New to Aquarium Plants

5 posts

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Feadother
 
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 12:54 am

New to Aquarium Plants

by Feadother

I have a 30 gallon fresh water tank that has been sitting empty because the last fish I had in there die off due to dease. I am planning to restart the tank and my hobby of keeping fish. I am not new to the hobby because I have been doing it since I was 7 with the same tank.

However I have never kept aquatic plants in my tanks and I have some questions;
1. Do the plants "clean" the tank as in get rid of the waste of the fish?
2. Will the plants increase the growth of algae in my tank?
3. Do I need anything special for the plants or will my filtration system be fine?
4. How well do plant react to water changes?

Those are the questions I can think of right off the top of my head.
Thank you to anyone who replies.
-Feadother


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

by natalie265

1. Plants DO absorb some fish waste, but not enough that you can be lazy about your water changes :)
2. No. In fact, it is theorized that some plants inhibit algae growth. The kicker is, many plants require high lighting. High lighting encourages algae growth.
3. A good liquid fertilizer.
4. Water changes really aren't an issue with plants.

For someone new to planted tanks, i would recommend that you start with low light, easy to grow plants like cryptocoryn wendtii, java moss, java fern and anubias.


mro2you2
 
Posts: 625
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:37 pm

by mro2you2

I have to jump in on this one. I have a anubias in my fake planted aquarium and it grows really fast just under my 20 wt light.


stingraysrule
 
Posts: 271
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm

by stingraysrule

Plants do not get rid of fish waste, but it is used as somewhat of a fertilizer after it starts to berak down for the plants.
You will most certainly have algae problems with a planted tank because you have to leave the lights on for a substantial amount of time.
You cannot have any filter carbon in your tank as it sucks out all of the nutrients in the tank for your plants.
You also have to dose with micro fertilizers = plant food, AND NPK, which are macro fertilizers, Potassium, Phosphate, and Nitrogen.
Plants do well with water changes, and you must keep up with them, and pruning.
Plants also need CO2, so if you are not going to do a low tech tank, you will need a CO2 system, or DIY with yeast, sugar, baking soda and a 2L bottle or more than 1.
You also need to have good filtration, good moving water, and fish that will not tear up your plants.
My 55G Planted.
Anacharis, Onion plant,Blue Hygros, javamoss, crypts, dwarf hairgrass, ludwiga. plus 1 massive piece of driftwood.
Houses 6 Neons,13 rummynosetestras,10 ottos, 6 blue finned danios,1 elephantnose, 2 dwarf puffers, 1 red tailed shark, and one red eyed puffer.
Glo Lighting, Fuval Filter, 1 powerhead, x 5 2L DIY CO2.
f8363-IMG_5386.jpg
Last edited by stingraysrule on Sun May 23, 2010 3:05 am, edited 4 times in total.


stingraysrule
 
Posts: 271
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm

by stingraysrule

mro2 - anubias are a low light plant or they can be a high light plant.
and so can java fern, java moss or any other plant.

New to Aquarium Plants

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