# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  BlueMoon

## AquaObsession

I'm back into the planted tank hobby, after a gestation period of close to 5 years. Still had a 4 feet tank hosting a giant gourami, which i will be keeping separate.

So the oncoming project is to do a low tech planted. Crypts. Ferns. Bolbitis. Anubia and we'll see what else is out there 

Ordered my aquarium 422 with braces and cabinet today. Will be delivered around 25th May. Also ordered a Teco500 Chiller and an Eheim Pro6. All ordered from Green Chapter.

Planning to use back my 2* 150MH and pressurized CO2. Hope the MH is not an overkill. Might switch to led or normal T5 is they burn the plants.

Yet to buy ada soil and wood and stone and the plants. 

Is Green Chapter a good source for these? I saw some nice wood and stone there.

What version of Ada soil are we at now? I don't intend to do frequent rescapes. But i need something that will hold good for long time for the crypts.

Will be seeking your feedback and tips soon. I feel almost rusty after such a long break.

Cheers, Chris

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## vinz

Welcome back!

Besides Green Chapter, check out East Ocean, Fishy Business, Natura Aquatics and Mainland for hardscape.

For Aquasoil, worldwide there are some complaints that the recent batches are not up to standard, reducing to powder sooner... But please Google and search FB or more info. There are also a few more similar products these days. Tropica is one, and its been getting some good feedback.

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## AquaObsession

> Welcome back!
> 
> Besides Green Chapter, check out East Ocean, Fishy Business, Natura Aquatics and Mainland for hardscape.
> 
> For Aquasoil, worldwide there are some complaints that the recent batches are not up to standard, reducing to powder sooner... But please Google and search FB or more info. There are also a few more similar products these days. Tropica is one, and its been getting some good feedback.
> 
> Sent using Tapatalk


Good stuff Vinz
Thanks for the tips.
I'll be reading a lot in that 2 weeks.

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## vinz

Read this for more updated stuff: https://www.advancedplantedtank.com 

By Dennis Wong, local Planted Tank expert.

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## AquaObsession

Was browsing through the forum. Saw O2Bubble also restarting the hobby on a 622 tank. The chiller was a tk2000 etc.

Just a question on the chiller I've ordered. Teco500, website says for aquariumup to 500l. I don't intendto go any larger than a 422. For a 422 the effective volume is around 350l. Is it enough or should i change my order to get a more powerful one? 

I intend to keep my water temperature around 25 to 26 degrees. 

Also bought an eheim pro 4 600. Usually in the past i will really oversize my filtration for planted. Ran 2*eheim 2028 on my 4*1.5*2.

Should I add 1 more filter? If yes which brand is worth? Read mixed reviews online on the eheim pro 4 600 on the built quality. I have used 2026 and 2028 in the past and loved them.

Thanks Vinz for the links. And the mention of the "tropica soil". I might be going for those, instead of ADA aquasoil.



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## vinz

They chiller looks good. Your tank is about 2/3 of the max recommended capacity, so I think you're good.

As for filters, a lot of people are loving the Oase Biomaster series. Lots of awesome features.

Don't forget to consider what you might run for CO2. If you're planning to put in a reactor, then your filter has to handle the extra load in terms of flow.

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## AquaObsession

Thanks again Vinz.
Yes I might need an inline (external or internal) co2 reactor, even if i intend to go low tech. So will consider a separate filter for it as the eheim will already be running for the chiller. I can't add a reactor and a chiller to 1 filter. Flow rate will not be good.

Reading up on the oase. I saw your other post where you gave some review on its flow rate. Will pop by east ocean and have a chat with the guys as well.

I am so rusty  :Smile: 

Cheers, Chris

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## vinz

As mentioned in that post, it might just be my own expectations of flow... It *felt* low. So far after 2 years, that tank is doing fine.

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## AquaObsession

May i say I'll need roughly 8 pack of 9L tropica soil for this 422? Any recommended base fert? I previously use jbl base fert in my previous setup.

Intend to do natural scape with driftwood and stone. More height at the back (10-15cm) to gradually 5cm at mid front. With a clearance of maybe 5-15cm on front for neutral sand, small pebbles. Root plants will be various species of crytps. Nana, anubia, narrow leaves java fern, windelov java fern, moss and bolbitis on wood and stone. I've never been successful with bolbitis before. Will give it a try still.

Any slow growth/low maintenance red plants? Prefer not stem red plants. I can only think of red tiger lotus.

Cheers.

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## vinz

15 cm back, to 5cm front edge with 5cm sandbank... About 8 x 9L packs of soil. No need base fert. Tropica soil is fertile. Also, no Powersand and what not... When you uproot plants, the stuff will get pulled up... Very ugly.

Red plant: Barclaya longifolia which is actually is type of water lily.

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## AquaObsession

Tank, cabinet, equipment and hardscape have arrived. Still finding best placement in house. And what is frustrating is that I'm in discussion with my renovation petsons about my entire flooring. It was not done to the terms of the contract. 

Hence tank setup is delayed. Hope to reach and agreement soon. And i can fibslly unpacked all my boxes and find time and peace to setup my tank.

422 with cabinet with black silicon and black oyama background 
Teco tk 500 chiller
Eheim pro 4 600
8 packs 9l tropica
2 pack jbl substrate 
2 pack ada gravel
55kg rocks
Some Driftwood
A small internal co2 reactor 

Reusing the below which i have yet to test if they are working properly or will be a good fit for my tank 
2*150 mh lights
Pressurized co2

Items I may get in future
1 more eheim pro 4 600 or another filter.
Bigger co2 reactor
Led lights
More driftwood possibly 
Plants. I see java are not so popular. But i need them in lsrge quantities and bolbitis too. And anubias.

Plant farms are a better place to buy in large quantities? I prefer the submerged form. Any advice is appreciated to which plant farms may be recommended for purchase of crypts, ferns, bolbitis, anubias.

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## AquaObsession

Rough planning.

Waiting to get some plants..

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## AquaObsession

Tank filled testing equipments

Setup eheim 4 600 on its own

Setup bionaster 600 with teco chiller and notice flow rate is stronger than eheim. 
Possibly too fast for the max recommended of chiller. 

I'll add an internal reactor to it to slow down the flow rate for efficient cooling.

Wood weight down with rocks so they can sink without need to be tied. Will let it run till Saturday when i will enpty tank/add soil and planting process.

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## AquaObsession

5 min after setup


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## AquaObsession

I'm satisfied 
Waiting for water clear and plant growth
 :Smile: 

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## AquaObsession

Day 1 sater clearing
Today will fix the Co2

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## AquaObsession

https://www.facebook.com/Jungle-of-L...0921682387244/

I decided to create a fb page for the setup.


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## NyX

Found it, update me about the tropica soil thanks!

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## AquaObsession

Loving thr tropica soil. Plants are doing execellent in the soil. It's a bit light, but plants root are good in it.

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## AquaObsession

Can't be thankful enough for using tropica soil. Crypts love it too.

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## jackychun

The Jungle looks really healthy and full of energy! 

Well done bro!

How is the Teco 500? Is this working effectively and silent? Do you put it in the cabinet? 

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## torque6

First time see locally, a tank with Tropica soil. Water looks clean as compared to ADA. May experiment with this soil for my future tank.

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## AquaObsession

To be honest it does it job. But i think tk1000 would have been better...

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## AquaObsession

Tropica will be my go to substrate now.. i prefer it over ada amazonia... i did use ada amazonia in the past, tropica is even better

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## AquaObsession

Found it a bit difficult to load a photo or video here. Think there is a size limit. Was not my preferred wsy to post my fb page..but for sharing here is thr link. Moderator if this is ot appropriate a million apologies and you may delete.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...50921682387244

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## torque6

> Found it a bit difficult to load a photo or video here. Think there is a size limit. Was not my preferred wsy to post my fb page..but for sharing here is thr link. Moderator if this is ot appropriate a million apologies and you may delete.
> 
> https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...50921682387244


So far you enjoying your hobby? Hahaha.

How's the tropica soil holding up?

What's the feedback on using TECO500 for your 4 feet tank? Sufficient? or time to upgrade to 1000.

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