Hi,
Here is what I've come up with to put in my new tank:
Hygrophila (sunset, regular, and giant)
Some crypts of some kind
Anubias nana
Anubias barteri
Java fern

Does this sound good for a low light tank, non co2? I am going to get Excel too if I can find it. 40watts of light is what I have. Also is gravel ok for a substrate? There's a beach I can get the awesomest looking gravel at (and it's free.) It's a bit coarse but I'm going to dig down and try to get some small stuff. How many inches should I go with?

well neither annubias nor java fern will care what your substrate is, since they live above teh substrate.

you wont' necessarilly need excel with your set up either.


the only reason for good planting substrate, and you can search the threads here for a bunch of them, is if you plan to upgrade later. substrates are best gotten right the first time.

really with another 10 watts or so and good substrate you coulid grow almost anything with excel. Co2 is also easier than you think it is, in fact it makes my tank trouble free, which is why I always keep mine going.

Hi,
If there are any good ideas out there for diy co2 I'm more than willing to try. I attempted it in the past and I would get great results for three days, then nothing. Or sometimes I would get no results. Once it backed up into the tank causing a huge mess. Since the pH was all over the place because I had no consistent results, I gave up. But I'm willing to try again! I can't get Excel around here so it's going to be expensive for me to mail order it in.

Try the DIY venturi reactor listed here.

Also, you may have needed to add KNO3, KH2PO4, Traces etc

Regards,
Tom Barr

also don't worry about ph changes due to co2. you care about carbonate levels, dissolved solids being consistent. Ph is an indicator of those.. but not the only one and fish don't seem bothered by ph "swings" that are co2 induced if the rest is consistant.