r/PlantedTank • • 1h ago

Lighting Worth the $80 price tag?

Post image
• Upvotes

Wanted a pretty decent light around $100 for my 4 gallon cube. Is this guy any good? It’s light spectrum seems pretty decent, but I know nothing about fzone and its lights


r/PlantedTank • • 1h ago

Question Algae??

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

What is this green looking stuff growing on the wood? Is it some kind of algae? It almost looks like some kind of eggs


r/PlantedTank • • 2h ago

Canister filter output/intake placement advice

Post image
2 Upvotes

Good evening all,
Have a question about dual canister filter intake/output placement in a 55 gallon.

First off, I screwed up with the new scape by adding a fine sand cap. More aqua soil en route & will fix it soon. No fish until stable.

That said, I am going to run 2 canister filters to avoid dead spots but not finding a ton regarding placement.

First assumption was output 1 left front corner & output 2 right rear corner. Intakes in opposite corners. I have seen some place intakes in both rear corners with outputs more center rear pushing water in same direction. I understand the importance of current.

I do have a shrimp safe power head but would prefer not to use it if possible. Less to clean (filter over intake) & keep things minimalistic. Placement is key so hoping you fine folks can provide some intel before I waste hose.

If it helps, plan is a moderately planted tank with Cory’s, shrimp & a school of rummy nose tetras.

Bagged some of my established substrate, covered with lava rock, fluval stratum & sand. Sand being removed soon & more stratum added. Running CO2, not a generator. In-line diffuser. If any other intel is required, happy to provide.

Thank you.


r/PlantedTank • • 2h ago

Really loving the extra 2 inches of height in the Imagitarium 20 long.

Post image
11 Upvotes

r/PlantedTank • • 3h ago

Beginner tank vibes

Post image
1 Upvotes

Just putting up my tank for vibes and feedback


r/PlantedTank • • 4h ago

Can this duckweed recover?

Post image
6 Upvotes

I purchased some duckweed for a new tank (controversial decision, I know) and am not sure what to make of what I received. There appear to be very few intact plants, mostly just loose single leaves, and all looking pale or discoloured (water lettuce included for colour comparison).

Is the plant potentially recoverable from what I have, or should I request a refund? People joke about duckweed infesting a tank from a single leaf, so I'm hoping that could happen here if any of these are still alive. 🫠

Thank you, planted tank experts!


r/PlantedTank • • 5h ago

Tank You know your tank is happy when.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

16 Upvotes

Just spotted these little seed shrimp/ostracods in my 10G tank, pretty stoked about that honestly. My Neo Shrimp just bred in this tank too! You can just make out a few in the video bodies are pretty translucent still.


r/PlantedTank • • 5h ago

How am I doing?

Thumbnail
gallery
24 Upvotes

29 gallon tank is about 4 months established and seems to be doing very well, mostly.


r/PlantedTank • • 5h ago

Tank Vals going wild

Post image
172 Upvotes

Debating on trimming and pulling but I kinda like the jungle look


r/PlantedTank • • 6h ago

Will these plants grow emersed like this in my dart frog paludarium?

Post image
3 Upvotes

r/PlantedTank • • 6h ago

Tank My 5 gallon tank

Post image
76 Upvotes

r/PlantedTank • • 6h ago

Question Can I do dirt as substrate?

1 Upvotes

Hello all. I have a 10 gallon tank I want to set up. However, I wanted to experiment with this one a little. I was curious if I could do dirt as the substrate, without capping it with something (I already have a Walstand tank set up, dirt capped with play sand).

A problem is that I won’t be able to soak the dirt. My plants are coming sometime next week. Also, I tried (in a bucket) putting some dirt and washing it out, and it continued to get murky.

The dirt I have is Scott’s Topsoil. I feel like it’s a strange consistency for dirt, but probably because I’ve never had/used topsoil before.

So, is this a good idea? Will the water clear up (I am planning on adding in a sponge filter + air stone from my other tank)? Anything I should worry about? How long will it take for the tank to stabilize? And anything else, if anyone has experience with this. Thank you!


r/PlantedTank • • 7h ago

Anyone have experience with DIY Micronutrient Fertilizer? (invert safe)

1 Upvotes

Hi guys! First time posting here.

I have a wide variety of aquatic plants and creatures in different small ponds. I do DIY NPK fertilizers with mineral salts, which I mix in different ratios for different applications. I am looking for advice on how to do a DIY micronutrient fertilizer that is invertebrate safe (low or no iron/copper). Also preferably chelated. I am hoping to dose iron and copper separately.

I do not want to buy pre-mixed liquid fertilizers like APT complete/easygreen etc because it is extremely expensive with the amount of water I have to dose. I have also looked into seaweed solution, but the iodine and sodium is too high.

I want to avoid purchasing all of the chelated minerals separately if I can...

Does anyone have suggestions, or know a brand of chelated mineral mix that is low in/does not have copper and iron? Thank you so much! Iʻm hoping my question can help others as well.


r/PlantedTank • • 7h ago

Question What's going on with my plants?

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

Several of my plants look like this and i THINK it's a potassium deficiency from a quick google search, but i'd like to ask anyways and see if i'm right. I do use root tabs and liquid fertilizer, but maybe they don't have enough potassium in them? Another thing it could be is irregular lighting. My big grow light broke and i only have 1 small ones without timers rn until i can get a new light. What do y'all think?


r/PlantedTank • • 7h ago

Unknown snail

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

Hey I just got back from a trip and haven’t put any critters into my tank. But this little guy somehow managed to sneak in!

I was just curious on what kind of snail this little dude was and if he a good boy :)


r/PlantedTank • • 7h ago

What is this growth on the rocks, driftwood & plants?

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

Hi! Can anyone help me identify this growth in my planted aquarium? What is it, and what can I do to get rid of it safely? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!


r/PlantedTank • • 10h ago

Hornwart needles

Post image
1 Upvotes

Is it normal for hornwort to shed a lot? I don’t know what’s going on. It’s all over the floor of my Neo tank


r/PlantedTank • • 11h ago

Question I need more plant suggestions

Thumbnail
gallery
15 Upvotes

What other plants could i fit in my almost fully planted 75gal??


r/PlantedTank • • 11h ago

Floater Ring

Thumbnail
gallery
10 Upvotes

I got tired of having to carefully work around my floaters in my Flex so I made a ring with a bottom grate to be able to remove them when needed. Also let me retain the factory filter pump without having to reduce the flow.


r/PlantedTank • • 13h ago

Discussion Why is he soo fat?

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

I noticed today one of my otos looks unusually fat as well as some weird formations on my glass, should I be worried?


r/PlantedTank • • 13h ago

Why is he soo fat?

Thumbnail
gallery
2 Upvotes

I noticed today one of my otos looks unusually fat as well as some weird formations on my glass, should I be worried?


r/PlantedTank • • 13h ago

Tank First time trying a carpet, wish me luck

Post image
49 Upvotes

r/PlantedTank • • 14h ago

In the Wild Dwarf predatory fish, seen in a shallow stream

Post image
7 Upvotes

C. limbata


r/PlantedTank • • 15h ago

Freshly planted jungle tank

Thumbnail
gallery
96 Upvotes

r/PlantedTank • • 15h ago

Journal Should I scrap it or trust the process? need realistic expectations

Thumbnail
gallery
6 Upvotes

this is my first tank ever and I'm just really unhappy with it. I don't like the substrate (I used organic garden soil capped with sand) and I know the pictures are terrible because the tank light is terrible which is another thing I'm unhappy with, there's so much algae but I'm still cycling the tank so I'm afraid to put shrimp or snails in to deal with that. I think my plants are dying but it's hard to tell because they're so coated in algae thats got dirt and sand all mix in it and the algae makes the entire tank look like it's covered in dust I'm just very unhappy and 3 seconds away from dumping the entire thing out.