Low Budget Planted Tank!!!

[jowens]

Hi Guys,

I'm moving into a new apartment next month and am interested in setting up a low-budget planted tank. I'm thinking 20 gallons. I'm lucky enough to have a spare Fluval 204 laying around, but other than that, I'd be starting from scratch. I have a successful planted 46-gallon tank with CO2 injection, expensive lighting...the whole nine yards - so I know the basics. What I'd like to do is replicate the success I've had in the big tank for a fraction of the price. Here's what I'll pay full price for:

- standard 20 gallon tank with standard cover
- a high quality heater w/thermastat
- plants/fish
- homemade CO2 injector
- light timer

Here's what I'd like to build on a very tight budget:

- lighting hood or fixture
- substrate

Basically, my main tank is all about the fish...the plants are important but secondary. This smaller tank, I'm thinking, will house a nice school of rummy nose tetras or some other really attractive small schooling fish, and just a pair of breeding Apistos and/or a killie or two. But it will really be all about the plants. I'd like to try my hand at a small Amano-ish setup.

Any suggestions on building lights/substrate on the limited budget?

[jowens]

I'll reply to myself. Here's what I'm thinking.

Substrate - A big bag of top soil to start. Pack the top soil down real good in the bottom of the dry tank. Use a brick to make it nice and tight. About 1 inch. Next, laterite. This violates my low budget rule, but I can't help it. Spread the laterite over the top soil and pack in tight. Next, sand. Just the cheap stuff from the LFS that's a little bit granular (so it sinks and doesn't get in fish's gills). This will be about two inches deep over the top soil...so in total, the substrate will be about 3" dep. Obviously I'll be super careful filling with water to avoid unlocking the soil beneath.

Lighting - Shop lights from Home Depot. Using a measuring tape, I'll try and ballpark a good set. I'll want about 3 watts per gallon, which equals 60 watts in my setup. A shoplight that holds two 30 watt bulbs will be perfect.

Comments???

[Neil]

jowens,
Sounds like a cool project. May I suggest compact flour. lights though. You can buy a retrofit kit of 2 - 13watt or alittle larger. They say that they have 3 and a half the output of regular flour. but I think it is a little less then that. Regardless, those would be fairly cheap (if you shop around) and provide the lighting that you would need to do most of the plants that you would want. Check this out:
http://ahsupply.com/
As far a substrate, I don't know much about the top-soil thing, but that sounds like it might come with some problems. Maybe others know more about it. Maybe you could try a bag of sand (washed, etc.) from Home Depot and get yourself some laterite to mix into the bottom 1/3rd. Again, there is probably some good deals on the web, and it would not violate your budget rule too much. Good luck, Neil

[Cichlids1]

As far as the different substrate mixtures, check this link:

http://home.infinet.net/teban/

A lot of kewl stuff under the Articals section. I've tried a couple mixtures and they have worked very well.

[Mike Chappell]

As far as low budget you would have to go shop lights, most likely the 20W bulbs, and you can easily get 4-20W(24") bulbs on a 20L or H. Now if you have a few extra dollars, although this is going agaist low budget. The PC's are your best bet, on a 20L, 2X55W set prividing 110Watts would light it up like a Xmas tree:)

As far as substrate, I just like to use a decently fine gravel, not so small as sand, but small, and supplement some root fertilizers under the heavy rooted plants and seems to work just fine..

[Neil]

Mike Chappell,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Mike,
Nice to Mike have you with us. Check out his website at:


http://www.threeguysaquatics.com/

HAPPY EASTER :) Neil

[Eva32181]

Low budget substrate, eh?

I went very high budget on my substrate - fluorite all the way. Boy was that ever expensive. But if I were to redo on the cheap, this would be my plan:

fisrt layer - peat, boiled and drained, damp but not muddy.
second layer - jobe's plant sticks, cut into chunks and scattered over the bottom.
third layer - standard aquarium gravel, in a nice dark brown color.

I've heard that sand compacts over time and becomes too tight for delicate roots. And swords root feeders, so I've been told, and need ferts in the ground.

Do let us know how this tank goes! (what a fun project - I'm jealous)