36 gallon plant tank build thread

[partobe]

Hi Everyone!
I went tank shopping today. I went to several different places and looked at I dont know how many tanks after my 4th place my head was swimming. I decided to go with the first tank I had seen earlier this am a 36 gallon bowfront with stand. I have to go on line tonight and order everything else Jeff has given me some great ideas and tips so Im going to check out everything he has suggested. Thanks Jeff. I also bought two pieces of drift wood so the tank doesn't look so empty while Im waiting for foster and smith to deliver.
Here you go my new tank

 

[jerl77]

nice i just set up a nano planted tank

 

[howze01]

Get some Java Moss and tie it with thread around that driftwood. The roots will grow into and spread all over it. It looks really cool like that. Good luck and I will be checking back in!

 

[partobe]

Thanks Howze and Jerl. I just ordered the rest of the items I need so it will take about a week for them to get in and then the fun begins!

 

[howze01]

Are you going with the strip light that came with the tank or did you order a new one? Did you decide on plants and fish that you want to keep?

I miss my FW planted tanks so much that I ordered some macros for my reef!

 

[partobe]

Hi Howze
I have the one strip plus I ordered a second one yesterday
the plants that I want are different types of anubias cryptocoryn and java fern. Fis Im thinking a school of small tetras or barbs a cpl of female bettas and a cpl of cory catfish. Im not sure if thats too many fish or not?

 

[jeffvmd]

What type of tetra are you planning to keep?
A rough guide is having an inch of full grown fish per gallon of the tank (I'm guilty of not using that though).
In my 20 gallon long, I have 18 green neon tetras (much smaller than regular neons, grows max to about 1.2"), 12 Chili rasboras (another nano fish), some endler's, 4 otocinclus catfish, a pair of galaxy rasbora/celestial pearl danio.
Most of these fishes grow max to about a little over an inch or less.
Oh and a whole load of cherry red shrimp and crystal red shrimps too.

 

[partobe]

Jeff I would love to see some pix of your tank

 

[partobe]

Hi Everyone! My tanks is still cloudy but clear enough to where I felt I would take a cpl of pix to post. I set it up this past tue.

 

[jeffvmd]

Off to a good start.:biggrin:
The water will clear off on its own but it will help cleaning filter sponge/insert to rinse off accumulated debris by rinsing it with tank water.
Some tall swordplants or maye stem plants will be nice on the back corners of the tank.

I owe ya this new tank pic so I added it just now.:wink1:

 

[howze01]

It looks like he has a sword in there already, in the back left corner? In a lower light tank I would think that swords wouldn't be very happy in there. Also the little low one in the front is another sword isn't it? A narrow leaf chain sword? They like pretty bright light, I had them in my 55g plant tank with about 200w and they just hung on, didn't really grow.
The other ones should do very well though. I love the Java Moss. It will cover that driftwood eventually and it looks awesome that way. Keep it up, it's looking great so far!

 

[partobe]

Thanks Howze
both plants in the back were listed as Java. I went by that hope it wasnt mislabeled.
Thanks for the compliments

 

[howze01]

Definitely not a Java. Looks like an Amazon Sword. Any Anubius yet? Don't think I saw any in there. Very nice but SLOW growing.

 

[jeffvmd]

The left corner plant looks like a broad leaf amazon sword. The plant on the right corner looks like a java fern. The grass like plant probably is a (E.tenellus) pygmy chain sword/narrow leaf chain sword.

@howze01, what was your last tank set up? the 200w lights for a 55 will put it under almost 4watts per gallon and seems to be enough to maintain them(assuming that the 55g tank you had is about 20inch high). I had grown them in my 20gal long under 3pcs 9 watt spiral cfls, CO2 infused and they did ok. It is when I forget my fert dosing that they seem unhappy.
Did you have any CO2 and what was the fertilizer regimen you had?

@partobe, the pygmy chain sword might not be supported by your current lighting. I agree with howze01, Go get some Anubias barteri 'nana' and tie 'em up in some rocks or your current driftwood. You can add some stem plants like some hygrophila, rotalas to fill in the back and get that bushy look.

 

[partobe]

Thanks Jeff and Howze
Im going to give it a cpl of weeks and then I will add some fish and more plants. I will make sure to look for the ones you have suggested since you guys have done so well guiding me so far thanks so much for all the great advise and help

 

[howze01]

It was a regular old 55g. I don't remember the exact wattage of the lights but it was 4xPC. I think they were the 60-something watt ones. I totally forget the ferts I was using (this was about 6 years ago now). I think Kent ones. I did have CO2 going but it wasn't injected it was the sugar and yeast setups and I had 2 going. The tank was terraced too. About 8-10" on the right side was about 6-8" higher than the rest and that's where I kept it. I never had much luck with that chain sword for some reason. I got a plant with some Duckweed on it and that stuff totally took over my tank and pretty much covered the surface but I really liked it. Gave it a natural look. I started adding Killies after that and they LOVED it in there. After I got rid of that I got some Water Lettuce and that did the same thing but it had much longer flowing roots and I barely saw my fish but they liked it.

Here's a couple pics of it. Wish I'd taken an FTS but I didn't and these are all I have left of it.

Sorry for stealing your thread! I meant to ask you before too but have you considered going topless with your tank? I like that so much better for plants. I had a couple swords that grew to the top and would put up flowers.

 

[partobe]

Np I love the pix I can only dream that someday my tank will look half as good. I had thought about topless but I cant hang anything from my cillin(renting) and plus I need the light to be as close as I can since they aren't high wattage.

 

[jeffvmd]

Nice looking 2 level tank howze01.

@partobe - patience is the key specially with low light non co2 set up. You can get fast growing plants like wisteria, guppy grass etc if you want it filled up immediately.
I'll be due for trimming on my rotalas next weekend if you are interested.

 

[partobe]

Hi Jeff its going to be a few weeks before I can buy anything. I went waaay over budget already lol.

 

[jeffvmd]

It's always funny how it never works out putting a certain budget when it comes to setting up fish tanks. I always end up going over it. Little items do add up to the cost.
Here is petco 14th st union square phone number. 2123580692. Be sure to call them up first for availability as the galaxy rasboras do go out fast.
Win Tropical - 2123432875