Looking For Advice On Setting Up A Planted Tank

[Mike B]

Hello
I have been doing some reading about planted tanks and think I would like to try live plants in my tanks to help with water filtration and to improve the looks of the tanks.
The problems are that I have a brown thumb when it comes to greenery and am not willing to go to the expense of a high tech setup.
Any advice or information on what would be good low maintaince and low light plants for my tanks and where to get them?
My tanks are.
A. 14G., 1" PFS substrate, 2 x 13 watt CFS lights, med bioload of plattys with sm pleco for algae control.
B. 29G., 1" PFS substrate, 1 x 20 watt 24" FS light (upgrading to 2 tube fixtures soon),light bioload of 1 golden gourami,3 clown loaches,2 kuhli loaches and 1 sm pleco.
c. 46G. 1" sm river gravel \ 0.5" PFS / 1-1.5 sm river gravel (sunken river bed), 1 x 20 watt 24" FS light (upgrading to 4 tube fixture soon), light bioload of 5 mixed small mbuna cichlids and 1 sm-med pleco.
Thanks
Mike B

[Mzungu]

Just one concern - the mbunas might tear up any plants you put in that 46g. :(

[Mike B]

Just one concern - the mbunas might tear up any plants you put in that 46g. :(

Thats what my son stevenallenbarnard told me when I picked them up at the city pets sale saterday. I thought about starting with the 14G and if they caught on then moving any excess to the 29G and last to the 46G.
My big problem is that I know jack squat about plants and don't know what would be good to start with. I have heard about something called java fern that sounds like it would fill the bill but every time I look at the plants at the LFS I don't see anything sold under that name.
Thanks
Mike B

[Mzungu]

I think starting with the 14g would be a great move. It's got the most lighting per gallon, and that way you can try your hand at plants while you wait to upgrade the lighting on the 29g.

Is the 14g just a regular glass tank with glass tops? Or is it an enclosed system, like a Nanocube or BioCube or Eclipse, etc.?

That's strange that you haven't seen any java fern for sale...it's usually a staple plant at most LFS's. Java fern and anubias would be great in your setup, especially if you have driftwood or rocks to attach them to, as they don't much like to be planted in the substrate.

If you still aren't having any luck finding java fern or other low-light plants, go ahead and post a WTB here in the Fish Market - I'm sure someone could sell you some or point you to an LFS that has some. :)

[Somefishguy]

The 14 gal. is perfect to start a low light low tech planted tank.

Please take a look at these two links

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=24657

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=24656

This is also a list of low light plants http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=25085

There are lots of low light plants you can add to you tank
Java Ferns(needle, regular, and windelov)
Anubias
Mosses
Crypts(i would add root tabs to the substrate around them to help them out a bit)
Vals
Water Wisteria
Hornwort
Anacharis


Plus many more. You should try and ask around here for plants that catch you eye or low light plants. Plenty of people with planted tanks that would be more than happy to give or sale you some plants

[Roujin]

Great, informative links!

The 14 gal. is perfect to start a low light low tech planted tank.

Please take a look at these two links

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=24657

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=24656

This is also a list of low light plants http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=25085

There are lots of low light plants you can add to you tank
Java Ferns(needle, regular, and windelov)
Anubias
Mosses
Crypts(i would add root tabs to the substrate around them to help them out a bit)
Vals
Water Wisteria
Hornwort
Anacharis


Plus many more. You should try and ask around here for plants that catch you eye or low light plants. Plenty of people with planted tanks that would be more than happy to give or sale you some plants

[smk]

planted tank

hi if your smaller tank has a light that uses regular incandescent bulbs you can just replace them with the daylight c.f. bulbs like they sell at home depot they work great if not and you're handy you can build a box fixture and put some cheap keyless sockets in it to hold the cf's alot of people nowdays like to use the high dollar plant substrates also but i do it old school and use organic potting soil(no fertilizer) in a 1 inch layer and then put whatever substrate you like over it i have had great success like this
scott

[kwc1974]

after rereading your first post it looks like you are going to upgrade your lighting on the bigger two tanks. If this upgrade is in the future than any of the tanks would be appropriate for planted tanks. on the 46 gallon, a four tube light (I assuming 4x20W) will give you almost 2w/g this would be great for a low-moderate plant tank and would give you the ability to explore plants from the low, easy plants such as anubias, aquatic ferns, and other mentioned above. You would also dabble into some moderate plants with the addition of ferts and seachem excel to add something for a carbon source (instead of buying a CO2 setup) some stem plants would be a great place to start here and with almost 2w/g you should have a lot of stem plants to choose from.

No matter what tank you use, or what plants you try; I would recommend use a comprehinsive fertilizer in combination with a root tab of some sort. I recommend the root tabs cause even though the anubias and ferns are not directly placed into the substrate, they will send some roots into the substrate looking for nutriants. I prefer using the ADA amazonia as it is very nutriant rich, but this is not nessicary for a low-moderate tech tank. Also, go easy on the fert and root tabs, under dose at first until you get use to it. Overdoing it will cause algae blooms expecially since you are not dosing CO2. If you do get an algae bloom of any kind, don't worry we can help you fix that too.

You did not talk about existing filtration. HOB or canister? Canister would be prefered, but is not required. If you have HOB, try to make sure that the water level stays high to prevent surface movement. Surface movement will dispel any CO2 in the water column, even though you are not dosing your fish are putting resporating CO2 out so there will be some present and CO2 is one of the most vital elements in successfull plant keeping.

[Mike B]

Mzungu
The 14 gallon tank is a $50 walmart special Tetra brand starter kit I picked up about a month ago. All my tanks have HOB filters and small powerheads for circulation. I changed out the incandesent bulbs in the hood of the 14 replacing them with screw-in compact Fluorescent bulb/fixtures. The tank has some rocks in it and I can add more. Will keep looking at the plants at the LFSs and watching the postings int the trade forums here.
Thanks for your help.

Somefishguy
Thanks for the very informative links, lots to learn, the list of low light plants you provided is very helpfull. I have seen some of the plants on your list in the LFSs and was not sure how hard they were to grow.
Thanks

smk
Was wondering if I was going to need to rebuild the substrate in that tank to grow plants, only have about an inch of pool filter sand on the bottom of the tank now and didn't think much would grow in sand. Potting soil under a layer of sand sounds like something I could deal with.
Thanks

kwc1974
I have already started upgrading the lights on the 46, I don't have a top for it so my lighting for it consists of 2 X $8 Walmart 24" Fluorescent lightstrips hung from shelf brackets screwed into the wall above the tank that have had full spectrum tubes installed (added 1 fixture yesterday). All my tanks use HOB filters for now but I am open to new ideas, will keep in mind the need to keep the water up to prevent co2 loss.
Thanks for the input.

Thanks again to all.
Mike B

[Somefishguy]

If you are not planning on injecting CO2 of any sorts, then i would just keep the HOBs, as you really wont degas your system(ive read it may be better to have some surface agitation for better gas exchange in a tank with no CO2).

Defiantly make post if you are looking for plants on here first. You can usually find someone with what you are looking for, it will be priced better, and lots of time in better conditions.

Also a cheaper alternative to substrate is Shultz Aquasoil. You can pick up a decent size bag for a 4-5$ at home depot (it is where the tropical plants are). If you get it make sure you dont get the ones with these blue balls in it. Also it is a bit light in wieght so I mix it with regular gravel.

Good luck and get some pictures when you start.


Also a side note, both java ferns and anubias should NOT be placed into the gravel. They need to stay above the gravel so tie to a rock or some driftwood.

[smk]

plants

mikeb just make sure it does not have fertilizer in it if you look up local hydroponic shops in houston they will have the organic potting soil i have grown many type of plants in this setup java ferns various cryps amazon swords to name a few

[smk]

hi mike me again i was looking through some mags and found an article which i believe is what you are trying to do its the way i've been doing mine for years its in the november 2009 issue of TFH has a big flowerhorn on the cover article is on pg 40 has some good info
scott