I'm starting this journal ~140 days into my first real planted tank. My priority with this tank was to learn how to grow plants. Later I will try to use my acquired experience to make a more sophisticated aquascape in a bigger tank.
Tank: 20 gallon HxLxW = 16" x 24" x 12" inches. Old and scratched up tank that was kicking around.
Light: 24 inch Satellite Current LED + (not planted or pro) that I think gives about 30 par at the substrate.
Substrate ferts: Sprinkled Miracle Grow slow release fertilizer over the bottom of the tank. I couldn't find Osmocote locally and refused to pay exorbitant prices to ship from the States. Unfortunately, the fertilizer I started with didn't have any micronutrients. This may turn out to be relevant. Since then I've bought a different MG slow release that's 9-4-12 NPK plus micros.
Substrate: Safe-T-Sorb cap over Scott's Organic Potting Soil (no sifting, blending, or mineralization). Both are sloped (although that hasn't lasted well). I only used about 2-3cm of soil in the back to about 5mm in the front. In retrospect I wish I used a bit more.
Water: I live on a limestone plain and am on a well, so it's hard. From the tap GH = 13.5 dH (240 ppm), KH = 10.1 dH (180 ppm). Ca2+ ~85ppm, Mg2+ ~ 10 ppm. These numbers based on test kits so might not be super reliable likely fluctuate somewhat anyway. I started with just tapwater and eventually moved to 50% dilution with RO water.
Filtration: Two internal filters: a Whisper and an even cheaper knock-off, both rated for 10-20 gallon tanks. They are set in opposite corners so that they rotate the water (i.e. they don't fight each other). Yes, they are ugly and obstructive.
Tank at day 15:
Hardscape: A weathered buckthorn Ramnus cathartica root "tree" soaked ~3 weeks with a piece of schilt for weight, a couple smaller pieces of bogwood, and another piece of shilt laid flat at the front.
Plants: Dwarf Sag (native, but this came from Tropica), Crypt. wendtii "Green", Java fern, Java moss (on the tree), a local aquatic moss from a pond (on the bogwood), local Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica) tied to the front rock and a bit on the tree, "Red Ludwigia" (so L. repens ?) on the right, and Cardamine lyrata at the rear middle. On the left is an unidentified, hideously ugly, stem plant from a creek.
I will continue this journal in pieces to get to the present state of the tank which, on day 139 is:
Tank: 20 gallon HxLxW = 16" x 24" x 12" inches. Old and scratched up tank that was kicking around.
Light: 24 inch Satellite Current LED + (not planted or pro) that I think gives about 30 par at the substrate.
Substrate ferts: Sprinkled Miracle Grow slow release fertilizer over the bottom of the tank. I couldn't find Osmocote locally and refused to pay exorbitant prices to ship from the States. Unfortunately, the fertilizer I started with didn't have any micronutrients. This may turn out to be relevant. Since then I've bought a different MG slow release that's 9-4-12 NPK plus micros.
Substrate: Safe-T-Sorb cap over Scott's Organic Potting Soil (no sifting, blending, or mineralization). Both are sloped (although that hasn't lasted well). I only used about 2-3cm of soil in the back to about 5mm in the front. In retrospect I wish I used a bit more.
Water: I live on a limestone plain and am on a well, so it's hard. From the tap GH = 13.5 dH (240 ppm), KH = 10.1 dH (180 ppm). Ca2+ ~85ppm, Mg2+ ~ 10 ppm. These numbers based on test kits so might not be super reliable likely fluctuate somewhat anyway. I started with just tapwater and eventually moved to 50% dilution with RO water.
Filtration: Two internal filters: a Whisper and an even cheaper knock-off, both rated for 10-20 gallon tanks. They are set in opposite corners so that they rotate the water (i.e. they don't fight each other). Yes, they are ugly and obstructive.
Tank at day 15:
Hardscape: A weathered buckthorn Ramnus cathartica root "tree" soaked ~3 weeks with a piece of schilt for weight, a couple smaller pieces of bogwood, and another piece of shilt laid flat at the front.
Plants: Dwarf Sag (native, but this came from Tropica), Crypt. wendtii "Green", Java fern, Java moss (on the tree), a local aquatic moss from a pond (on the bogwood), local Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica) tied to the front rock and a bit on the tree, "Red Ludwigia" (so L. repens ?) on the right, and Cardamine lyrata at the rear middle. On the left is an unidentified, hideously ugly, stem plant from a creek.
I will continue this journal in pieces to get to the present state of the tank which, on day 139 is:
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