Hi Guys,
Just started this hobby last Saturday with my little girl. Water is a nice 25 C. I had the outflow from the filter pointed down first but after seeing a lot if bio film on top of the water, i directed it upwards to create flow.
Any tips for me? Do I need more plants? It’s a 70L Juwel.
Posted by njaynl
5 Comments
Switch the colored gravel to sand or good substrate and add plants
I’d recommend changing over to a sand substrate with aquasoil if you haven’t already to provide the plants with nutrients. You probably want to switch out the old pineapple of death if you’re planning on getting any fish because they might get stuck in there. As for plants, the more the merrier.
Have you got any idea on what you’re going to stock it with yet?
You should probably use aquasoil and if you want a natural look use some driftwood
Colored gravel is not inherently evil, despite many opinions otherwise.
It does reduce the porosity of the gravel leading to a reduction in the amount of beneficial bacteria that can colonize it. That would make your tank a bit less stable, but with a proper filter you probably won’t notice it.
Like sand, gravel doesn’t have any nutrients and so can’t support root feeding plants on its own. You can purchase root tabs (fertilizer pills) instead. Add as directed on the package. Epiphytic plants (water column feeders) like anubias and Java fern don’t even need that and don’t care what substrate you have.
If this tank is for your kid and she likes the blue gravel, go for it. It should look the way you want it to, you don’t need to go with the natural look because someone on the Internet told you to.
Use the one back right plant and trim it and replant in the back. It will grow very well. Let the tank cycle well.
And don’t let it become a r/pineappleofdeath tank.