Planted Discus Tank - Beginner / Intermediate

[ikavia]

There is a lot of information on here about planted tanks but I was hoping to get some information specific to my situation.

I have a 3 foot tank (approx 140 litres capacity but around 120 litres with current level of substrate) currently with gravel substrate. I have a few plants in there including Anubias, Wisteria, Sailboats, Brazillian Pennywort, Java Fern. In addition I have three discus and a variety of fish including neons, catfish, dwarf guoramis and mollies (most "left-over" from my pre-discus community tank). I have had this aquarium for 2.5 years and whilst my tank is doing well atm (well... with the purchase of plants on a pretty frequent basis) I would like to achieve a beautiful lush mass planted tank.

I realise that I will need to purchase new equipment etc for this including an appropriate substrate and possible CO2 etc, but wanted to get some educated and non-biased advice first.

Water Parametres:
* pH 6.8
* temp 29 - 30 degrees celsius (set at 28 degrees but my house isn't air conditioned and the Australian summer is playing a bit of havoc)
* GH - 71.2 ppm (if I have converted this right - 4 x 17.8)
* KH - 53.4 ppm (as above - 3 * 17.8)
* Ammonia / Nitrate / Nitrite - all undetectable

Current equipment:
* Eheim Professional II 2026 Canister Filter
* Heater (not sure what brand or wattage atm but sufficient for tank size)
* Undergravel filter / pump (came with the tank and I wasn't sure if I should leave or keep when I got my canister filter a month or so ago - should I remove when I move to a fully planted tank?)
* Sera CO2 start - this is a small canister that uses CO2 tablets. I realise it is the poor man's option but I just wanted to experiment with CO2 before investing in full blown equipment.
* Lighting - 1 x T5 bulb (I think it's 30W - but I'm not at home at the moment to check)

Current Additives:
* Seachem Neutral Regulator + Seachem Discus Buffer (to achieve a pH of 6.8) - added each water change
* Seachem Stability - added each water change
* Seachem Fresh Trace - added each water change
* Seachem Flourish Excel - added every second day
* Leaf Zone (waiting for my Seachem Flourish to arrive - haven't used this product yet but love the other Seachem products so am switching)
* Water conditioner (although when I closely read the Seachem Neutral Regulator it said other water conditioner was unnecessary).

As you can see, despite classifying myself as a beginner I am a bit of an additive junky. Not sure if this is the norm or if I just like to buy things (I am a girl after all).

Okay, so I know nothing really about CO2 other than what I can recall from high school Biology and photosynthesis. I noticed that the cylinders get shipped empty - this is probably going to be a dumb question - but where do you get them filled with CO2? I have also heard you can go a homemade method - just wondering how messy / cheap this is and if it is viable for a non handy person to try!

Also I realise that I will need to get a better substrate and am willing to invest in a good quality one. Should I get rid of my undergravel filter? Also am I supposed to not vacuum the substrate in a planted tank (currently I do this every week as part of the water change - and it is pretty dirty).

Advice and suggestions. I might get around to posting a pic of my current set-up if I can find the digital camera battery re-charger! Thanks.

[ILLUSN]

Hi ikavia, nice detailed post, will try to help as much as i can. your water parameters are very good, first off how much light do you have? 3foot 30w is usually T8. for a true lush planted tank i'd aim for at least 2.5-3w per us gallon thats 88-105w for your tank. thats proably the most important factor. if you have 1 30w t8 i'd add another double t5 fixture.
Next is your substrate, you can keep your UGF (i wouldn't) but i'd suggest putting a layer of filter wool between it and your gravel or planting all your plants in pots and burying them in your gravel.

A good substrate is money well spent flourite is good, Florabase is good and helps buffer your tank onyx is ok but i find it lifts my ph a little, you might want to consider this as an option as your ph is 6.8 and CO2 will drop it furhter.

If you want to keep your gravel you can if the size is 3mm or less, but you need to splliment it, try adding laterite (Flora root is high in laterite 200g for your size tank) a

also if you want a trully lush planted tank you need CO2 it's the next most important element for plants after light. spend some money on a good preassure system, yeast will tie you over till you get one on a tank that size 1 or 2 2L coke bottles would do the job try this link
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-narten.html
or for a preassure system
http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=857
http://www.ausdiscus.com.au/fertilisation.html

gravel vacuming is up to you i grow all my plants (mostly swords) in pots burried in gravel so i vacume inbetween the pots everyweek with a water change, if you have a "really densly" planted tank this might not be an option, as a result you will have to feed your fish VERY LIGHTLY so as no uneaten food remains also consider adding some plant friendly scavengers like Cory's ,Dwarf loaches of Kuhli loaches to help get the small uneaten bits.
hope this helps

[ILLUSN]

Sorry ikavia, i didn't answer your co2 refill question? weher are you loocated? a few LFS in sydney do refills Aquamart at penrith, Auburn aquarium at auburn, I believe Xtreme aquariums at taren point prices range from bout $10 for a 500g(should last you 6-8weeks) up i think a 2kg goes for about $25. also home brew shops will do re-fills

[ikavia]

Newcastle. I'm not sure if my usual LFSs carry it but I will ask around.

[ikavia]

Crap photo. Sorry. The only one that wasn't blury... (well except for the fish).

This is my current set-up. I came across an article about a moss wall which I have completely fallen in love with so that will be part of my planted tank overhaul... unless I decide it is too much work.