# How can I improve my tank?



## luvdux (Dec 13, 2009)

I have a 29 gallon with mollies and platies in it. This is my first time trying live plants. The few plants I have in it are doing ok but one is turning brown and dying. I'd like to get more plants but not until I figure out why these are having problems. What kind of plants (specifically) do these type of fish like? Do I need special substrate or is gravel ok? Also, my pH is high and I can't seem to get it to go down. 

About my tank:
29 gallon
10 mollies/platies
1 otocinclus
1 apple snail
1 moss ball
some dwarf hair grass
1 amazon sword
1 moneywort
1 wisteria
i think the last plant is called balansae plant?
nitrates: ~10ppm
nitrites: 0 ppm
hardness: very hard
chlorine: 0ppm
alkalinity: 180 ppm
pH: ~8.4
temp: 77 degrees
light: flora sun bulb, 18 watts
1 large bar shaped airstone

I'm open to any and all suggestions!


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## fishbubbles (Sep 16, 2011)

I wish someone would also help me. I was wondering about the substrate as well. I've herd eco-complete and flourite are awesome to use! Mollies and platies will like any plant you put in there!I would probably start with java fern on a piece of rock or wood( you can tie it down with fishing line). Java moss is also very easy to keep, but it spreads like wild fire I herd. There is also a sticky in the freshwater plant section in the forum. Here's a website that has easy plants you can use in your tank.

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/plants/StemPlants/StemPlants.php


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## platies pwn (Nov 29, 2010)

you need more ottos


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## FishieLuv (Feb 26, 2011)

Sorry can't help you with the question, but it sounds like you have a lovely tank with lots of fish


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

I'd add a school of Neons or Cardinals.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Um, no. Do NOT put neons in 8.4 Ph, that is a death sentence. Also I don't believe that this is a stocking question. The question at hand is about the plants. 

You want to make sure you have lower light plants unless you have gotten higher wattage light bulbs. Plant people can tell you more about those requirements. Standard light fixtures that come in hoods are low light. There are a lot of plants that will do just fine in those conditions. I am not good on which plants go best with which. I know that the Wedntii plants are lower light, and I believe Amazon Swords are. 

You do not need any special substrate, gravel is fine. If you want to do a high end wow them type of planted tank then you would probably want to consider a specified substrate. Of course then you will want to put out money for better lights and a CO2 system. None of which is needed for a happy planted tank. 

Some plants will go brown when they are first planted into a new tank. Many of those will come back. You can dose the tank with liquid fertilizers. 

To lower your Ph: Add wood to the tank and/or peat moss in a media bag into your filter. You can make a media bag out of pantyhose (clean of course). Fluval makes a peat moss pellet. That will lower it for you gradually and as long as you keep it there then your Ph will remain stable. Be aware that your water WILL turn a tea like color. That is tannins and they are great for the tank. They will reduce over time and water changes can keep the color brighter than if you let it go.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Obsidian said:


> Um, no. Do NOT put neons in 8.4 Ph, that is a death sentence. Also I don't believe that this is a stocking question. The question at hand is about the plants.
> 
> You want to make sure you have lower light plants unless you have gotten higher wattage light bulbs. Plant people can tell you more about those requirements. Standard light fixtures that come in hoods are low light. There are a lot of plants that will do just fine in those conditions. I am not good on which plants go best with which. I know that the Wedntii plants are lower light, and I believe Amazon Swords are.
> 
> ...


I just noticed the high Ph. Mollies and Platies can handle 8.4?


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## fishbubbles (Sep 16, 2011)

So thats why my tank has turned a tea color! Now I understand lol.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

I am not sure about what Ph they prefer GK, but I think they are not as sensitive. Neon's are sensitive to Ph for certain. I thought it was weird that you would recommend them LOL. Glad to know it was a misread


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Obsidian said:


> I am not sure about what Ph they prefer GK, but I think they are not as sensitive. Neon's are sensitive to Ph for certain. I thought it was weird that you would recommend them LOL. Glad to know it was a misread


Yeah, like most tropical fish I know that neons like 6.5-7.5. My 125 stays right around 7, which works great for the fish that I have. I am going to have get a Ph gauge to see what my 20 at work is running before I throw fish in it.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Neon's even have a hard time above 7.2 which is why I think people have such a hard time keeping them. They really aren't all that "difficult" they just need the right Ph which is a pretty easy need to meet. 

Do a drip at work if you are worried about the Ph issue. I have done this with neon's and even that has not worked.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

plants turning brown....hmmmm...like the sword and the moneywort maybe...you most likely need a stronger light.last plant...cryptocoryne balansae...


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## luvdux (Dec 13, 2009)

I have a large piece of drift wood in the tank. I also used some fertilizer but I'm not at home and I don't remember which one it was. I read something about black water extract can lower the pH. Does this work? What plants are good low light plants that don't need a co2 system? I forgot to put I also have 3 danios in the tank. Is it overstocked?


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

luvdux said:


> I have a large piece of drift wood in the tank. I also used some fertilizer but I'm not at home and I don't remember which one it was. I read something about black water extract can lower the pH. Does this work? What plants are good low light plants that don't need a co2 system? I forgot to put I also have 3 danios in the tank. Is it overstocked?


I had a problem with my pH when I was first setting up my 125G back in 2009. It kept settling around 7.8-8.0, which was too high for what I wanted. I then treated with pH tablets for about 2 weeks and it leveled around 7.0 and it has remained about the same ever since.


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## luvdux (Dec 13, 2009)

I tried using pH tablets but it doesn't seem to be working. Maybe I'm not using them right...What pH should my tank be at? I was told mollies like a pH that's a little higher.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

luvdux said:


> I tried using pH tablets but it doesn't seem to be working. Maybe I'm not using them right...What pH should my tank be at? I was told mollies like a pH that's a little higher.


Yeah, Mollies like something closer to 8. I followed the instructions on the box and mine worked fine I just needed a few boxes because my tank is so large.


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