Need LOTS of advice

[Fresh2o]

AQUANEAT Aquarium LED Light Plant Marine Multi-Color Full Spectrum 36"-48" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTKQRB3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_be2VLEY2eZBB5

I bought the light on Amazon when I set my tank up. This is the link to it.

My tank is 36w, 24h, 18d

I did some digging and found some info on a user comparing the light fixture you have and the Finnex 24/7 in a 22" deep tank. He measured the PAR and for the AQUANEAT he got 25 and 33 for the Finnex. For an 18" deep tank, that would put you at the upper end of low and lower end of medium (let's say low-medium).
The plants you listed should be fine with your fixture.

 

[TMaier]

Read the plant info carefully. Most pet store sell aquatic and semi-aquatic. Aquatics can be fully submerged under water. Semi aquatic cannot. The tops must be above water.

 

[Davon]

Well I went and bought plants today. I bought three Java ferns and three anubias. Is there anything special I need to do to them other than washing the gel off of them before I tied them to my decorations in the tank?

 

[Bert2oo1]

Well I went and bought plants today. I bought three Java ferns and three anubias. Is there anything special I need to do to them other than washing the gel off of them before I tied them to my decorations in the tank?

Nope should be fine after a quick rinse

 

[Davon]

Ok. I have no idea what I'm doing but I just tied them to the decorations. I know I probably need to place them better but I needed to just get them in there. I didn't buy and ferts or anything. I do have soft water so I guess I need to look up what I need and get it ordered.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Get a PPS pro package from nilcoG. Go easy on the micro's if your water is soft [emoji106] cheapest way to fertilise

 

[Davon]

Get a PPS pro package from nilcoG. Go easy on the micro's if your water is soft [emoji106] cheapest way to fertilise

Instructions say 1ml per 10 gal seven days a week. So do I do macros like that and micros in half? Or micros just once per week? Do you have a recommendation? I'm ordering a better kit to test GH and KH. The test strips I have don't give me a reading at all.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Instructions say 1ml per 10 gal seven days a week. So do I do macros like that and micros in half? Or micros just once per week? Do you have a recommendation? I'm ordering a better kit to test GH and KH. The test strips I have don't give me a reading at all.

Yea that sounds right for macros. If u want u can use root tabs and not worry about trace at all. Dosing abit of iron once. Week wouldn't hurt though.

 

[Davon]

Yea that sounds right for macros. If u want u can use root tabs and not worry about trace at all. Dosing abit of iron once. Week wouldn't hurt though.

I've been trying to find articles on plant care and what the macros and micros are and what it means, etc. a lot of the info I'm finding is very high level and says a lot of "just do this" or "just use that" and doesn't really help me understand what it is. Does anyone have any links to any articles or additional information?

I love doing this stuff mainly because it's new and I love learning new things. My husband likes gardening (although he won't admit it lol) and he's MUCH better at it than I am. He is showing curiosity and interest in the aquatic plants after yesterday so I asked for his help. But we want to learn together.

 

[Caliban07]

Fertilisation is a hot topic for me at the moment and I'm still trying to find the best method despite having tanks now for the past 4 years. You will receive many opinions on this so have an open mind and be prepared to do some research of your own.

I would lay it out like Diana Walstad did in her book ecology of the planted aquarium.

What are the essential elements that plants need?

What are the sources of plant nutrients in an aquarium?

How much of each nutrients do plants need?

What role does bacteria play in availability of plant nutrients?

What is the role of the substrate (bottom material) in a planted tank?

I would encourage you and your husband to dedicate some time to these few questions to help better understand the basics of a planted tank.

Not just for your benefit but also to incite discussion, methodology and suggestions for the benefit of others (myself included) hopefully this could be a good opportunity to get others onboard. What works for them and why? What doesn't work?

My thoughts on the subject of fertilisation has been a rollercoaster based on my own findings and that of others so I would find it very interesting if you start by doing some research in to those questions and post back what you find. Maybe we can all learn something together [emoji846]

 

[Davon]

I'm happy to do that.

I think of it like this....my Ex-husband is a golf course superintendent so I've learned I can have resort level grass in my lawn....green year round, lush, thick, weed free....but at the high cost of chemicals, maintenance time, etc. Or I can have a normal lawn. It all depends on my personal standard and how much time and effort (and money!) I want to put into it. Make sense?

I have no desire to farm aquatic plants or have some prize winning tank. I personally just want a few pretty plants that look nice and keep my fish and my tank healthy because my fish are my priority. So I want to do whatever is easiest with the least amount of work to keep the plants healthy and growing right along with my fishies But to do that it helps to have a basic knowledge of plant needs, just as you said, and you gave me some great topics to look up as a starting point for figuring out what works for me! So thank you! And I look forward to learning and informing and debating this topic with others. That's why we are here, right?

So I guess it boils down to, what is your priority for your tank and what is your standard for your plants?

 

[Caliban07]

You make a lot of sense. I wanted to take a different approach to this question as I have found that as helpful as this forum is and others are, you will learn much more by doing you own research and experimentation because planted tanks are not always as simple as some people make out and yet not as difficult as others do if that makes sense? Each tank brings its own set of unique parameters with their own pros and cons and you have to realise sooner rather than later that there is not always a blanket method that will suit all tanks and all plants.

Each answer you seek will open up another question and you will become a much better plant keeper for it.

This in turn will benefit the whole system.

Good luck! I look forward to hearing what you find.

 

[Bert2oo1]

I apologise for using the terms macro and micro.
Macro nutrients are phosphate, nitrogen, potassium , magnesium, calcium
Micro nutrients are chelated trace elements like iron, boron, manganese etc.

A good place to start would be to research the benefits of each nutrient for the aquatic plants you wish to keep.

If u your going down the road of "low tech" aka slow/easy plants to grow then Java ferns, anubias, bacopa, hygrophilas, mosses, crypts are great plants to start.

As cal said ferts are a big topic and everyone has different opinions and results so it's a matter of finding what works for your tank.

Hope I've helped [emoji106]