Man, you just know how to cut straight through the noise and deliver the goods clearly! New subbie here. I love how comprehensive this video is yet how easy it is to be understood by newbies like me. I still consider myself a newbie despite having cared for my pet fishes since 1995 - there is always so much to learn! And so much heartbreak when I lose even just one pet fish - well that's just me anyway. I used to have a 3-year old arowana that grew to 40 inches. Now I have a 75-gallon tank with a 4-year old oscar, and two 15-gal tanks where I breed mollies. I'm planning on setting up a 40-gallon long tank that's low tech and thank you so much for this very helpful video!
The latest aquarium I had was nearly 20 years ago and I never had one again, due to false information in a pet store back then I had my tank with more than 20 species dead, since then never had one again. Due to stress, anxiety and etc I decided to return the hobby and bought a 10L starter kit, added my fav fish which js a Beta, I used to hunt betas in the ponds and river back home and collect loads and loads of them, then added a few shrimps, anubia, Xmas moss and spike moss and a nice piece of drift wood the lil tank us looking stunning and I'm very happy with it, but then I heard of low tech tanks that requires a lot less care and cleaning but every chanel tell a 50min story selling their products and I always get lost. You're straight to the point, plain as it should be, really liked all the info passed. One more sub! 👍
Thank you for this video. I've been researching a guide like this for a long time. Big TH-camrs in the aqua niche tend to sell their line of products which are expensive. But thank you again for being hones with us and showing us affordable prices.
One of the reasons I like your channel is because you're very clear and precise about what to do so it's much easier to try and remember what you should do
As always, to the point with no added bullshit! Love your stuff! I'm getting ready to try a small planted tank for a betta, a bristlenose and will add some shrimp. Planning on using a 'dirty' filter media cartridge to start the 'cycle' and debating on the cheap organic soil setup or buying marketed soil. Want to do this on the cheap and simple low light plants, including my years old marimo balls. Got a gorgeous 6G Fluval Edge (guy said it was 10G) but was a steal at $25! It's also got the upgraded lighting! So it's cleaned and I'm ready to go. Again, thanks for all the excellent info you give. I find you highly enjoyable to watch.
If I found your video earlier I would have saved myself a lot of frustration and confusion. This video has everything a beginner needs. Your videos are great! Thank you!
Just wanna say that I love your videos! They've been invaluable as I enter this hobby. You always manage to convey information in a way that is easily understandable for novices, while also explaining your reasoning behind the suggestions that you give. Thank you! :)
Tip I've heard from several different sources on the filter. Just buy a sponge and cut it in half. Replace any of the media in your HOB with that. Swap one of the sponges when needed. Should be years. Just clean these in the water itself. Also, you can put a sponge on the intake to improve the filtration.
Good tip on the Penguin. At first I thought you were gonna say to follow the manufacturer's instructions, but then you said to pull the carbon out, and just rinse the cartridge! The other thing you could do is add filter floss if you want to "polish" the water.
Woke up in a panic...I forgot about water temperature....it was close...had to manually raise temperature until I got heater in mail...even with your great tutoring alot is still trial by error...my betta is thriving in its planted environment....thank you
Hey, we all miss something here and there. At the end, as long as we learn from it, we won't be doomed to repeat it unless you're as forgetful as I am then we're doomed to repeat it... less.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom with all, without a sponsor of course. We do appreciate your efforts! I am trying to setup a 75 gallon fish tank with plants (heavy fish load, lots of Tiger Barbs), not a planted tank with a few fish. Unfortunately this is a low budget setup, hiring a professional aquascaper is not an option :-)
oh man, I really wish I would have had a resource like you back when I started my low tech planted tank "journey." I have a few larger sized low tech tanks now that are well established and doing their thing, but it wasn't easy. It's been a labor of love with a lot of trial and error, emphasis on error (my first dirted tank? oh the smell!!!) I figured a lot out on my own, eventually I stopped looking online for assistance/ideas/etc because I found that a majority of the forums that I read were condescending and not helpful if you were on a budget, and the majority of videos pushed expensive products. Your videos are excellent, I love how you explain everything in a way that both "newbies" and "experienced" alike can get into. Plus, I also like your honest recommendations for budget friendly equipment. Anyway, all of this just to say: I've officially subscribed.
Thanks Kate! Yeh, I don't see why it all has to be so expensive and why there's an elite line of thinking when it comes to branded stuff when a lot of the time off brands will work fine.
@@ericbryant1778 It was my first dirted tank, 100 gallon, and I didnt have enough water movement so it got stagnant. We decided to empty the tank, replace the substrate, and start over.
Thanks for watching! Clarification, I said hard water. It's better to say high PH though the two usually relates to each other. Here are more videos to get you started: MORE TO LEARN ABOUT PLANTED TANKS: ☑️ Beginners Planted Tank Guide: goo.gl/oCujCK ☑️ Aquarium Lighting Guide: bit.ly/2INYuMA ☑️ Aquarium Co2 Guide: bit.ly/2rSteVY ☑️ The Dry Start Method: goo.gl/XC8Rnz ☑️ Using Soil: goo.gl/PxkvK4
Hey mate just a quick one! When you have a 10 gallon tank what size of hang on filter should I use? Does the filter you recommend have any space for bio filters inside? Im planing my first planted tank so i dont know much about it! Love your videos, very educational and helped me a lot lately. All the best mate stay safe and keep teaching us. Cheers
Great video I'm actually doing my first planted tank as I watch this, low tech plants: anubias nana petite, anubias nana barteri and jungle val. I'm learning as I go along and watching your videos to pick up any helpful tips and advice. Keep up the great work.
@@TheWaterBox I'm having a great time learning about planted tanks and your videos are really helping me to get off on the right foot. I cycled my 20g high tank for a couple of weeks with seachem fluorite for substrate, I have a fluval aquaclear hob and a fluval aquasky adjustable LED. I started with Amazon swords just as test plants, they did great but I became bored with them quick, I switched over to the anubias species and am in love with these plants.
I have anubias nana petite lining the foreground, anubias nana barteri as foreground to midground plants and jungle val lining the back being that jungle val grows quickly and is a heavy root feeder I'm hoping it takes over and fills in the back portion of my aquarium. I'm using tropica nutrition root tabs for the val and tropica nutrition liquid fertilizer for the anubias. The tank is looking great and I'm looking forward to propagating and filling out the tank as I go along. The front of the tank being filled up with all of the anubias looks like a jungle 🙂
Bob, how hard is your water? I rely on RO water for my 10 gallon because of super hard well water. I want to start a bigger tank but can't get enough RO water quickly. Would appreciate any tips on starting a tank with hard water.
I'm surprised you didn't use a Hamburg Matten Filter for filtration instead? Only cost is the filter media, tubes and the air pump! Plus you don't have to clean out the filter media as much! Otherwise this is a solid video for people diving into the hobby who want to avoid headaches and emptied wallets.
Covering the most common options for beginners and HMF works great but some people, especially beginner might not like the look or the space it takes up in a tank. I wouldn't mind using one for a shrimp tank where the shrimp is the main highlight but I'm not sold myself on using one for a planted tank. But that's just me. I'll cover using one later or just direct them to Joey or Robs videos if anyone asks.
Really great guide. I’ve read that it’s a good idea to add crushed coral to planted tanks to prevent the ph from changing too drastically, any thoughts on this?
Thank you so much for posting. I have a question however. I have a 29 gallon tank (30x12x18). I used a Nicrew LED light fixture. ALL my plants eventually melted away. What are something I should be looking into to ensure the light is penetrating to the bottom of my tank?
Probably get a more powerful light maybe? I'm not entirely sure which model nicrew you have but there a weak version that pretty much sucks. But plants melting can be plenty of things. It might not just be your lighting.
Quick and easy. I prefer canisters but they are a bit more pain in the butt to deal with than a simple HOB. Again, this guide is made for simplicity and cost sake.
Great video!👍 am new to planted aquariums and I was just wondering if I'll need sand at the bottom of the tank capped with eco complete on top? I heard eco complete struggles to hold plants down. Thanks
One, I never had a problem planting in eco complete. Second, I'm not sure what the purpose is to cap eco complete over sand. Sand is more of a cosmetic thing or to keep soil from mixing into the water too much when disturbing the substrate. You would cap sand on top (though with eco-complete, the sand is just going to mix into the eco- complete after a few week)
I’m trying to start in this hobby. I bought a Fluval spec 2.6 gallon. It comes with a 7000k light. Will this light be ok for plants? Good info thanks bro! Merry Christmas!
Probably not as lights that come with tanks usually aren't great for plants but as I don't know the spec of this light, I can't really say. a 7000k light doesn't tell me anything other than the color temp of the light which means nothing for growing plants.
You should be fine. Try to keep it below 7.8-9.0 and you should be ok. You can cut with RO if you want to lower the PH and GH a little if you want. It will make it easier. More important is to go slow if you do and keep it consistent once you hit your target numbers so you don't kill your livestock.
Greetings Chung. Question about covering the tank. You taught me something new about covering tank for CO2. How exact does a cover need to be because of the ins and outs of the filter, cords etc.? Thanks
I've been binge watching your channel as I prepare to set up a 10 planted tank for a betta. I'm still getting things together and then of course will have to cycle and all that but for now I'm just trying to figure out lighting. I have a Finnex planted+ HLC. I turned it on the empty tank just to see it's default setting for 24 hours. I know it will me much too bright for the low light plants I'll be using but I have no idea what to set it on. This will be my first planted tank and although I'm reading up on the color spectrum and all I'm still at a loss. Should I just dial all the settings down by half or do you suggest any particular configuration?
If you got the finnex 24/7 start at 60% if injecting co2 at max peak and adjust from there. With no co2 then try starting at 40%. It's hard to give you a solid number since I don't know your whole set up and how much planting you'll be doing but that is a good start as any.
Thank you for your reply. Yes it is a 10 gallon. I'll be adding java fern, anubias, amazon sword and some "Betta bulbs". No Co2. Would you run the 24/7 with darkness from 9pm to 6am and just lower all the colors to 40% of the presets for the rest of the times?
When using soil as a substrate in a aquarium, can you put a weed barrier between the soil and the top layer(cap layer)??? Or will that cause problems??
@@TheWaterBox your right. I’m just looking for a cleaner way to do the soil and top layer combo. Cleaner as in less messy and less of a chance both substrates mixing
@@Pr0j3ctSTI No problem but that's why we use the top cap in the first place. It'll still get messy if you move stuff around too much but that's part of doing a dirted tank.
I was wondering what to do with my plants that come in the mail but I’m not ready to plant them in their intended tank quite yet because some other things have not been delivered yet. I’ve looked for videos on this but haven’t really been finding anything on it. Should I just leave them in their pots and rock wool and float them in another tank or should I plant them in the substrate in another tank until I’m ready to transfer them? Sorry if this doesn’t really have anything to do with this video
Anyone have any recommendations for a medium light for a 75 gallon (48 in) planted tank? All my plants are low to medium lighting, is the finnex too much for that??
If you get a 24/7 finnex that allows you to modify the settings, it'll be fine. If you're going with one strip, it'll work fine for a 75g. Just make sure to get the right length to cover a 75g.
using soil is actually the best of advice of all, after all soil is where these plants grow in the wild. these articifial substitute arent the best option in terms of plant health and price. Many aquarists promote substitute because theyre paid to do so
Hey,do you need to add another layer of other things on top of the soil?I'm trying to set a hair grass carpet and I'm really struggling.First time I tried it the soil merged into the water,is there a step I'm missing?
You'd want a cap. Pool filter sand or branded aquarium sand that's inert is fine. Otherwise, it'll get to be a muddy mess in your tank if you move things around.
I've had many low tech tanks over the years. That's a bit of a general question. You can see some of my suggestions here though: th-cam.com/video/UTy3CY2iUgA/w-d-xo.html
I had the feeling my Prime was no good, after a 50% water change that I did the first time I used it and it killed over 20 ember tetras and 20 ottos :/ I was so sad and the signs on the fish were like chlorine burn then I bought another water conditioner and never had the issue again, has anyone run into something similar? if yes I feel your pain. I just used to let sit the water over 24hrs but nowadays with chloramine been the deal and that it supposed not to evaporate unlike chlorine obligating us to use water conditioner no matter what, right or what your toughs on the topic? cheers
@@TheWaterBox I know the plants can hold the shock but it was really sad to see them all die on the following days. Only 2 embers and 1 otto made it after I moved them to other thanks in which I rarely do water changes its manly just plants so it's like a quarantine but not really. Hey here the funny thing you let me know your thoughts, no shrimp die on the same tank and I'm talking even pregnant ones and probably babies somewhere in the bushes. So is shrimp tough than some fish? I really like and appreciate the way you share your knowledge keep it up! cheers to you! by the way, loved your video on flatting out the curve I'm on it and I think since I started dosing bits of Alkaline Buffer to raise KH for the plants it also helped me smooth my curved it no longer drops more than .2 PH my ranges at the time are 6.8-7.2 depending the hour of the day but thanks again due to that info you provided my fish will appreciate it a ton!
Good to hear! On the shrimp, it really depends. Most shrimp are sensitive to metals but Amona, host and Cherry's are pretty hardy. For all we know, it wasn't the prime that killed the first rather than the water change itself. Could have been something in the tap water. That's known to happen as well.
@@TheWaterBox Just helped me confirmed our worst nightmares to the unknown LOL That is why I been seriously thinking on doing RO/DI sooner than later I guess. cheers man
@@TheWaterBox I understand OC. Over here though ,The Netherlands, We have , by law, exellent tap water quality. And any conditioners are just a waist. I am double lucky in my area straight from the tap we get 8° GH and 5° KH.
@@TheWaterBox hi thanks for your wonderful videos, can you make a video about how to mix soils and create a good soil for planted tank? we dont have a reliable soils and access to amazon or ebay in our country and brand soils is very expensive here. again thank you so much for your awesome channel.
Then you better talk to my damn plants. My water turns my fixtures to stalagtite and my stupid plants need trimming every 2 weeks. Then I spend the next 3 weeks rescuing baby snails off the cuttings and putting them back with their moms. R/O water my backside
i feel like i dont need to visit any other channels anymore. thank you for the content and more fish to come.
Awe, thanks!
Man, you just know how to cut straight through the noise and deliver the goods clearly! New subbie here. I love how comprehensive this video is yet how easy it is to be understood by newbies like me. I still consider myself a newbie despite having cared for my pet fishes since 1995 - there is always so much to learn! And so much heartbreak when I lose even just one pet fish - well that's just me anyway. I used to have a 3-year old arowana that grew to 40 inches. Now I have a 75-gallon tank with a 4-year old oscar, and two 15-gal tanks where I breed mollies. I'm planning on setting up a 40-gallon long tank that's low tech and thank you so much for this very helpful video!
I'm glad it helped!
Love how you added labels to the video time line so you know what chapter you're in
Glad it helped!
@@TheWaterBox Brilliant!
@@TangibleTania Thanks!
The latest aquarium I had was nearly 20 years ago and I never had one again, due to false information in a pet store back then I had my tank with more than 20 species dead, since then never had one again. Due to stress, anxiety and etc I decided to return the hobby and bought a 10L starter kit, added my fav fish which js a Beta, I used to hunt betas in the ponds and river back home and collect loads and loads of them, then added a few shrimps, anubia, Xmas moss and spike moss and a nice piece of drift wood the lil tank us looking stunning and I'm very happy with it, but then I heard of low tech tanks that requires a lot less care and cleaning but every chanel tell a 50min story selling their products and I always get lost. You're straight to the point, plain as it should be, really liked all the info passed.
One more sub! 👍
I'm glad I helped!
Thank you for this video. I've been researching a guide like this for a long time. Big TH-camrs in the aqua niche tend to sell their line of products which are expensive. But thank you again for being hones with us and showing us affordable prices.
You're very welcome!
straight to the point, no gimmicks! you deserve more subs
Thanks and thanks for watching!
One of the reasons I like your channel is because you're very clear and precise about what to do so it's much easier to try and remember what you should do
Thanks Meg!
As always, to the point with no added bullshit! Love your stuff! I'm getting ready to try a small planted tank for a betta, a bristlenose and will add some shrimp. Planning on using a 'dirty' filter media cartridge to start the 'cycle' and debating on the cheap organic soil setup or buying marketed soil. Want to do this on the cheap and simple low light plants, including my years old marimo balls. Got a gorgeous 6G Fluval Edge (guy said it was 10G) but was a steal at $25! It's also got the upgraded lighting! So it's cleaned and I'm ready to go. Again, thanks for all the excellent info you give. I find you highly enjoyable to watch.
Thanks for watching!
A betta *will* eat the shrimp, no matter how fed they are.
There’s some really great info here. You’ve covered all aspects of setting up a planted tank, and explained it in easy to understand terms.
Glad you enjoyed it!
If I found your video earlier I would have saved myself a lot of frustration and confusion. This video has everything a beginner needs. Your videos are great! Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the in depth video! I really appreciate it and helped open up some new options for my 29 long corydoras community tank
Glad it helped!
Just wanna say that I love your videos! They've been invaluable as I enter this hobby. You always manage to convey information in a way that is easily understandable for novices, while also explaining your reasoning behind the suggestions that you give. Thank you! :)
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching! :)
You helped me out very much over the past 4 - 5 years with my aquascaping! Im looking forward to many more videos!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much.! Just saw you for the first time. And it's plain, simple and straight to the point.
Glad it helped!
Tip I've heard from several different sources on the filter. Just buy a sponge and cut it in half. Replace any of the media in your HOB with that. Swap one of the sponges when needed. Should be years. Just clean these in the water itself. Also, you can put a sponge on the intake to improve the filtration.
Thanks for the tip!
I’ve just found your videos today and you’ve got me inspired to set up one of my tanks again. Thank you
Glad to hear it! Good luck :)
Good tip on the Penguin. At first I thought you were gonna say to follow the manufacturer's instructions, but then you said to pull the carbon out, and just rinse the cartridge!
The other thing you could do is add filter floss if you want to "polish" the water.
Thanks
I'm a brand new subscriber. Keep doing what you're doing. You make everything easy to understand and read. I appreciate you!
I'm glad it helps! Welcome aboard!
Not skipping any ads for this channel bcoz I am loving all the vlogs. This saved my aquascaping vibes ☘️
Yay! Thank you!
Woke up in a panic...I forgot about water temperature....it was close...had to manually raise temperature until I got heater in mail...even with your great tutoring alot is still trial by error...my betta is thriving in its planted environment....thank you
Hey, we all miss something here and there. At the end, as long as we learn from it, we won't be doomed to repeat it unless you're as forgetful as I am then we're doomed to repeat it... less.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom with all, without a sponsor of course. We do appreciate your efforts!
I am trying to setup a 75 gallon fish tank with plants (heavy fish load, lots of Tiger Barbs), not a planted tank with a few fish. Unfortunately this is a low budget setup, hiring a professional aquascaper is not an option :-)
You can do it!
This was so helpful i was trying to find a good video but they really did help but this was super helpful and let me get a good start
I'm glad it helped!
Such a great informative video!!! You are so easy to follow...you just explain it so well. Great stuff..thanks!!!
Glad it was helpful!
oh man, I really wish I would have had a resource like you back when I started my low tech planted tank "journey." I have a few larger sized low tech tanks now that are well established and doing their thing, but it wasn't easy. It's been a labor of love with a lot of trial and error, emphasis on error (my first dirted tank? oh the smell!!!) I figured a lot out on my own, eventually I stopped looking online for assistance/ideas/etc because I found that a majority of the forums that I read were condescending and not helpful if you were on a budget, and the majority of videos pushed expensive products. Your videos are excellent, I love how you explain everything in a way that both "newbies" and "experienced" alike can get into. Plus, I also like your honest recommendations for budget friendly equipment. Anyway, all of this just to say: I've officially subscribed.
Thanks Kate! Yeh, I don't see why it all has to be so expensive and why there's an elite line of thinking when it comes to branded stuff when a lot of the time off brands will work fine.
@@TheWaterBox I appreciate your response and I agree 100%.
NP. :) Thanks again for participating.
Why was there a smell?
@@ericbryant1778 It was my first dirted tank, 100 gallon, and I didnt have enough water movement so it got stagnant. We decided to empty the tank, replace the substrate, and start over.
Thanks for watching! Clarification, I said hard water. It's better to say high PH though the two usually relates to each other. Here are more videos to get you started:
MORE TO LEARN ABOUT PLANTED TANKS:
☑️ Beginners Planted Tank Guide: goo.gl/oCujCK
☑️ Aquarium Lighting Guide: bit.ly/2INYuMA
☑️ Aquarium Co2 Guide: bit.ly/2rSteVY
☑️ The Dry Start Method: goo.gl/XC8Rnz
☑️ Using Soil: goo.gl/PxkvK4
Well, you clicked "View Reply". You get a joke!
I threw a boomerang a few years ago. Now I live in constant fear.
Good beginners crash course Chung. Covered a few early fails too. 👍
Thanks1
Hey mate just a quick one! When you have a 10 gallon tank what size of hang on filter should I use? Does the filter you recommend have any space for bio filters inside? Im planing my first planted tank so i dont know much about it! Love your videos, very educational and helped me a lot lately. All the best mate stay safe and keep teaching us. Cheers
Just go with the one recommended on the product description. Since it's an HOB you can go by what the manufacture recommends.
I would chose a marineland or any top rated filter over the out dated over rated aqua clear great video
Thanks fro the insight!
Yes jump right in and now the in thing is low tech tanks cheers to all
Glad to her it!
Great video I'm actually doing my first planted tank as I watch this, low tech plants: anubias nana petite, anubias nana barteri and jungle val. I'm learning as I go along and watching your videos to pick up any helpful tips and advice. Keep up the great work.
That is awesome! Keep it up!
@@TheWaterBox I'm having a great time learning about planted tanks and your videos are really helping me to get off on the right foot. I cycled my 20g high tank for a couple of weeks with seachem fluorite for substrate, I have a fluval aquaclear hob and a fluval aquasky adjustable LED. I started with Amazon swords just as test plants, they did great but I became bored with them quick, I switched over to the anubias species and am in love with these plants.
I have anubias nana petite lining the foreground, anubias nana barteri as foreground to midground plants and jungle val lining the back being that jungle val grows quickly and is a heavy root feeder I'm hoping it takes over and fills in the back portion of my aquarium. I'm using tropica nutrition root tabs for the val and tropica nutrition liquid fertilizer for the anubias. The tank is looking great and I'm looking forward to propagating and filling out the tank as I go along. The front of the tank being filled up with all of the anubias looks like a jungle 🙂
Nice! Anubias are nice plants!
@@TheWaterBox Yes very strong plants.
I have extremely hard water and my plants are doing fantastic. I have a dirted tank heavily planted
That's great!
Bob, how hard is your water? I rely on RO water for my 10 gallon because of super hard well water. I want to start a bigger tank but can't get enough RO water quickly. Would appreciate any tips on starting a tank with hard water.
👍
Please state your PH as well as the type of plants you have. That'll help people know what they can grow at the PH you're saying is high
Love your content totally agree would say hob filter one side sponge on the other if your on a 20 plus
👍
Thank You! I am new at this and this was so helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
I'm surprised you didn't use a Hamburg Matten Filter for filtration instead? Only cost is the filter media, tubes and the air pump! Plus you don't have to clean out the filter media as much! Otherwise this is a solid video for people diving into the hobby who want to avoid headaches and emptied wallets.
Covering the most common options for beginners and HMF works great but some people, especially beginner might not like the look or the space it takes up in a tank. I wouldn't mind using one for a shrimp tank where the shrimp is the main highlight but I'm not sold myself on using one for a planted tank. But that's just me. I'll cover using one later or just direct them to Joey or Robs videos if anyone asks.
RESPECT!!! Thanks for the videos.
No problem 👍
Wow! thanks so much!
Happy to help!
Awesome video my friend thanks for the tips
You bet!
Great job on this video! stopping by to say Hi! Hope all is well with you
All good here buddy!
@@TheWaterBox Glad to hear it!
❤👍
Thanks for the tips!
Happy to help!
Really great guide. I’ve read that it’s a good idea to add crushed coral to planted tanks to prevent the ph from changing too drastically, any thoughts on this?
No, not unless your water is TOO soft or RODI. You'll raise PH this way.
Thank you, very helpful!
You're welcome!
Great video...thank you so much
Glad you liked it!
Thank you so much for posting. I have a question however. I have a 29 gallon tank (30x12x18). I used a Nicrew LED light fixture. ALL my plants eventually melted away. What are something I should be looking into to ensure the light is penetrating to the bottom of my tank?
Probably get a more powerful light maybe? I'm not entirely sure which model nicrew you have but there a weak version that pretty much sucks. But plants melting can be plenty of things. It might not just be your lighting.
Curious, how come you don’t reccomend canister filters despite their cost?
Quick and easy. I prefer canisters but they are a bit more pain in the butt to deal with than a simple HOB. Again, this guide is made for simplicity and cost sake.
Would be ok to cycle more fast my new planted tank if I put the media of that new filter in other established tank?
It'll help
Great video!👍 am new to planted aquariums and I was just wondering if I'll need sand at the bottom of the tank capped with eco complete on top? I heard eco complete struggles to hold plants down. Thanks
One, I never had a problem planting in eco complete. Second, I'm not sure what the purpose is to cap eco complete over sand. Sand is more of a cosmetic thing or to keep soil from mixing into the water too much when disturbing the substrate. You would cap sand on top (though with eco-complete, the sand is just going to mix into the eco- complete after a few week)
In one of your videos you had a recommendation for plant/aquarium safe glue for super gluing plants to rocks & wood? What was your recommendation?
I just use super glue gels.
Love this thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’m trying to start in this hobby. I bought a Fluval spec 2.6 gallon. It comes with a 7000k light. Will this light be ok for plants? Good info thanks bro! Merry Christmas!
Probably not as lights that come with tanks usually aren't great for plants but as I don't know the spec of this light, I can't really say. a 7000k light doesn't tell me anything other than the color temp of the light which means nothing for growing plants.
How hard is too hard? My pH is 7.4 but my gH is 16dgH (tap water reads 350ppm usually). Should I cut with ro?
You should be fine. Try to keep it below 7.8-9.0 and you should be ok. You can cut with RO if you want to lower the PH and GH a little if you want. It will make it easier. More important is to go slow if you do and keep it consistent once you hit your target numbers so you don't kill your livestock.
Greetings Chung. Question about covering the tank. You taught me something new about covering tank for CO2. How exact does a cover need to be because of the ins and outs of the filter, cords etc.? Thanks
Most of the top should be covered. Holes or even a 2 inch opening along the back is fine.
@@TheWaterBox thank you. I'm learning a lot.
Glad to hear it!
Great info.
Thanks for watching!
great video, subscribed for more!
Awesome, thank you!
Can I use Hydroten (expanded clay pellets) instead of molding clay? It is used for hydroponics and I have some laying around.
You should be able to... just use one every say 2 inches apart
I've been binge watching your channel as I prepare to set up a 10 planted tank for a betta. I'm still getting things together and then of course will have to cycle and all that but for now I'm just trying to figure out lighting. I have a Finnex planted+ HLC. I turned it on the empty tank just to see it's default setting for 24 hours. I know it will me much too bright for the low light plants I'll be using but I have no idea what to set it on. This will be my first planted tank and although I'm reading up on the color spectrum and all I'm still at a loss. Should I just dial all the settings down by half or do you suggest any particular configuration?
Edited to say. I know I will have to make tweaks once the tank is up and running. I'm just looking for a starting point
If you got the finnex 24/7 start at 60% if injecting co2 at max peak and adjust from there. With no co2 then try starting at 40%. It's hard to give you a solid number since I don't know your whole set up and how much planting you'll be doing but that is a good start as any.
Again, based on a 10g set up.
Thank you for your reply. Yes it is a 10 gallon. I'll be adding java fern, anubias, amazon sword and some "Betta bulbs". No Co2. Would you run the 24/7 with darkness from 9pm to 6am and just lower all the colors to 40% of the presets for the rest of the times?
Finnex planted+ HLC 20"
When using soil as a substrate in a aquarium, can you put a weed barrier between the soil and the top layer(cap layer)??? Or will that cause problems??
Why would you want to do that? That will prevent root getting to the soil layer?
@@TheWaterBox your right. I’m just looking for a cleaner way to do the soil and top layer combo. Cleaner as in less messy and less of a chance both substrates mixing
@@Pr0j3ctSTI No problem but that's why we use the top cap in the first place. It'll still get messy if you move stuff around too much but that's part of doing a dirted tank.
Would you recommend capping the cat litter with sand or is that personal preference? Thank you!
Preference. You don't need too and honestly, the sand is just going to fall to the bottom of after a time if you cap sand over kitty litter.
Imo for a planted tank sponge filter is way better
@dvp458 because the beneficial bacteria stays inside the tank
Thanks for shring!
Kitty litter, eh. Learn new things every day 😁
It's old school stuff! :)
@@TheWaterBox what do you think about safe-t sorb
@@corynelson6392 Dunno, never used it
Could I cap the eco complete with sand?
You can but after a month or two, the sand is just going to mix into the ecocomplete.
@@TheWaterBox okay I’ll definitely keep that in mind.
I was wondering what to do with my plants that come in the mail but I’m not ready to plant them in their intended tank quite yet because some other things have not been delivered yet. I’ve looked for videos on this but haven’t really been finding anything on it. Should I just leave them in their pots and rock wool and float them in another tank or should I plant them in the substrate in another tank until I’m ready to transfer them? Sorry if this doesn’t really have anything to do with this video
I just float them in another tank or a bucket. If it's only for a couple of days. I'd also give it some light and dose some nutrients in the water.
Can you please help me out with to setup aquarium
You'd have to ask a question first.
Thanks again...👍👍👍🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹...
No problem 👍
Anyone have any recommendations for a medium light for a 75 gallon (48 in) planted tank? All my plants are low to medium lighting, is the finnex too much for that??
If you get a 24/7 finnex that allows you to modify the settings, it'll be fine. If you're going with one strip, it'll work fine for a 75g. Just make sure to get the right length to cover a 75g.
You don’t need the cartridges either, replacing it with reticulated aquarium sponge is a much better option
good tip
using soil is actually the best of advice of all, after all soil is where these plants grow in the wild. these articifial substitute arent the best option in terms of plant health and price. Many aquarists promote substitute because theyre paid to do so
What is a low light considered I have a t5 bulb
That's a loaded question. Better if you just watch my lighting series: th-cam.com/play/PLl7jTu1aWwVbqqpVXi_tmwGThvsd96R5W.html
✌🙂🙏
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Can i use uv sterilizer for algea?
If you want. Sure.
It doest kill the plants? Thank u
This helped me buddy 😁 you earned a sub from me 👍
Glad I could help
When’s that discus scape coming? 😅
Someday when I'm not so lazy to get that stupid thing done.
Hey,do you need to add another layer of other things on top of the soil?I'm trying to set a hair grass carpet and I'm really struggling.First time I tried it the soil merged into the water,is there a step I'm missing?
You'd want a cap. Pool filter sand or branded aquarium sand that's inert is fine. Otherwise, it'll get to be a muddy mess in your tank if you move things around.
@@TheWaterBox Ah,ok thx.I guess I'll have to buy Amazonia soil if I want the hair grass carpet
@@th3challenger895 If you use soil and cap it with sand, it'll work well. What soil were you using?
@@TheWaterBox I used the Jiffy natural and organic seed starter mix.
That's fine. It might be your lighting.
what about us in the uk I don’t think we get fish tank sales
Unfortunately I don't know much about how it works outside of the USA.
First place
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Instead of using RODI water to make your water less hard you can just get a softener instead.
Yes, you can but those are temporary solutions. Running peat in your filter would be a good way.
What plants did you put in ur low tech tank?
I've had many low tech tanks over the years. That's a bit of a general question. You can see some of my suggestions here though: th-cam.com/video/UTy3CY2iUgA/w-d-xo.html
Wait... what's wrong with hard water in a planted tank?
It should have been High PH, not necessarily hard water.
I had the feeling my Prime was no good, after a 50% water change that I did the first time I used it and it killed over 20 ember tetras and 20 ottos :/ I was so sad and the signs on the fish were like chlorine burn then I bought another water conditioner and never had the issue again, has anyone run into something similar? if yes I feel your pain.
I just used to let sit the water over 24hrs but nowadays with chloramine been the deal and that it supposed not to evaporate unlike chlorine obligating us to use water conditioner no matter what, right or what your toughs on the topic?
cheers
I've never hear that happening before. It's a shame. :(
@@TheWaterBox I know the plants can hold the shock but it was really sad to see them all die on the following days. Only 2 embers and 1 otto made it after I moved them to other thanks in which I rarely do water changes its manly just plants so it's like a quarantine but not really.
Hey here the funny thing you let me know your thoughts, no shrimp die on the same tank and I'm talking even pregnant ones and probably babies somewhere in the bushes. So is shrimp tough than some fish?
I really like and appreciate the way you share your knowledge keep it up! cheers to you!
by the way, loved your video on flatting out the curve I'm on it and I think since I started dosing bits of Alkaline Buffer to raise KH for the plants it also helped me smooth my curved it no longer drops more than .2 PH my ranges at the time are 6.8-7.2 depending the hour of the day but thanks again due to that info you provided my fish will appreciate it a ton!
Good to hear! On the shrimp, it really depends. Most shrimp are sensitive to metals but Amona, host and Cherry's are pretty hardy. For all we know, it wasn't the prime that killed the first rather than the water change itself. Could have been something in the tap water. That's known to happen as well.
@@TheWaterBox Just helped me confirmed our worst nightmares to the unknown LOL
That is why I been seriously thinking on doing RO/DI sooner than later I guess.
cheers man
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Wrong. Long term, Aquaclear is way cheaper. And it has way more options for biofiltering than a Penguin.
Thanks for you opinion!
Having a brown algae problem, think it's killing my plants!
Oh no!
Have had a similar problem and I think it’s diatom algae in my tank. Too bad it’s all brown... I would be fine with green algae too
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brown algea is cause by too much light, i have had it twice nice easy to take care of, just reduce the amount of light daily!
No conditioners needed. Just move somewhere that gas actual decent quality tap water.
Easier for some, not for other.
@@TheWaterBox I understand OC. Over here though ,The Netherlands, We have , by law, exellent tap water quality. And any conditioners are just a waist. I am double lucky in my area straight from the tap we get 8° GH and 5° KH.
im 900 like :)
Hazzuh!
@@TheWaterBox hi thanks for your wonderful videos, can you make a video about how to mix soils and create a good soil for planted tank? we dont have a reliable soils and access to amazon or ebay in our country and brand soils is very expensive here. again thank you so much for your awesome channel.
@@alirezaharat915 Where exactly is "here"?
@@TheWaterBox in our country, Iran :)
Ah right on!
Kitty litter?? Haha
Yes.
@@TheWaterBox never heard of this before, but it's awesome! Haha
Old School stuff :) All it is us clay which is what most planted tank brand substrate is (clay based).
no hate, but for some reason it sounds like you always have a cold lol
Yeh, it's stupid allergies and it's been super hot and dry these weeks.
Then you better talk to my damn plants. My water turns my fixtures to stalagtite and my stupid plants need trimming every 2 weeks. Then I spend the next 3 weeks rescuing baby snails off the cuttings and putting them back with their moms. R/O water my backside
Haha right on.