My first tank

About four years ago I started wanting a planted tank. I don't remember how I started to want one but I do know I came across Dustin's Fish Tank Channel and since then I have been dreaming of a tank of my own. Where I lived kind of prevented me from setting on up. Several months or so the dream slowly started to become a reality and I started setting aside some money and making plans. I was able to find a bow front 30 gallon with stand that looked almost new. The pet stores had it priced for around $200, I got it for $30! I only wish everything else was that cheap, but starting from complete scratch I was finally able to do it.

After the very first day of running my lights, I woke up the next morning with the ballast going out. I was able to change out the ballast but it wasn't nearly as bright as the other one. In the 30 gallon tank I was only going to run the single 20w T12. I was planning to take it slow for a while and up grade my lights later down the road. Well the ballast going to crap kind of forced my hand and I had to drop the money for an upgrade. I got a duel T5HO that runs 22in 24w lights. Considerably brighter and I feel a bit better now my plants have a bit more light. I ordered my plants from aquariumplants.com I ordered the 12 plant hardy low light combo, a couple swords and some dwarf sag. I got way to many plants! I must of got 30 or more plants. So much so that I couldn't use all for them! I went and got a 10 gallon, got some lefter over dirt and clay and put it out side so I didn't have to throw them away. I think I know most of the plants now, but I only recognized a few when I got them. I was amazed I didn't get any Java fern and only one or two Anubis. At least I think its Anubis. But that's good because the pet stores carry the popular plants and now I have a lot of plants that I cant get in the stores. I know my aquasape isn't so great, when I was planting them I was a little over whelmed and didn't really know total what I was doing. This is my very first aquarium and even though I read several books, watched tons of videos, I still felt like a fish out of water. I am going to leave it alone for a while and see what happens. I know I have some plants that get really big planted with not a lot of room around them, so I am going to have to fix this later on. I set the tank up one week before I got the plants. Ran it with no lights to help the cycling process. I still don't have any nitrites readings. I got one zebra diano in there now. I got the cycle started beneficial bacteria in there but it seems to be taking its time setting up. Please let me know what you think about it.

2nd Day with new lights: