Soon to be planted

I want to convert the malawi neighbourhood in to a planted aquascape.
Any suggestions?

Specs:
2 x200L tanks 100 x 40 x 50cm connected with a water bridge.
DIY cannister filter 4000L p/h dual inlets and outlets.
Each tank have a HOB and a powerhead and 3x diy T8 lights planning T5 for planted.

This will be a low to medium tech tank first.

Planning pres co2 for the future... split in to 2 tanks

My biggest concern is the substrate???
Any suggestions for a DIY project that will work for CO2 aswell?
I have: hydroton, lava rock, osmocote and riversand.
Should I use: PFP at the bottom, potting soil, laterite or any other form of soil???

Gestuur van SIII, maar hy kan nie spel nie

 

Dont go DIY Co2. Why not just run normal sand with low tech plants?

Plants:
Dwarf Sword for the mid ground. Mid/Rear, amazon sword, java fern (needleleaf) and various Anubias bunched up and get some Hydrocortle SP Japan for the back and let it grow long.

You can easily propogate enough plants in your windowsill for the entire tank.

Dont go too strong with lights, your T8 would be fine but t5 is always better, run for 8 hours a day at first.

 

Thank you for reply. I want to go Hi tech in future and want a "rich" substrate.

PM send

 

Ola Rickus, replied.

Personally, active substrates are hassles for me when they start to exaust. Dosing a food water based fert will be more than enough. Using a bit of JBL Substrat and Manado as base layers will work wonders for you.

 

ok ok who is stocking the JBL in ZAF - will be glad if we have a supplier - had to bring my own substrate and a JBL canister, reflectors power heads, CO2 equipment in a few years back when the R/$ was like at 8 ...

 

Thats a killer f-fish. R/$ is so broken now. I hope you can find some. Do you get tropica substrate?

 

Yeap tropica was in the country till end 2013 but some issue with import permits killed that idea, not sure if it is resolved yet. JBL is a touch cheaper than Eheim - even if you have to buy it in Germany and ship it here.

 

JBL has the best service and their externals are amazing!

 

Hi @Rickus . I'm also want to get rid of my malawis maybe maybe do low-tech planted and then add some Tets, cory's and eventually Discus.
I'm following your thread...