SA tank plants, newbe with plants

bschuhart

bschuhart

Members
I'm setting up a SA tank 65g 36x24x18-
8 angels, 1 severum, 12 cories. Maybe a Royal Pleco.

RECOMMENDATIONS NEEDED

What kind of plants and what substrate do I need?

I have 2 Marineland Reef Ready LED light strips (5220 lumens total). NOT using CO2.
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
I really recommend eco-complete as a planted substrate. It's good for the plants, it's attractive and it helps keep the plants planted. (I hate sand, but apparently I'm often in the minority.)

You need to keep your watts per gallon to roughly less than 2 IME if you want to grow plants without CO and without algae. You can use higher light if you use floating plants that shield the plants below. Water sprite is perfect for this. Lower light, easy to grow plants include:

anubias
java fern
crypts
giant hygro (this stuff is great. you keep breaking off stems that grow and stick them in in the substrate)
swords
vals
crinium (onion plant)

I've been successful with these in non CO2 tanks. I do fertilize with Excel several times a week, though.
 
mscichlid

mscichlid

Founder
Me thinks your tank will be over crowded with 8 angels and a severum. 8 angels would do better in a 75; better yet, a 90.

Of course, I am taking in consideration the adult sizes of the fish.
Severums can get up to a size of 6-8". Severums eat plants.

If the royal pleco you mentioned is Panaque nigrolineatus, it will grow to 17".

If you are planning for longevity and healthy fish, I would rethink what species would do better in that size tank.
 
Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Hoo-rah

Big plecos are well, big plecos. And severums will be severums. You might could get away with that many angels if scaping breaks up the tank really well but that's a compact space for 65 gallons - not much length or expanse unless it's the height that's 18". My experience with angels is limited but seems that they'll get along fine until they start pairing off. Maybe if there are enough of them or they're siblings that will mitigate things a bit but I've always found that some of them start getting punked by the others and need to be exported.

Myself I like plants that don't need any substrate or just sand. My tanks probably won't win any awards but they're all densely planted just the same.

Sand is way better for Corydoras even if they can manage with the larger edgier substrates. Their natural behavior is more akin to plowing around in/probing throug silt with their barbels which aren't really ideally suited to hard sharp edges. Most can adapt but it's not ideal and pretty fun to watch them burrowing around like devouring snowplows.
 
ddavila06

ddavila06

Members
i really really like the flourite "Dark" substrate. tried it in one tank and has done very very well!!!
ahmm..r u going for a biotope type of set up or just want to see plants in there regardless of anything? if biotope, i would suggest vallisneria sp. they do a nice background, are easy and look good with angels. idk what a severum can do to plants so ....
 
bschuhart

bschuhart

Members
Ok, thanks for the comments. I already cut the plecos, too big. Also rethinking the Red Severum, even though it's a nice fish.

So now it's 8 Angels and 12 lazer cories. Maybe a school of Cardinal Tetras...and plants, need some more suggestions for plants and plant care.
 
verbal

verbal

CCA Members
8 small angels will be fine. However you will likely need to "thin the herd" as they grow up. Depending on what you want to do, you could either remove pairs to breeding set-ups or keep 2 pairs and remove the "3rd" wheels.
 
verbal

verbal

CCA Members
If you still want a pleco, a flash pleco(L-204) might work well. They are colorfully, but don't get too big. IME they tend to be shy when kept alone.
 
fishman13

fishman13

Members
I am getting back into the groove of SA cichlids. I am doing an all sandy white bottom with shale rocks, Amozon swords, variouse Vallisneria, drift wood, and a breeding pair of Silver angles
 
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