Setting up 125 for bichirs budget planted lights???

[Goonie]

Looking to do medium and low light mostly with a few lillys and maybe some large floaters (water hyacinths)

Plants like bolbitus, anubius, some crypts, and some vals.

Thinking of kitty litter capped in pea gravle for the substrate with some driftwood stumps on each end (if I can find them)

The lillys I willmplant behind the stumps and wanted to do a wall of vals or bolbitus across the back I'll likely use a large sunsun canister for the filter with a large sponge as a back up.


Any advice on lighting, these fluval lights are getting pricy.

Thanks.

This tank is what will be moved.


Also how would you plant gurus treat for snails on the move ?

 

[Goonie]

Would 3 fluval aquaskys hanging 6" from tankntop work running a 18 inches to sub?

 

[FishEggs]

I would do a soft sand substrate for bichirs. They like to sit or "walk" on the bottom.
The bichirs will take care of the snails. No need to worry about them.
As for lighting I'm still using t5ho so I dont know about the fluval aquaskys.

 

[Goonie]

I tried and in their growout and still have nightmares, maybe I went to fine, it was my first try at sand the gravle I used was a polished very small size, small enough for my vac to suck it up if I'm not mindful.

Ild love to find a happy spot in between the two if you have any recomendations.

The sand I used was so fine even a small fish could kick it up.

 

[FishEggs]

I tried and in their growout and still have nightmares, maybe I went to fine, it was my first try at sand the gravle I used was a polished very small size, small enough for my vac to suck it up if I'm not mindful.

Ild love to find a happy spot in between the two if you have any recomendations.

The sand I used was so fine even a small fish could kick it up.

I used pool filter sand for a long time and it seemed to be just fine.

 

[halak]

To treat plants for snails:

Aquarium Salt or kosher salt-one cup per gallon of water. Do not use table salt or iodized salt. Rinse the plants in the saltwater for about 15-20 seconds, holding the roots above the water. After this saltwater rinse, rinse the plants in freshwater.

Regular chlorine bleach- 5% bleach. Soak the plants for 2 minutes for sensitive plants or 3 minutes for hardier ones (such as, Bolbitis, Anubias, or Java fern), then rinse them in water until they don’t smell like bleach.

 

[Goonie]

Thanks ill give it a go I have yet to see my bichirs show any interest in eating snails. Man I wish they would, I would save a ton.