A few questions for the live plant cult…

[atlantis_child]

So I gave in a little and now 2 of my 3 tanks have real plants only. I only bought two though. The rest were from before. It just looks much better now.

Anyway,

1. Do I need special ‘plant’ lights or are regular ones fine? These are “easy” and minimal light plants

2. What wattage for a 22? (16 inches high)

3. Is it the lack of light that causes leaves to get soft, brown and rot?

I’ll post pic’s soon. Maybe that will help. Besides, I need to show off my renovations.

– Atlantis

[Crazedpuffer]

1. All you need is fluorescent bulbs.

2. It depends on the plants.
Basically all fresh water plants live in anywhere from 1-3(.5?)Watts per Gallon of light. Low light plants live from .1-1.5 medium from 1.6 2.5 high 2.5 -3.5

3. Yes most the time

[celestialdude]

Yay!! Awesome, Atlantis! Welcome to the plant club… or “cult”… haha.

You can start with the fluorescents if they are cheaper and easier to get, but if you notice that the plants aren’t doing that great then I recommend plant grow fluorescent lights, or “full spectrum” ones. I always go with the proper ones and not regular fluorescents because, welll, that’s what cults do. HAHA!!

Cheers and enjoy the plants.

[atlantis_child]

Hey…just cuz I transformed my tanks to live does not mean I’ve joined the cult.

Or does it…? When is one initiated? When they have just as many species of plants as fish? When they start using CO2 thingies and fertilizers for the plants? Begin using aquatic plant ‘soil’?

I’d better tread carefully.

I was looking at the ‘plant lights’ though. Didn’t have a price tag though, so I didn’t decide to get or not. I really need to get a light thing over my 22 gallon though. For the plants as much as lighting it up for good looks.

– Atlantis

[aquaholic85]

Awesome …i wish this forum had more hobbysts with planted tanks so we can all discuss within our little nook of the web…but i guess that would be what the planted forums are for….

as far as intiation goes…you will be offical when your plants start to swarm your tank and clipping them will be essential…thats when you know you have succeeded… :wink:

[atlantis_child]

Another question.

How do you keep the substrate at the bottom free of organic sludge without disturbing the plants?

– Atlantis

[celestialdude]

Good question Atlantis. This is why I keep Cory Cats. They are small and cute and don’t uproot any plants, and do their job “vacuming” the substrate.

Also, I’m not sure if substrate grain size is a factor too… it should be small enough that they can shift around easily, I think. And round enough too. Basically, river sand is naturally “sifty” and helps prevent all that clogging.

[shepherd_690]

if you have largish gravel then like 1 of my tanks, i use a proper gravel syphoner(not just a peice of hose) i pick the gravel up in it get the ‘sludge’ from it and drop it back on the plant in seconds…lol MARINA do lots of different sizes for each and every tank…
also for the plants…if you want them to take over so you are cutting them a lot… i would use fluvals (HAGEN) new range the t5’s they are suppost to be brilliant at growing plants and bringyour fishes colours out..they might be a bit more pricy but they may be well worth it.
I am defo guna use them on ma next tanks or in my fish room :lol:

[ste12000]

@shepherd_690 wrote:

I am defo guna use them on ma next tanks or in my fish room :lol:

Yeah until u see the price lol…

Planted tanks really should not have the substrate disturbed at all, the plants will use the nutrients produced by decaying fish waste and the bacteria in the substrate helps to break it into Nitrate’s. which is obviously removed during all the regular maintainence you should be doing..A good book and plenty of reading on the subject is a must if you want to get the best from your plants. A planted tank should really have a nutritious fine substrate, CO2, good lighting and a small biological fish load(less waste). I have had several successful planted tanks but non at the minute as i am concentrating on my fishroom/breeding. When i get time i might setup a small tank for my new fish, a tiny Microrasbora (Microrasbora erythromicron)

[celestialdude]

Yea it’s true, I have a siphon with a larger suction segment, so gravel will not get sucked in, but I still don’t use it that way, because my cory cats do such a good job with my fine gravel that I don’t have any sediment build-up occuring. If you have a balanced ecosystem, the only things you really need to do are :

1. feed the fish
2. change water every 2-3 weeks (50%)
3. clean the filter (every water change or less)
4. trim the plants when they are overgrown

That’s my 4 cents’.

[shepherd_690]

lol i only siphon it every few weeks jus 2 get rid ov any excess waste lol
but wen u have a 1ft plec in ya tank that leaves big 1-2ft poos in ya tank u need it lol :lol: (hes or she is called hatty-dnt ask why coz i dnt even know g/f n sista made it up :lol: )
I know the t5’s are really dear….thats why i am going to try n buy them off ebay for a 3-5 quid discount

[ste12000]

Yeah i know Rich but we were on about Planted tanks…No-one in there right mind has a 1ft plec in a planted tank
1. They are Vegetarian
2. They would pull up all your plants with their bulky body.

[shepherd_690]

he/she…ill call it it lol duz..thats why i am going to see if the good ppl @bold heath will take it of me lol :lol: its really annoying :roll: …but he does all the damage at nyt n sleeps during the day lol…..
funny thing it is lol :lol:

[ste12000]

It will fit in nicely in the big display tank there..I think one of us, You, maximumbob or me should get a picture of that massive tank and share it with the rest of the forum..Its one of the best tanks iv seen.

[shepherd_690]

i agree, i myt be popping in 2 morrow…so ill take 1 then if i go n send it u in a email coz i aint got a photo account yet lol

[Author]

Posts