Best resources for a beginner

[jdhaines]

I have been keeping freshwater fish and turtles for awhile now but i would really like to start my own planted mini tank. Something real beautiful. What authors/ book resources would yall reccomend as well as good aquatic plant sources in H-town?

[wesleydnunder]

What kind of tank? There are a lot of different types called "real beautiful". If you can better describe what you'd like or link to photos it would help us to give you better advice.

Mark

[lee85]

A great series would be, Nature Aquarium World, Volume 1,2,3 by Takashi Amano.

[Mzungu]

I am usually a die-hard proponent for published books, but for planted tanks, I tend to err on the side of internet advice. :) Since there are so many different ways to set up a planted tank, and since the knowledge and advice seems to be more prominent on the internet, I vote internet. There are many great books out there with hundreds of descriptions of plants, with tiny blurbs about their care (which tends to be completely reliant on the authors' setups) and pictures of aquascapes using various plants; but for individual wants and needs, and specific advice, I'd honestly recommend forums such as this one.

Keep in mind, I'd much prefer having one book as a "bible" for aquatic plant keeping - alas, it just simply doesn't exist.

So, ask away!!

[jdhaines]

Best resources for a beginner

I looked at those but they are real expensive. I am looking to do an aquascape. In no bigger than a 10g tank to start. I am just looking for a good all in one place resource to get started. Since i posted i have found several podcasts that are helpful but still want a book.

[Mzungu]

...I second my post.

[mnemenoi]

101 Best Aquarium Plants is a useful starter guide, they cover a lot of initial ideas ranging from High tech to Low and a variety of differing water conditions. I will certainly agree with Mzunga on the internet being the best resource though. There are just too many variables to juggle and there is likely many people that had your exact problem or something very similar. I myself run a small 10 gallon low tech planted tank and I will say it has certainly taught me a lot that I have applied to all my other aquariums. With all the different options (Substrate, water parameters, CO2, fertilizers, lighting, time cycle, temperature, and bioload) it can be a bit daunting at first. I would recommend choosing plants you like or perhaps some fish or invert you wish to keep and build upon what you need to achieve your result, once you have that chosen we can all assist you a bit better.

[jarrodaden]

Post all the information about your tank.... size, filtration, light, substrate, fish, etc. The propose your planting. Alternatively, ask for suggested plantings if you have no idea what to do.

This bunch will get you all straightened out.

[Mzungu]

jdhaines - I certainly am with you on preferring a book to any internet sources. Believe me. There's sometimes just no telling who that strange guy is who's giving you advice. ) But after a decade or so of trying to figure it out on my own, my advice is: trial and error, and when you have questions, ask! Like I said, I've done many tanks per the advice of authors and some plants just didn't preform the way they "should" have. There are just so many variables. With fish, it's easy: even the most delicate fish will thrive if you do enough water changes and feed them well. Although the same may go for plants, sometimes the different water parameters in various regions of the world simply don't factor into the minds of those giving advice. Whereas fish will thrive with similar setups around the world, plants may not be so simple. And with the info-sharing of the internet, and the subsequent lack of published resources concerning this accumulation of knowledge ... well, like I said, ask away!

[Mzungu]

Okay, as a postscript, and as I was thinking about what I typed, I'd like to be more specific.

Take, for example, a planted tank of 10 gallons. You can have one "expert" claim that "x" amount of fertilizer, "x" amount of CO2, "x" amount of water changes, "x" watts-per-gallon, "x" brand filter, etc., is the perfect formula for "x" plants. The problem is, this "expert" is not factoring in the small but significant differences in your setups. While one "formula" may work for one person, there's no telling what the tap water composition is for another person, or what specific light bulbs they're using, or something as seemingly insignificant as a different substrate may change about the entire long-range success of the setup. Not to mention the bioload of the tank, the different photoperiods, etc. No matter how perfectly you can try to replicate an "expert's" planted tank setup, it's just not possible.

Like I said earlier - with fish, it's easy. There's a very good chance that only two factors - varied, healthy diet and lots of water changes - will mean success. But with so many factors to consider with plants, the internet, and those that can specifically cater to your needs, are indispensable.

[black_knight]

Tom Barr has a site. It's a subscription site. He's one of the plant gurus out there. There's also plantedtank.net which is a whole sight just dedicated to this. Locally there's a guy named Louis Navarro, who is the man when it comes to plant info. As far as shops Fish Gallery has a great selection (talk to Don) and City Pets has alot of beginer plants, and Houston Aquarium Ware House.

[screename]

Just go to Fish Gallery and ask for Van. He will help you out. He works there every weekend friday, saturday, and sunday.