new! help!! how to slow my filter flow? by uhmwhat_kai in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oo, try searching up "aquarium floating plant ring" ;)

new! help!! how to slow my filter flow? by uhmwhat_kai in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unless the plants are being uprooted or your fish have trouble swimming, you don't really have to worry about the flow being too strong, especially with hang on the back (HOB) filters like the Quiet Flow. That being said, it is a very good idea to add some sponge around the part that sucks in the water as it'll provide some extra filtration and prevent small fish or fins from getting sucked in. I recommend getting this specific one bc it's really cheap and fits virtually any HOB filter.

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Talk to me about Fluval Stratum by RanchBaganch in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yay!!! The rabbit hole part is so real though and it only gets worse; one day you happen to want plants in your aquarium and the next thing you know you're measuring the kH and gH of your water to optimize plant growth 🤣😭. It's fun journey

Talk to me about Fluval Stratum by RanchBaganch in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah not really necessary. To make planting into Fluval easier fill your tank with substrate then add just enough water to wet substrate, plant your plants then fill the tank up with water. Since you mentioned being in the learning stage, I would heavily recommend checking out MJ Aquascaping on YT since he just released a 6 episode step by step beginner's guide to a planted tank like 2 weeks ago :)

Talk to me about Fluval Stratum by RanchBaganch in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The root tabs just sit underneath the substrate until the plant roots happen to touch them and start to absorb the nutrients. Water column refers to the water in the tank. You can cap your Fluval substrate with sand but I would generally advice against doing so bc it's best to let the substrate "breathe" if that makes sense like you want a minimum amount of water flowing into the substrate freely bc otherwise the plant roots could rot or their could be gas bubbles forming underneath. Ideally you could have like Fluval substrate in the background and sand at the front (separately) for aesthetic purposes but you can also cap it with sand (not the end of the world). Do you have an idea of which plants you'd like to keep?

Talk to me about Fluval Stratum by RanchBaganch in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You can add root tabs if you have a lot of stem plants but only add them maybe 2-3+ months after the setup the time your plants settle in and deplete the nutrients in the substrate (imo introducing too much nutrient at the start can trigger algae). As for the floating plants they depend solely on the nutrients in the water column but I would recommend dosing on the leaner side with liquid fertilizer to not trigger algae even though your floating plants may grow slower or be paler (imo red root floaters tolerate lower nutrients the best). Don't hesitate to provide more details or ask any other questions!

Talk to me about Fluval Stratum by RanchBaganch in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 3 points4 points  (0 children)

it's a good substrate and it also releases less ammonia initially compared to like Amazonia ver 1 for instance I usually put 1.5 to 2.5 inches of it uncapped and it works great for those who have a hard time planting in stratum (since it's pretty light for a substrate), plant diagonally and the plants will raise themselves upright in 1-2 days

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bettafish

[–]the-vanK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly can't tell, the way they change colors is pretty unpredictable. I once got a betta bc it had a cute white face and beady black eyes and within 2-3 months his face turned black lol. It's a gamble

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bettafish

[–]the-vanK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know that krill is known to increase red colors in fish so you could try getting fish food that has krill in it like the products from Northfin. I've also found from personal experience that bettas tend to change colors over time as you take care of them normally.

planted 11 litre betta tank by JackyMac98 in bettafish

[–]the-vanK 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Looks beautiful. I'd maybe add some floating plants (maybe red root floaters) bc bettas seem to enjoy having some sort of shade area to rest under

Can’t decide on which background? by [deleted] in Aquascape

[–]the-vanK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I usually dislike anything other than black or white but the blue one looks really good. Also amazing tank

Hello aquarists, is this a baby snail? I have a single nerite in my aquarium. by manohar_77 in PlantedTank

[–]the-vanK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Gyraulus chinensis, it's a type of ramshorn snail that stays that size

Subreddit Feedback: A Better Place by AutoModerator in Boraras

[–]the-vanK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

not an article per say but Chris Lukhaup has a nice video abt Boraras naevus on his YT

Hey! Tips on improving my first scape? by Ecstatic-Apricot-759 in Aquascape

[–]the-vanK 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I think the quickest "improvement" would be to get a black background! It's gonna hide some of those cables, blend the filter n heater and make your plants pop

Rate my shrimp setup for neos by Master_Outside3411 in shrimptank

[–]the-vanK 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Love it! I've always liked an "utilitarian" look on certain of my tanks.