Hi All ! I recently broke down my 210g saltwater tank after opting to go native. I have kept both freshwater and saltwater tanks for years but am wondering if there are any major differences I should know of for going native. I live in VA and was also wondering what would be the best combos of fish for stocking. We are wanting to add plants and I need to know what type of lighting I would need. I currently have a 72" PC on the tank with 50/50 bulbs. Any info will be GREATLY appreciated as I want to do this right the first time.
new to native tanks...need a little help
Started by
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, Aug 08 2009 07:39 AM
20 replies to this topic
#2
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 08 August 2009 - 09:20 AM
Well, I am sre there are others here that will want to chime in, but I will tell you as someone who came to natives directly from reefs, there are actually a lot of similarities. The main one is that if you are interested in keeping a planted tank with fish, it is much like keeping a reef with fish, in that you are not trying to keep the tank "clean" you are trying to keep the tank balanced. So instead of live rock, I recommend you go with a deep, natural dirt substrate (preferabley directly from your back yard). This (and your plants) are your biological filter and de-nitrification system. Your lighting is still important, so I would stick with it. One thing you do not have to work about is temperature... well you still have to pay attention, but this time you are trying to keep everything as cool as you can right down to room temperature. And the most important similarity, you have to get to know the fish... and the biggest difference, there are not so many books out there that will tell you exactly what fish go with what fish. But that's what this forum can be good for...
So a potential aquarium for 210 gallons for a guy from Virginia... well if it was me, I would go buy Freshwater Fishes of Virginia... and if you get the same edition that I have it will have a dust cover with a drawing of a Bluehead Chub, a Crescent Shiner, and some Mountain Redbelly Dace... and I would try to recreate that stream combination. These are very colorful fish, relatively abundant to go out and find, and pretty hardy. That would be a good start. And then I would investigate the rest of the book to see what what kind of logperch (or other larger Percina darter) you have, and whatever nice colorful Etheostoma darter you could come up with.
And that is one of the great parts of natives... study and learn your local fishes... and get out in the habitat and find 'em!
So a potential aquarium for 210 gallons for a guy from Virginia... well if it was me, I would go buy Freshwater Fishes of Virginia... and if you get the same edition that I have it will have a dust cover with a drawing of a Bluehead Chub, a Crescent Shiner, and some Mountain Redbelly Dace... and I would try to recreate that stream combination. These are very colorful fish, relatively abundant to go out and find, and pretty hardy. That would be a good start. And then I would investigate the rest of the book to see what what kind of logperch (or other larger Percina darter) you have, and whatever nice colorful Etheostoma darter you could come up with.
And that is one of the great parts of natives... study and learn your local fishes... and get out in the habitat and find 'em!
Edited by Michael Wolfe, 08 August 2009 - 09:23 AM.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#3
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Posted 08 August 2009 - 12:41 PM
You have a lot of options with a tank that size. You could have a great stream tank with Minnows, Shiners, Daces, and Darters. You could grab a mask and take an underwater view of your local stream/river to make it very realistic. Remember, these style fish come from mostly clean, clear, flowing water and they will need good water quality. I realized that when my 120 gallon rated filter couldn't handle my 75 gallon tank. I'm sure with a reef tank, you probably already have good filtration.
Also, you could make a great lake style tank with some beautiful Sunfish, Perch, and other midsized fish. Sunfish are really beautiful but not as active as a tank full of Shiners/Darters.
Keep us updated on the build and stocking process of the tank. I always enjoy a build thread.
Also, you could make a great lake style tank with some beautiful Sunfish, Perch, and other midsized fish. Sunfish are really beautiful but not as active as a tank full of Shiners/Darters.
Keep us updated on the build and stocking process of the tank. I always enjoy a build thread.
#4
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Posted 08 August 2009 - 12:54 PM
Plants will need different bulbs than corals, but your fixture and ballast are likely more than adequate. The actinic lighting is useless for freshwater plants, and your other bulbs may be a little too far toward the warm end of the spectrum. The usual recommendation for freshwater lighting is bulbs in the 5000-7000K range. With such a big tank I'd probably keep just as many bulbs as you had on it for saltwater, and then you can grow pretty much anything.
#5
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Posted 09 August 2009 - 03:41 AM
I have to second Josh's suggestion for a stream tank. I've been keeping natives a long time, and I find that I enjoy looking at a tank with a lot of small colorful and interesting fish better than a tank with a few big fish. It's all up to your personal preference, though. A planted stream tank is the best. I think that you'll like darters, too. I'm biased, as they are my favorite fish, but I think you'll find that you can find species with both color and personality! Here's a picture of a Rainbow Darter from Wisconsin. You may be able to find these in western Virginia.
Brian
Brian
#6
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 08:14 AM
Thanks all for the replies. My husband and I ( yep, I'm a girl from VA 
) are still unsure of which route to take with the tank. He wants more along the lines of rock bass and sun perch whereas I like the idea of the stream. We have a creek running through our front property that gives us an opportunity to collect some species with a minnow trap. Here are a list of questions I have regarding getting started.
One big question I have is about filtration. The only thing I have right now for freshwater are a couple of aquaclear 110's from prior tanks. Nothing I have for salt will work. Would the 2 AC's along with heavy planting suffice as long as it was lightly stocked? Say a couple of rock bass and 3 or 4 pumpkinseeds?
Secondly..as far as substrate. Can I use creek bed rocks instead of actual dirt or sand? I am meaning the small rocks or maybe I should call them pebbles, to get a shallow layer. I can also use the creek bed dirt/sand if that is preferable. It's just that here in VA, we have clay based soil and I didn't know if that would work. I was also thinking of building a platform to make a ledge for flat rocks. Similar to the type you build with PVC for live rock in a salt tank. I was going to put this on one side.
How well does driftwood do in a tank? Some have told me that it tends to make the water brown. We have a ton in the creek to choose from.
And finally...well finally for now..lol...what would be the best plants for me to look into as far as ease? This is a deep tank and my lights are suspended about 6" off the water. I am going to try and get FW bulbs online, as I run PC's, but I am worried that they won't penetrate deep enough for anything that requires high lighting. Can plants be put onto raised rock platforms to be nearer to the light source?
Sorry for all the questions. I have a 75g reef that was easier to set up.
) are still unsure of which route to take with the tank. He wants more along the lines of rock bass and sun perch whereas I like the idea of the stream. We have a creek running through our front property that gives us an opportunity to collect some species with a minnow trap. Here are a list of questions I have regarding getting started.One big question I have is about filtration. The only thing I have right now for freshwater are a couple of aquaclear 110's from prior tanks. Nothing I have for salt will work. Would the 2 AC's along with heavy planting suffice as long as it was lightly stocked? Say a couple of rock bass and 3 or 4 pumpkinseeds?
Secondly..as far as substrate. Can I use creek bed rocks instead of actual dirt or sand? I am meaning the small rocks or maybe I should call them pebbles, to get a shallow layer. I can also use the creek bed dirt/sand if that is preferable. It's just that here in VA, we have clay based soil and I didn't know if that would work. I was also thinking of building a platform to make a ledge for flat rocks. Similar to the type you build with PVC for live rock in a salt tank. I was going to put this on one side.
How well does driftwood do in a tank? Some have told me that it tends to make the water brown. We have a ton in the creek to choose from.
And finally...well finally for now..lol...what would be the best plants for me to look into as far as ease? This is a deep tank and my lights are suspended about 6" off the water. I am going to try and get FW bulbs online, as I run PC's, but I am worried that they won't penetrate deep enough for anything that requires high lighting. Can plants be put onto raised rock platforms to be nearer to the light source?
Sorry for all the questions. I have a 75g reef that was easier to set up.
#7
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 09:33 AM
You don't necessarily have to choose between sunfish and a community tank; longear sunfish, for example, can be kept with moderate-sized "community" fish such as madtoms, logperch, greenside darters, bluehead chubs, and large shiners.
You can certainly filter a tank with plants alone, but if you're not experienced with heavily planted tanks you should probably have a redundant traditional biofilter. I don't think the two AC110's would cut it. I have a tank with two juvenile snapping turtles (each about the bioload of one or two adult sunfish), filtered with an AC110 and a large emersed peace lily. Water quality is OK with weekly 50% water changes, but the AC110 barely keeps up with mechanical filtration and requires frequent cleaning. For a tank of that size I suggest one of three options: a wet/dry sump filter; two or more decent canister filters; or a turf algae scrubber. I am about to set up one of the last on my 300 gallon community tank.
You can certainly use creek rocks instead of soil but you will lose some of the filtration capacity and nutrient content of the soil. If you do use soil, you don't need to dig down to the clay; just scoop some topsoil or leaf mold from the top few inches. The organic layer has all the bacteria and nutrients you want.
Your ledges will work fine; I have a similar ledge in a large paludarium, which I use to support emersed plants such as lizardtail, arrowhead, swamp dock, and arrow arum. I used Great Stuff expanding insulation foam and black Krylon Fusion spray paint to disguise the exposed parts of the platform.
Driftwood is a great asset in a tank. Fish love it and it looks great. Some driftwood will leak tannic and humic acids for a while after being added, which will stain the water a bit- a little yellow at first, eventually becoming tea-colored if you have enough acid and go long enough between water changes. This is only an aesthetic problem, as the acids are harmless, and even beneficial for some fish and plants. To avoid staining, choose driftwood old enough to have reached the gray, skeletal stage of weathering. If you have a "juicier" piece, soak it in a trash can full of water prior to adding it to the tank. Change the water frequently until it stays clear. Some people say boiling the wood speeds up the acid removal; I've never tried it.
I recommend hornwort/coontail (Ceratophyllum sp.) as a good plant for the deeper areas; it does not need intense light, grows rapidly, makes good cover for fish, and is a good nitrate sponge. I just trimmed about two gallon's worth out of my 300, from a handful added in May.
If you want to use local plants, take some pictures of what you have available and post them here. Some of our resident plant experts will be sure to ID them and tell you how they fare in the aquarium.
You can certainly filter a tank with plants alone, but if you're not experienced with heavily planted tanks you should probably have a redundant traditional biofilter. I don't think the two AC110's would cut it. I have a tank with two juvenile snapping turtles (each about the bioload of one or two adult sunfish), filtered with an AC110 and a large emersed peace lily. Water quality is OK with weekly 50% water changes, but the AC110 barely keeps up with mechanical filtration and requires frequent cleaning. For a tank of that size I suggest one of three options: a wet/dry sump filter; two or more decent canister filters; or a turf algae scrubber. I am about to set up one of the last on my 300 gallon community tank.
You can certainly use creek rocks instead of soil but you will lose some of the filtration capacity and nutrient content of the soil. If you do use soil, you don't need to dig down to the clay; just scoop some topsoil or leaf mold from the top few inches. The organic layer has all the bacteria and nutrients you want.
Your ledges will work fine; I have a similar ledge in a large paludarium, which I use to support emersed plants such as lizardtail, arrowhead, swamp dock, and arrow arum. I used Great Stuff expanding insulation foam and black Krylon Fusion spray paint to disguise the exposed parts of the platform.
Driftwood is a great asset in a tank. Fish love it and it looks great. Some driftwood will leak tannic and humic acids for a while after being added, which will stain the water a bit- a little yellow at first, eventually becoming tea-colored if you have enough acid and go long enough between water changes. This is only an aesthetic problem, as the acids are harmless, and even beneficial for some fish and plants. To avoid staining, choose driftwood old enough to have reached the gray, skeletal stage of weathering. If you have a "juicier" piece, soak it in a trash can full of water prior to adding it to the tank. Change the water frequently until it stays clear. Some people say boiling the wood speeds up the acid removal; I've never tried it.
I recommend hornwort/coontail (Ceratophyllum sp.) as a good plant for the deeper areas; it does not need intense light, grows rapidly, makes good cover for fish, and is a good nitrate sponge. I just trimmed about two gallon's worth out of my 300, from a handful added in May.
If you want to use local plants, take some pictures of what you have available and post them here. Some of our resident plant experts will be sure to ID them and tell you how they fare in the aquarium.
Edited by Newt, 10 August 2009 - 09:38 AM.
#9
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 10:43 AM
Heh, I've gotten pretty excited about them lately myself. If they work as well as their proponents claim, I may end up building one for every tank I set up. I'll post a build thread when I get started on the one for my 300 (should be early in September).
#10
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 12:03 PM
I'll ring on also on a couple of your questions. For the most part, I agree with Newt.
1. 2 A/C will not be enough for that size tank. I have a 75 and I'm using 2 big cannister filters. A rock bass and 3-4 Pseeds will create a fairly heavy bio-load, as they are a little more messy than fish you may be used to. I agree with a wet/dry or several cannisters. I feel like I can't stress filtration enough as I've been down the road where I though my filter was enough, but it wasn't. Just remember that natives are not tank raised and they are stressed out in the first place when collected. Also, they come from places of moving/changing water into a tank that is a closed circuit for water, so the quality needs to be good.
2. You can use the small 'pebbles' for the subrate but it will not accept plants as well, though it will give you a good look for a stream tank.
3. Driftwood is great. If you collect a piece that floats, use stainless steel screws and attach it to plexiglass or like a piece of plastic and bury that part under your substrate, that will hold it in place. I have had to soak driftwood to remove the tannins before, and boiling does speed this process. However, boiling only works for smaller pieces you can fit on your stove.....unless your a witch that has a caldron for witches brew. In a tank with moving (filtered) water, it shouldn't take long for all the brown to come out.
1. 2 A/C will not be enough for that size tank. I have a 75 and I'm using 2 big cannister filters. A rock bass and 3-4 Pseeds will create a fairly heavy bio-load, as they are a little more messy than fish you may be used to. I agree with a wet/dry or several cannisters. I feel like I can't stress filtration enough as I've been down the road where I though my filter was enough, but it wasn't. Just remember that natives are not tank raised and they are stressed out in the first place when collected. Also, they come from places of moving/changing water into a tank that is a closed circuit for water, so the quality needs to be good.
2. You can use the small 'pebbles' for the subrate but it will not accept plants as well, though it will give you a good look for a stream tank.
3. Driftwood is great. If you collect a piece that floats, use stainless steel screws and attach it to plexiglass or like a piece of plastic and bury that part under your substrate, that will hold it in place. I have had to soak driftwood to remove the tannins before, and boiling does speed this process. However, boiling only works for smaller pieces you can fit on your stove.....unless your a witch that has a caldron for witches brew. In a tank with moving (filtered) water, it shouldn't take long for all the brown to come out.
#11
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 12:31 PM
( yep, I'm a girl from VA
Yay another one!
I actually use a mix of VA clay from the backyard and topsoil for my planted tanks and it works really well. My red plants are super red and I'm sure the iron from the clay helps a lot. I do put a layer of inert substrate over the clay/dirt to keep it from getting dug up and you could try that with your stream gravel. That way you have a dirt substrate for plants but still have the stream look.
#12
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 12:42 PM
Hi dlsmith,
I'm a woman in Virginia too! I'm in Hampton. Are you nearby? If so, we can go swamping sometime.
I think your first decision would have to be whether you want the tank to be planted or not, and how densely. That will really determine what substrate you use. If you don't wind up having plants, a soil underlayment could be a real pain in the butt. If you want mainly stream with some Vallisneria in spots, I would just put soil in the section you want them to grow in - maybe in little perforated trays, to keep the soil contained.
Planted tanks can also need more maintenance than stream tanks, depending on what your vision of "work" is. They need fewer water changes, but if you are the fussy sort, you will be relandscaping a lot. When neglected, they can look pretty overgrown and messy - important if your spouse isn't into the jungle swamp look being in the living room. But if aesthetics aren't the issue, they can be less maintenance since water quality will be in part maintanied by the plants. I've had planted tanks that went a couple years without water changes.
Search for FarmerTodd's big planted tank to help you decide. Many people (myself included) are jealous of that tank. Todd may be able to chime in about the level of effort needed for that tank after it is established.
Regardless of what you decide to do, you're sure to have a good time. Nothing beats swamping around and taking home things to watch in the tank. It's like we get to be seven years old forever!
I'm a woman in Virginia too! I'm in Hampton. Are you nearby? If so, we can go swamping sometime.
I think your first decision would have to be whether you want the tank to be planted or not, and how densely. That will really determine what substrate you use. If you don't wind up having plants, a soil underlayment could be a real pain in the butt. If you want mainly stream with some Vallisneria in spots, I would just put soil in the section you want them to grow in - maybe in little perforated trays, to keep the soil contained.
Planted tanks can also need more maintenance than stream tanks, depending on what your vision of "work" is. They need fewer water changes, but if you are the fussy sort, you will be relandscaping a lot. When neglected, they can look pretty overgrown and messy - important if your spouse isn't into the jungle swamp look being in the living room. But if aesthetics aren't the issue, they can be less maintenance since water quality will be in part maintanied by the plants. I've had planted tanks that went a couple years without water changes.
Search for FarmerTodd's big planted tank to help you decide. Many people (myself included) are jealous of that tank. Todd may be able to chime in about the level of effort needed for that tank after it is established.
Regardless of what you decide to do, you're sure to have a good time. Nothing beats swamping around and taking home things to watch in the tank. It's like we get to be seven years old forever!
#13
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 02:18 PM
>> dlsmith65 wrote: My husband and I ( yep, I'm a girl from VA ) are still unsure of which route to take with the tank. He wants more along the lines of rock bass and sun perch whereas I like the idea of the stream.
Well that problem is EASY to solve. Two tanks.
If you dont like that answer, this forum is gonna be a BAD influence on you.
Regarding soil, you can put it in a barrel of water for a few days and pour off whatever doesn't settle. That'll help minimize turbidity later. And of course add water very carefully; lay a dinner plate on the substrate to break the force of falling water. Most bass and Lepomis sunfish will dig; minnows and darters generally dont (except nest-building chubs).
A sand/soil mix is best for plants, as others have said. Deep coarse gravel (without soil or sand) becomes a problem as the spaces fill up with decaying food and fish poop. So if you like the coarse look, just put a thin layer of it on top of the sand/soil.
Keeping darters with minnows or sunnies you'll need to feed pretty heavily and often in order to get enough food to the darters; most darters just cant gorge as fast as minnows and sunnies can.
Well that problem is EASY to solve. Two tanks.
If you dont like that answer, this forum is gonna be a BAD influence on you.
Regarding soil, you can put it in a barrel of water for a few days and pour off whatever doesn't settle. That'll help minimize turbidity later. And of course add water very carefully; lay a dinner plate on the substrate to break the force of falling water. Most bass and Lepomis sunfish will dig; minnows and darters generally dont (except nest-building chubs).
A sand/soil mix is best for plants, as others have said. Deep coarse gravel (without soil or sand) becomes a problem as the spaces fill up with decaying food and fish poop. So if you like the coarse look, just put a thin layer of it on top of the sand/soil.
Keeping darters with minnows or sunnies you'll need to feed pretty heavily and often in order to get enough food to the darters; most darters just cant gorge as fast as minnows and sunnies can.
#14
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 10 August 2009 - 04:06 PM
Well, you probably have enough answers already, but I want to chime in on two issues...
Red clay is fantanstic (at least for aquariums, it sucks to try to dig through but that is altogether different) for planted tanks... mine (north georgia) are doing very well with minimal effort. Plants grow like crazy, which keeps the water clear and the fish happy...
And the second thing is some of us like the overgrown look of a healthy group of plants that obscure your vision of the fish... mabe not the whole tank, but I have a very thick and wild seciton of my 75 that the fish can go into and disappear... just like fish going ino tthe rocks of a reef tank... it makes the fish happy and it adds visual interest to the tank... even a mostly stream tank can have a nice wild section... who wants to see all the fish all the time?
Red clay is fantanstic (at least for aquariums, it sucks to try to dig through but that is altogether different) for planted tanks... mine (north georgia) are doing very well with minimal effort. Plants grow like crazy, which keeps the water clear and the fish happy...
And the second thing is some of us like the overgrown look of a healthy group of plants that obscure your vision of the fish... mabe not the whole tank, but I have a very thick and wild seciton of my 75 that the fish can go into and disappear... just like fish going ino tthe rocks of a reef tank... it makes the fish happy and it adds visual interest to the tank... even a mostly stream tank can have a nice wild section... who wants to see all the fish all the time?
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#15
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Posted 11 August 2009 - 05:10 AM
Wow...ask for info here and you definitely get what you need in detail ! Thanks, thanks and thanks !
Nativeplanter..I'm over on the west side of VA in Lexington. We have the Maury River over here and I was hoping to do some collecting there along with my creek. Luckily, I have 3 sons who LOVE to fish and I wouldn't have to bend their arms behind their backs to do a lil collecting of fish for me. And the soil in a tray is a fantastic idea. I was trying to figure out how to plant just one side of the tank while leaving the other as a ledge.
Gerald...I still have my 75g reef so I think the spouse would kill me if I brought up another tank. I broke down my 55g FW tank a couple of years ago and he said 2 was ALL I needed. I think he would have a cow if I mentioned firing it back up again...lol. Besides, it now houses 2 guinea pigs. It was either them or a snake for my #2 child.
Newt...I have a 55g sump under the 210. Could that possibly be set up with bio-balls, or another media, for filtration? It is chambered and I have a mag12 for a return pump. I only had a skimmer on one side and a fuge on the other with the return pump in the middle. Also, thanks for the algae scrubber link. I will have to do some in depth reading on that. I'm just trying to not have to spend hundreds to convert this tank. I quit counting how much $$$ I spent on equipment for it for salt. The skimmer alone set me back almost $500. I also have a UV sterilizer packed away and was wondering if that would work with FW. Boy, y'all are going to be sick of me asking all these questions.
Nativeplanter..I'm over on the west side of VA in Lexington. We have the Maury River over here and I was hoping to do some collecting there along with my creek. Luckily, I have 3 sons who LOVE to fish and I wouldn't have to bend their arms behind their backs to do a lil collecting of fish for me. And the soil in a tray is a fantastic idea. I was trying to figure out how to plant just one side of the tank while leaving the other as a ledge.
Gerald...I still have my 75g reef so I think the spouse would kill me if I brought up another tank. I broke down my 55g FW tank a couple of years ago and he said 2 was ALL I needed. I think he would have a cow if I mentioned firing it back up again...lol. Besides, it now houses 2 guinea pigs. It was either them or a snake for my #2 child.
Newt...I have a 55g sump under the 210. Could that possibly be set up with bio-balls, or another media, for filtration? It is chambered and I have a mag12 for a return pump. I only had a skimmer on one side and a fuge on the other with the return pump in the middle. Also, thanks for the algae scrubber link. I will have to do some in depth reading on that. I'm just trying to not have to spend hundreds to convert this tank. I quit counting how much $$$ I spent on equipment for it for salt. The skimmer alone set me back almost $500. I also have a UV sterilizer packed away and was wondering if that would work with FW. Boy, y'all are going to be sick of me asking all these questions.
#16
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Posted 11 August 2009 - 08:18 AM
If you already have a sump, you should definitely use it! Bioballs are fine, or you could use mat or ceramic media, drinking straws, nylon pot scrubbers, bird netting, plastic army men, porous rock, etc. The skimmer won't do you any good, but you can still use the refugium. Does the fuge have its own lighting? If so, you can plant it with a fast-growing plant to use as a nitrate sponge, and introduce scuds and other meso- and microcrustaceans (the freshwater equivalents of "pods") to eat fish food particles and provide occasional fish treats. If the fuge is unlit, just use it as another bio media chamber.
UV sterilizers work just fine in freshwater. Keep it around in case of a green water or pathogen issue, but there's no need to run it all the time.
UV sterilizers work just fine in freshwater. Keep it around in case of a green water or pathogen issue, but there's no need to run it all the time.
#17
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Posted 11 August 2009 - 07:39 PM
If you already have a sump, you should definitely use it! Bioballs are fine, or you could use mat or ceramic media, drinking straws, nylon pot scrubbers, bird netting, plastic army men, porous rock, etc. The skimmer won't do you any good, but you can still use the refugium.
I agree, if you have a sump, keep it. It will filter a freshwater native just as well.
#18
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Posted 12 August 2009 - 07:03 AM
I do have another question regarding the sump. I have never used bio balls on my tanks. I was purely skimmer and fuge with live rock and macro algae along with 250lbs of LR in the display tank. My sump has 3 compartments with one side having baffles. The middle chamber is plumbed for the return pump, the right side is plumbed for a fuge as I can control the flow with a ball joint and the left is just solid flow with no ball joint to restrict flow. I am assuming that I would use the continuous side for the bio balls or whatever media I opt to choose. Does the media have to be raised or can it be submerged? Also, should I put some type of sponge in one of the baffles to catch particulate matter? Finally, as far as the fuge goes. What would you suggest for substrate and plants? I run a single 6400k bulb on a cheap light I bought from Lowes. It kept my cheato growing well but I am not sure how FW plants would do under the same lighting. Because i can manipulate the flow, I was curious about types of substrate. I had sugar sand in there and never had a problem with it being stirred up and washed into my return pump. Thanks again for all the help !
#19
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Posted 12 August 2009 - 12:02 PM
Raised media will probably provide more oxygen to culture bacteria, but even though water only holds something like 7 ppm dissolved oxygen, it is usually more than enough for any tanks I have used. (Read: do whichever is easiest -- it won't matter)
Don't over-think this one -- you are talking about natives now...not weird coral, or nudibranches, or whatever the SW folks are trying desperately to keep these days. You will probably find natives about 1/8 as difficult as most SW tanks you have done.
Don't over-think this one -- you are talking about natives now...not weird coral, or nudibranches, or whatever the SW folks are trying desperately to keep these days. You will probably find natives about 1/8 as difficult as most SW tanks you have done.
Edited by Gene2308, 12 August 2009 - 12:02 PM.
#20
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Posted 12 August 2009 - 01:03 PM
I agree with Gene. Your 6400K light will probably be fine for any plant you choose, though you could invest in one of those pinkish grow-lights if you really wanted to. Hornwort, any of the various anacharis varieties, salvinia, duckweed, and water lettuce are all hardy, rapidly-growing plants that need no substrate, as they pull their nutrients directly from the water column.
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