# My first planted tank



## niteshift (Mar 10, 2011)

Well this is my very first attempt at planting a tank, and here's what i know and have. First the tank is a 55 gallon 48" x 12" x 18" with gravel substrate and the under-gravel filter capped off, the lighting is a 48" hagen glo 2x 54 watt T5H0 runnig 1 coralife 10,000K tube and 1 coralife colormax tube. The my brother in-law gave are 1 tiger val and a vallisneria nana as well as couple crypts or so he tell's me. And i am wondering what else i can add and were, to get a slightly asian look. Thank you all ... ... David


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

first thing i'd recommend before the decor/plants, is to replace the 10k tube with a 6700k. 10k's are great for growing algae 
now for some answers, try some hygrophila corymbosa 'siamensis 53b', narrow leaf java ferns attatched to a really deep grained malaysian driftwood.

If not asian enough, then try varnished bamboo stalks from top to bottom, Dwarf Sagittaria, Cryptocoryne crispatula 'Balansae', Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, These are all grasses or grasslike, fits the bamboo quite well. For an off center focal point you can try a nuphar japonica and/or a Barclaya longifolia.


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## vdub (Apr 22, 2010)

Sorry to hijack this thread but where can I find a nuphar japonica and Barclaya? I've been looking for one for the longest time.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

the nuphar japonica i once lucked out at king ed's and they had one. the barclaya, try an online source to buy the bulbs


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## vdub (Apr 22, 2010)

I am so jealous right now, I never find anything good when I go to king ed's. I'm gonna say it right now, I call dibs when you have some nuphar for sale.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

after a while i ignored their plant sale tanks, i looked at the display tanks, sometimes they have a plant or two on sale in them, if not i'll try to convince them to sell it to me. The nuphar japonica put me back $17


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## vdub (Apr 22, 2010)

$17 is still a bargain for such a rare commodity. I just can't believe how King Ed's is able to bring in some rare stuff and I'm never around to snipe any. And how can they only have one nuphar? They gotta at least order more while they're at it.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

this was years ago, i might have got the last one or someone brought in a division for credit. Either way i was the one who brought it home  I used to go there 3-4 times a week since it was 5 min from where i lived


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## vdub (Apr 22, 2010)

WHAT? Years ago...do you still have the plant?


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

nope, lost it after i let my mother care for the tank while i was on vacation. Lost a lot of plant species after that crash.


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## vdub (Apr 22, 2010)

Dang...I guess the hunt continues.


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## niteshift (Mar 10, 2011)

6700 k will try that, it would also explain why i algae starting to develop quickly as well the plant list thank you Neven. ... ... David


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## WeAreAllCanucks (Apr 13, 2011)

so does that mean that two 15w t8's in a 20 gallon at 18,000K is even worse for algae??


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

WeAreAllCanucks said:


> so does that mean that two 15w t8's in a 20 gallon at 18,000K is even worse for algae??


It means your light spectrum is more for a saltwater tank than planted!


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