Planning a 4ft Planted Tank (Globalcookie)

[Heuer]

I am using Sera Floredepot as base fert. 3 buckets should be enough for a 422 tank

[globalcookie]

I'm back! I have sold off the huge driftwood after much thoughts and advise by fellow bros here. I need more advise. Am gg to start on this planted tank project soon (already gotten CO2 system).

I'll be using a few smaller pieces of dw, stack them to create focus point, at the same time, create some cave look if possible. A few questions I have in mind below:

1) I am still quite unclear what is base fert (is it soil, some fertilizer powder or combination of both).

2) If I plant to do a 'carpet look', is it advisible to use soil than quartz alone?

3) How do you plant riccia, and will it loosen itself and float to the top too easily?

4) Which base (carpet look) plants produces tiny oxygen bubbles or pearling effect?

5) If I use soil, soil is said to breakdown after a few years. Do you redo the tank or just leave it if you are still happy with the scape?

6) If soil is needed. Following Heuer's advise below, can I use Quartz as the top layer? (i keep thinking of using quartz as I like the dark surface and it can keep fert trapped in the soil)

Originally Posted by Heuer

bottom layer = 1 inch of sand.

follow by 2 inch of base fert. (tips: you should have 1 inch of sand around the glass of the tank (except for the back) before lying the base fert. this will elimate the ugly sight of seeing diff layer of soil which in my opinion, its a eye sore when you lay the final layer.)

follow by 2 inch of sand (this layer is the most important as you dont want the base fert to leakout)

[cheetf]

Here is an example of base fert.

Normally it's either quartz or soil. Not both.

Riccia for such a large tank is like a can of worms. A big headache when it starts to float about.

[globalcookie]

Bro, thank you once again for the advise and URL.

For the Dennerle’s DeponitMix, is it the same as this brand's quartz? I happened to be at C328 last evening and saw bags of Dennerle Quartz. Each bag is about 10kg. Now I'm wondering, how many bags will be needed to fill a 4ft x 1.5ft area, with approx 2" thickness.

Guess I will have to drop the idea of using Ricca, or maybe use it on selective spots if I really wants it.

[cheetf]

No worries, glad to help.

Deponit, I believe comes in tubs for different size tanks. Think you will only need a big tub or two of the medium ones

Below is extracted from their website.

• 2.4 kg for 50 - 70 litre aquaria, 60 cm (1987)
• 4.8 kg for 100 - 140 litre aquaria, 80 cm (1988)
• 9.6 kg for 160 - 250 litre aquaria, 100 cm (1990)

You only need a small thin layer at the bottom before you add the quartz on top.

As for the amount of quartz, one 10 kg bag should be sufficient for a standard 2X1 tank. As a 4X1.5 is 6 sqft. You should need at least 3 to 4 bags.

One thing to note is if you ever decide to pull out any of the plants - DON'T. I have killed many of my yamatos this way. Just cut them off at the base.

[globalcookie]

Thank you bro.

I should be buying the materials these 2 weeks. Will check out Deponit when I'm at the lfs.

On pulling out rooted plants, I believe it's some nitrogen or some other gas/chemical that is released from the base, that could have killed your yamato. If 'disturbing' the base is needed, I would syphon the water around it when I pull out any rooted plants. This will reduce harmful gas/chemicals from being released.

[globalcookie]

I have finally started setting up this tank on 9 August 11. For the base, am using 3 different gravel, namely, Soil, DeponitMix (9.6kg) and black quartz as the top layer.

Tank was set up more than a week back. The water has been cloudy since, and hope it'll clear up soon. Cycling stage now.(bacterial boom)

I have yet to decide on the type of plants, carpet look, etc. I have some driftwoods which I'm trying to figure out how to position them

So far how is your progress bro? The soil you use is it the garden soil type?

[globalcookie]

Just an update.

Gravel settled
- Layer 1 : soil (those that i had for shrimp tanks)
- Layer 2 : DeponitMix
- Layer 3 : Quartz

Lightings
- Initially considering DIY change of T8 (2 tubes) to T5HO, or
- Add on LED to T8 lights, but
- Decided to get new lightset, comprising of 4x T5HO (54w each)

Currently, the tank is bare. I have throw in some floating plants (namely amazon duckweeds and frogbits) and some loose moss (at e bottom). Lighting (all 4 tubes) is on 8hrs a day (2hrs rest inbetween). There is 1 Otto in the tank to feed on algae, as well as produce some bioload.

Will monitor for algae growth (or outbreak) as well as plant growth these 2 weeks and make necessary adjustments. Thereafter, will start the planting project.

I have not decided on how the dw layout will be, as well as the exact plants to use. The tank is non-chilled, thus my choices of plants may be limited.

Will update again in the coming weeks.