IMHO and IME yes. I also run the tank with plants and no fish for the first week. Then add fish very slowly like in a 10g 1 male platty and not add any food for that week. If you do wear gloves don't use the latex types I used. The apparently had an oily coating which probably also had something to kill bacteria. Actually, If you wash you hands and rinse before tank maintenance, that would be fine. And better then what I did.

Still just my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

Thanks a bunch beaslbob! I'm ready to get my aqaurium stand in so that I can start this process. I am gracious for all the advice I'm getting from everyone


As far as gloves go, I actually prefer using my own hands versus gloves. That's just me. And really, there's not too many times that I'll need to be sticking my arm in the tank! That's what tools like plant scissors and gravel cleaners are for!

don't forget the peat moss 1" then 1" sand on that.

good luck. best tank ever.

we'll be here waiting for pictures and success stories

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

I will post pictures as soon as I can! Hopefully I can get some plants in next week

try lotsa anacharis and vals

and a few small potted (crypts, java)

and a single amazon sword.

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

LOVE the look of the anacharis and the vals...do these do well with low light? I'll have 1 wpg. That's the most I want to get into right now ;)

What about hornwort? I love the texture of the leaves.

try to get lighting up to 1.5 or so. Plants will grow faster. But 1 w/g should work also.

I have little experience or success with hornwort. But cabomba seem to do well in my uncirculated tanks. Perhaps other can advise.

my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden