Starting 3 gallon planted (first planted)

[Jayrod7]

Ok i have gotten my tank to sustain the same temperature and the water is perfect (except for the hardnes which im working on)

this is what i have in my tank at the moment

Three-Gallon Aquarium,
9" Fluorescent Lamp,
Rite-Size "Z" Filter Cartridge
(i have no gravel/decorations)

is there anything else i need. i know i need some sort of substrate but what kind, how much.

is there anything else that i need for the tank (fertilizer???)

what kind of plants should i put into my tank once the stuff is all in there.

with a 9" fluorescent lamp does that = low, medlow, med, medhi, or high lighting. (for my reference for getting plants)

lastly what kind of fishies would go good with plants (wont kill the plants)

thanks for answering my lot of questions.*SUNSMILE*

 

[echoofformless]

I'm assuming the bulb is about 7 watts?
That gives you 2.33 watts per gallon in a very small tank = med low light. Smaller tanks are said to require higher light than larger tanks. I have yet to see if this is true, as I have only planted my betta tanks tonight.
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32841

The most important, and most overlooked item in the planted tank world (my opinion) is the light timer. A regular cycle of light and dark that is constant will regulate your plants growth and their uptake of nurtrients, resulting in optimum plant health and a better overall tank resistance to algae.

Best plants off the top of my head for this would be anacharis, java fern, very hardy crypts, and java moss. There are more that I'm certain others will mention.

Substrate volume is determined by the footprint of the aquarium and how thick of a layer you plan to have. The better substrates for planted tanks are Seachem's Flourite and Caribsea's Eco-Complete. Both are equally useful so the only difference is in your own personal choice or the price range/availability. You could use standard aquarium gravel, but these products are far more effective in holding plant nutrients.

A good fertilizer is important. I recommend Seachem's Flourish. Only be careful dosing it, as it's highly concentrated. For my small tanks I make a dilution in a spring water bottle before adding it.


Most fishes aside from goldfish or cichlids (neither of which should be living in such a small tank) are plant friendly. For a small place like this I would stay with very small, calm, non-schooling type fishes or maybe one male betta.

Some fish I would put in a three gallon are betta, cherry barb, small cory cat, and maybe a very tiny gourami, like a honey gourami. (One that doesn't grow past an inch or two.) Of course not all of these fish together, they're just examples of who might happily live in a small tank like that.



Try to read up all you can on planted tanks - light, nutrients, etc. It's best to have an idea what you're getting into before you jump in...there are some surprises along the way.

 

[Jayrod7]

i was thinking about putting baby platy, gups, or mollies in. would they eat the plants?

 

[cybersymes]

i was thinking about putting baby platy, gups, or mollies in. would they eat the plants?

hey...platties...i've got 16 you can have...
free of charge...just pay for shipping... maybe not.

 

[Jayrod7]

platys are cool =)

WOohoo probelem solved. i found this free sample of this stuff that lowers hardness and it worked =) hardness is no longer a probelem =) (the free stuff came with my eclipse when i got it so it is fish safe)

still need plant ideas

 

[Avalon]

About the lighting, that bulb should work fine for now. When beginning your adventures into the planted tank world, it's best to begin slowly. While you will not get Amano-esque results, you will gain experience with plants and their characteristics.

Beginning slowly has distinct advantages as opposed to going all out. First and foremost, every tank goes through a stage of algae growth. While experienced plant people can avoid this, the novice plant enthusiast has yet to learn nutrient balance, dosing techniques, plant choice (mainly growth rates), and the many unspoken attributes that only their tank has. Beginning with a lower light tank allows the novice the much needed time to study the numerous necessary variables that are involved. They also gain some real-world experience with their plants, such as acclimation & initial die-off, growth rates, and tank maintenance.

As for light in general, you would be quite suprised at how little light it actually takes to grow most plants. The WPG "rule" is commonly mistrued, and is usually never the case in plant failure. An adequate nutrient regimine and proper water conditions play a crucial role. Again, each person must adapt and tailor their technique to their own tank in order to be successful. Light acts as a catalyst and effects almost all other variables. By not pushing your luck, you will be able to realize and single out the variables that are at fault, and therefore be better able to choose an appropriate plan of action.

 

[Jayrod7]

Mission accomplished! (sorry about spelling) i got a wisteria bunch, 2 anacharis, 1 hornwort, and a combomba but i only got one very small plant from the bunch. i also put 2 female snake skin guppies and 1 male snakeskin in =) they looks extremely happy! is there a way to get the little plant parts from stop floating around and get them out?

 

[Limi310]

Post a pic! Sounds nice. I usually just use a fish net as a 'skimmer' to get out plant pieces....might be hard in a 3gal though. They will eventually get stuck to the filter intake and you can pick them out.

 

[Jayrod7]

i will post picks once i get my cord that connects my cell with my comp (my cell takes digital quality pics). the guppys are amazing looking and the wisteria its a bright green.