New Freshwater Planted tank

[JoshNorwood]

Good Day.

After a 10 year hiatus from Freshwater, my wife and I are setting up a Freshwater Planted Tank. We are using one of our outgrown Saltwater Reef tanks that is approx 90 gallons with a 30 gallon sump.

I started off with a lower substrate layer of Caribsea Floramax of about 1.5" in depth. Then came bags of aquarium gravel to the overall tune of a 4.5" average gravel bed.

The overflow has a main downline to the sump with 2 backups for just in case.
The sump is setup with a coarse prefilter which then leads to two bags of bioballs.
The return is accomplished by a Lifegard Aquatics 5000 pump. After the tank has been setup another week or so I will be installing a valve to adjust the waterflow.

I am looking for another small UV sterilizer to install as well.

So far there are 2 dwarf gouramis and 4 giant danios in the tank.


If anyone sees a mistake or has a suggestion I appreciate hearing them since I have been out of Freshwater for so long. It is a different beast then my Saltwater Reef.

[JoshNorwood]

Oops. Forgot the lighting.

48" Quad Tube VHO fixture controlled by a IceCap 660 Ballast. The bulbs are 2- 110 watt URI AquaSun and 2- 110 watt URI Super Actinic.

I am sure these are not the best bulbs for planted tanks so any suggestions are appreciated.

[sumpnfishy]

The biggest thing I see missing is a CO2 system. They are certainly not necessary to have a great looking planted tank but with the high light levels you are planning on using you would end up with a lot of scraggly plants without it I'm afraid. I would either invest in a system or cut down on the lighting. I would go with the former as there are a lot of great plants that will only do well with that kind of lighting and will not thrive without that CO2. Mike will probably have some input as he is the local plant fanatic.
Michael

[JoshNorwood]

Thanks for the feedback. I actually have a complete CO2 system minus the tank.

I have no experience with them so it is not connected.

Any hints or advice on installing the system?

Also, any suggestions of where to buy a CO2 tank locally that is not outrageously priced.

[sskruzr]

I get my CO2 at I believe its Wind Air in Springdale. I have a tank but when I inquired about another I think it was like $70

[mewickham]

I'd swap out the actinic bulbs for full-spectrum white bulbs. Why do you feel a need for the UV sterilizer?

[rpddink]

I second on the uv. common on salt tanks but not so much on fresh tanks

[JoshNorwood]

Good to know about the UV.

As stated earlier, I am still getting my mind wrapped around this freshwater thing again.

[rpddink]

I think that peaple generally only pull out the uv on green water and parasite outbreaks.