# New planted tank



## reefkeeper (Jul 29, 2010)

Started my planted tank sometime in August. Bought plants and ferts from AquaFlora, lights from AH Supply (one 36Watts 10,000K and one 18Watts 6500K) , second hand tank, drift wood and substrate from craiglist, and second hand Fluval 204 filter from another member of BCA. I had a couple of problems with green hair algae in the beginning but with the introduction of cherry shrimps from Sherry and a couple of Ottos, they are all gone and now the tank is very stable. 

I recently introduced Cardinals and Rummy Nose Tetras in the tank from Charles.


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## reefkeeper (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks for all the help I am getting from all the members...


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow what size is the tank and are you using c02?? Your tank looks amazing I love the carpeting. The cabinet looks very good as well. Ok I can see a c02 I think is it diy or pressurized??


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## reefkeeper (Jul 29, 2010)

its a DIY CO2 system. followed the formula as posted on the BCA forum. It works. 

DIY Cabinet too. Bought the wood from Daiso, in Aberdeen Centre, Richmond. Put them together using carpenter's glue then attached the AH lights to it. 

The tank is only a 10 gallon tank and I have 54 Watts of light 8 hours a day.


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

You are my inspiration lol. Looks so good. did you do a dry start?? Wanna start one for me??


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

looks good


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## reefkeeper (Jul 29, 2010)

Yes I dry started for a week just long enough for the HC to take on roots. Then filled it up with water and started CO2 immediately. I can certainly help you start one. Do you already have all the equipment ready?


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

Very nice looking. I get some browning/yellowing with my hairgrass. I hear dosing lots of nitrates will fix that. What are your thoughts?

Best regards,

Stuart


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## Kitsune (Jul 17, 2010)

Nice tank! I wish my ground cover was that luxurious...
How big is the tank?


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## teija (Sep 30, 2010)

That's a gorgeous tank - excellent job!! I have never had luck with DIY CO2 for very long, but I am eager to see how your tank progresses - I think you'll have a better result than I ever did! 

P.S. That's the nicest 10-gallon I've seen in awhile! Almost makes me wish I kept my 10g rimless so I could try something similar


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

looks good, I am one for the clean tanks.

Are you still dosing ferts with the cherry shrimp?


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## davec (Sep 23, 2010)

wow reefkeeper, i see you have lots of admirer ... fyi, i saw how he put everthing piece by piece together ... even provide the plastic bottle 4 his co2 ... his diy sure is very technical and precise ... one thing i learn from his is PATIENT ...


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## ngo911 (May 19, 2010)

Looks very clean indeed. I love the look of Iwagumi tanks!! More often than not, I've seen very nice carpets with ADA. Is this just coincidence??? Or is there something to it??


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## davec (Sep 23, 2010)

wow i see you have a lots of admirer... i saw how this 10 gallon was set up, piece by piece... i even got him the plastic bottle for the co2... his diy is very precise and technical ... one thing i learn from him is PATIENT ...


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## reefkeeper (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks for all the nice comments.

My tank is a small 10 gallon tank. Bought it from a listing on craiglist for only $10 with second hand substrate and two pieces of drift wood. I made the hood and imported the lights from AH supply.

Yes I do EI dosing up to now with the Cherry Shrimps in the tank. The shrimps are all doing well and in fact I have several small ones crawling all over the tank already. Now that I have fish in the tank, I will gradually reduce the dosing of ferts because there will be natural nitrates from the fish waste.

I believe that the correct color temperature (10,000K + 6,500K) and 5.4W per gallon made a big difference. I had a short outbreak of green hair algae for a short while. I was siphoning these twice a day until I got the cherries and the ottos, which helped me clean the green hair algae. Today, I don't see any trace of algae at all. I still do EI dosing and lights are on for 9 hours a day.

Together with the daily dosing of ferts using EI, I also use Metricide at 10ml per day (or 1ml per gallon). But since I don't get any algae anymore, I am thinking of reducing the Metricide to 5ml a day.


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## reefkeeper (Jul 29, 2010)

Latest update on the tank. I have added cardinals and rummy nose tetras. Started only with a handful of Cherry Red Shrimps, but now I must have at least more than 30 of them. They are everywhere in the tank. So far, I don't see any sign of algae and I am still doing EI dosing everyday. Lights are turned on 8 hours a day instead of 10 hours.


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

Your tank looks great,m I still love it and it maybe my fav. I love the look of the carpeting plants only tank. So your in luck, ol or maybe I am I am getting a 20 gallon long and ada from Mykiss and I am going to be setting up mine soon. So I may take you up on your offer. Your tank again is amazing I love it.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Reefkeeper, is this your first planted tank? Or were you already an expert when you started this? Because it is awesome! And so amazing that you were able to do it so economically. It seems that you approached planted tanks as both a science and an art and it's paying off with a lovely, healthy tank. Congratulations!


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## fraggalrock (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow so amazing!!!


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## reefkeeper (Jul 29, 2010)

Hi Morainy, this is not my first planted tank. I had several before but never ventured into carpet tanks before. So I would say, this is my first carpet planted tank. 

Btw, I got most of the red cherry shrimps from Fraggalrock (sherry). They are just awesome!


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