Newman's 40 Gallon Planted Tank

[Newman]

This is a work in progress. Used to be a Goldfish ornamental tank, and is now going planted (with a slight chance of livebearers.) The Pleco and Raphael will stay, but the GF must go. (referring to my sig)

Tank is still in cycling process at the moment.
Next step is slow introduction of plants.
Plants planned to include:
BACKGROUND
2 Cabomba
1 Anacharis
Center peice of driftwood w/ a Java Fern along w/ java(or christmas) moss attached
MIDGROUND
1 Java Fern
3 rocks with java(or christmas) moss
FOREGROUND
Dwarf Hairgrass carpeting floor in middle
a patch of java(or christmas) moss on each side of the tank.

I will soon post up a picture of the tank as it is finishing its cycling, to show what i will be starting with, and later w/ what i ended up with.
Of course ill include pics later of all the middle steps involved.
now if i could only find my camera

[Newman]

Well i couldnt find my camera, so i just used my cellphone's. sorry if its not clear enough to see evrything.
This is basically what im starting with (or rather already started)

In this pic i have ALREADY changed the backdrop from a gross old coral reef one to "that good old green theme" that you see a lot on the net these days. I have already added Java Fern and the Anacharis elodia. before it just had plastic plants (which are still there) and the unidentified live plants seen on the left.

the water has cleared, and i have changed the old light to this special light that concentrates on plant growth (dont know if itll be enough but i guess ill find out)
I'm still in the cycling process (adding live bacteria cycling compound every now and then)
And here is the way it is now:

[Newman]

So far I've moved that java fern to the far corner to limit the light it gets (too much bright light isnt good as i just learned) It has started to make baby java ferns lol)

I've bought two batches of Cabomba, seen on both sides of the tank. It really hard to tell if anything is growing, but so far in the first week that ive had all these plants, the Unidentified swords have put out a few more leaves.

[no.1chuy]

i like the set up i think in a few months when it grows in its gonna look great i like how you left them swiming space in the center maybe i should have done that. just some pointers that might help you out... the plant bunch next to the rock it looks like it still bunched up like it comes from the store i have had this plant befor and when i left it bunch up the base would just rot and turn black you should separate them and plant each plant so that it roots in (goggle the name of the plant some plants do better tied down to something) same thing with the cabomba and i think the one in the conor is gonna need more light. you'll find out if its not happy when it starts turning black and cloging your filter i had this plant too but switched it for a hornwort the hornwort is a lot easyer to take care of but the cabomba looks better in my opinion. once your sword plants start to grow in they'll make great hiding spots for fish and they look good i like when the leaves start to overlap but thats just me

[Newman]

Thanks man i know its a work in progress but im having high hopes for at least some success.

the swimming area is mostly due to the fact that all that space is affected by the current from my external filter (it literally sends the small golfish flying downward when it swimps past.)

I assume youre talking about the dark green, hornwort-looking plant on the right. thats just plastic filler and will be removed later. there are two other plastics there: one on far right that you cant see, and one on the far left that you can barely see. those resemble corkscrew...plants(dont remember the name lol) and will be removed eventually.

Im thinking about your tip with my Cabomba...So you suggest i separate each stem and plant it about an inch apart into the gravel? should i do the same with that Anacharis? both the cabomba bunches and the anacharis bunch still are tied together with a weight each.

So should i move the cabomba on the right and plant it right next to the green center rock (to the right of it) ? thats where the java fern was before i moved it to save it from the light. theres quite a lot of light there. I do see it bending towards the light, telling me it wants to move...

I really appreciate your opinions/advice, thank you

[no.1chuy]

i meant thet anacharis like just remove the wight and cut off any that is turning brown or black and plant it you dont have to plant them all separate put a few steams together you might still have to anchor it down but dont put the weight on so tight that it crushes the stem bucaus then your back at step one (a floating plant) if you do use the weight make sure that some of the stem is still planted so that it roots it self in and wont need the weigh any more same thing with the cabomba and i would put it where it gets the most light. what kind of light do you have? how many watts? are you gonna put that drift wood you have soaking in your tank?

[Newman]

The light is a "Zoo-Med Flora-Glow" bulb which is 5000K concentrating in red and blue color emission. its 33 Watts. I CANNOT fins a higher wattage light that is 24" long. if i could, i would have bought it.

Ill follow your suggestion on the cabomba and elodia (i was actually thinking of the same thing, having read some articles on correctly planting bunched plants)

Yes that Mopani driftwood is going to replace the green rock, making it the new center piece. Ill attempt to tie some Marimo moss to it in hoping of growing that on top of the wood. but thats waaay in the future.

I am also soaking and rinsing some Flourite substrate that i will add in a few weeks, making a bottom layer and covering it with that white gravel.

[no.1chuy]

you gotta be a lil careful if you get a lamp with more watts that is way over what the ballest is rated for you're gonna burn it out. i like drift wood i think i wanna get some. so is flourite white? or are you gonna have two diffrent color substrate?

[Newman]

The Flourite is the original color (brown with some red)
The idea is to spread a layer of it at the bottom, and cover it with a good layer of white gravel. this will look exactly as before (white gravel wise) i have tested it. And theoretically it'll also reduce upkick of the substrate dust when ever the gravel is moved.

But if i have enough of the flourite i might ditch the white gravel all together.
But i wonder how im going to gravel vac the gravel from now on...since it automatically mixes the two together. (it also produces a LOT of mud when gravel vaccuuming)
What do you think i should do?

[Newman]

As an update i have added a DIY CO2 system, and have started to dose some of the Kent fert that i had.

I have a very important question:
I have a tank-back aquaclear filter in my tank (not a powerhead filt.) Is what i'm doing with the bubbles wrong by aiming them at the intake like that? should i continue doing this or should i just let the bubbles rise up to the surface?

Thanks for any advice.