them to albino male will produce pure albino offspring? or just all albino lemons

NanoNewbie · 10-05-2008, 03:53 AM

an updated pic of the project. Finally got some plants in Starting to take shape

krazykat · 10-06-2008, 04:33 AM

Your java moss has grown very nicely! Great looking tank! You planning on adding more fish? Some foreground plants would enhance the front part of your tank, IMO. Can't wait for more pics!

09-02-2008, 11:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
NanoNewbie Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 77 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	New 20 gal for fw planted tank Hi all, I got a 20 gallon tank and stand other day for 20 bucks Want to do a freshwater planted tank. I have a Odyssea 24 inch 65W fixture for it should be plenty for most plants Still need filter. Anyone have good simple cheap plans for DIY canister filter? or suggest one ? Also what would be best substrate to use?

09-02-2008, 11:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,512 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank Filter; AC 50. Substrate; heated sand. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

09-03-2008, 12:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
krazykat Fire Coral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Federal Way, WA Posts: 63 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank That's a great buy! Did you already have the light or did you have to buy it? Will you be doing CO2? __________________ Don't mess with my fish!

09-03-2008, 07:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
NanoNewbie Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 77 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank I bought the light for $47 I plan on using flourite for substate and maybe DIY CO2 I would rather use a canister filter with CO2 injected in the filter intake Trying to keep it simple and inexpensive

09-04-2008, 12:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
krazykat Fire Coral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Federal Way, WA Posts: 63 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank How much bioload are you planning on for your tank? I have a 29 gallon SA tank with 24 lbs of flora-base. I have some crypts, anubias nana, some java moss on a piece of driftwood, and some pygmy chain swords. All of them are doing well on a 15 watt flourescent lamp. I also have a lotus and some sword plants. The sword plants are doing just okay. All these plants and fish came from my 20 gallon (ran for 1 year) and my 5 gallon (ran for 2.5 years) Have you decided what kind of biotope or what kind of fish you would like? You have more than sufficient lighting if you're planning on getting low to medium light plants IMHO. __________________ Don't mess with my fish!

09-04-2008, 11:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
NanoNewbie Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 77 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank Plan on keeping community fish like tetras dwarf gouarmis and swordtails platys Dont have any particular biotope in mind just lush jungle look some driftwood center piece with moss and plants growing on it

09-04-2008, 04:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,512 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank When I meant sand, I was talking about what I would put over the aquarium soil. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

09-05-2008, 03:05 AM	#8 (permalink)
krazykat Fire Coral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Federal Way, WA Posts: 63 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank You might want to make sure that all the fish you would like keep in the 20 have the same requirements as in pH, temperature, etc. Platys prefer a more neutral to alkaline water (7.0 - 8.0 pH). If you use flora base or some such substrate, this will act as a buffer and lower the pH. The tetras and gouramis should be okay, though, with the lower pH, and this planting substrate will really help your plants take off, if you want a planted tank. __________________ Don't mess with my fish!

09-14-2008, 12:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
krazykat Fire Coral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Federal Way, WA Posts: 63 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank Anything new with this project? __________________ Don't mess with my fish!

09-14-2008, 09:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
yungreefer2410 Elegance coral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: louisiana Posts: 1,152 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank yea i'm interested in it __________________ your fish can end up alot like this horse my 8 gallon biocube http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...n-biocube.html my 29 gallon reef tank http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...xperience.html cole

09-15-2008, 10:29 PM	#11 (permalink)
NanoNewbie Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 77 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank I got the tank set up this weekend. Put in Flourite black sand for substrate, and have cannister filter running filled with filter floss and ceramic media. I attached some java moss to driftwood and a rock now I am waiting to add plants What should i do to cycle the tank?

09-16-2008, 05:01 PM	#12 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,512 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank Throw in some food and ride out the 3 spikes like a SW. It almost looked like an iwagumi at fist glance. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

09-17-2008, 03:08 PM	#13 (permalink)
NanoNewbie Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 77 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank yea its kinda bare right now need lots of plants just bought a trio of albino lemon swords Does anyone know if breeding them to albino male will produce pure albino offspring? or just all albino lemons

10-05-2008, 03:53 AM	#14 (permalink)
NanoNewbie Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 77 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank an updated pic of the project. Finally got some plants in Starting to take shape

10-06-2008, 04:33 AM	#15 (permalink)
krazykat Fire Coral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Federal Way, WA Posts: 63 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New 20 gal for fw planted tank Your java moss has grown very nicely! Great looking tank! You planning on adding more fish? Some foreground plants would enhance the front part of your tank, IMO. Can't wait for more pics! __________________ Don't mess with my fish!

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