new to aquarium planted tanks need help

[Hobbiest]

I don't technically have a planted tank, I have an aquarium with regular gravel that has many java ferns, a Anubias nana and a new Telanthera Cardinal. I love the plants and the look wonderful but I just bought a Amazon Sword that will be arriving soon and I know it has a large root system that needs a good subtrate so I bought a 15lb bag of Flora max for it. The question is can I just add the Flora Max in one area of the aquarium for the sword plant and kind of put some of the reg. gravel on top of it holding the subtrate in place with some granite rock I have. The other idea I heard you can plant in a pot inside an aquarium. I'm just not sure what to do I dont have the money at this time to completely change the subtrate because I have a 65 gal aquaium but I want the sword plant to do well any advice would really be appriciated.

 

[Sillyfishies]

I don't technically have a planted tank, I have an aquarium with regular gravel that has many java ferns, a Anubias nana and a new Telanthera Cardinal. I love the plants and the look wonderful but I just bought a Amazon Sword that will be arriving soon and I know it has a large root system that needs a good subtrate so I bought a 15lb bag of Flora max for it. The question is can I just add the Flora Max in one area of the aquarium for the sword plant and kind of put some of the reg. gravel on top of it holding the subtrate in place with some granite rock I have. The other idea I heard you can plant in a pot inside an aquarium. I'm just not sure what to do I dont have the money at this time to completely change the subtrate because I have a 65 gal aquaium but I want the sword plant to do well any advice would really be appriciated.

Don't even bother with changing the substrate. Just use root tabs under the sword

 

[Mebbid]

Don't even bother with changing the substrate. Just use root tabs under the sword

+1

What lights do you have over your tank?

 

[Hobbiest]

Thanks for the info and I just have the light fixture that came with the tank but I did buy a full spectrum bulb to put in it because I knew I wanted plants. The tank also sits inbetween two windows across from each other. I also try to pick low lighting plants.

 

[Mebbid]

I only ask about the light level because the telanthera cardinal is called Telanthera Rosefolia and is a high light plant. You will have issues with it getting enough light. I have it in my medium light tank and it's barely holding on atm.

 

[BBradbury]

Your Planted Tank

I don't technically have a planted tank, I have an aquarium with regular gravel that has many java ferns, a Anubias nana and a new Telanthera Cardinal. I love the plants and the look wonderful but I just bought a Amazon Sword that will be arriving soon and I know it has a large root system that needs a good subtrate so I bought a 15lb bag of Flora max for it. The question is can I just add the Flora Max in one area of the aquarium for the sword plant and kind of put some of the reg. gravel on top of it holding the subtrate in place with some granite rock I have. The other idea I heard you can plant in a pot inside an aquarium. I'm just not sure what to do I dont have the money at this time to completely change the subtrate because I have a 65 gal aquaium but I want the sword plant to do well any advice would really be appriciated.

Hello Hobb...

Your post reads like you already have a planted tank. As long as the stuff you bought is designed for use in an aquarium, then you can absolutely add a little to an area and put your Sword there. Swords like a little more gravel, about 3 inches is enough. You can use a plastic pot too. I pot some of my aquarium plants. A plastic pot about 5 inches tall is large enough for a Sword. Put in a couple of inches of the substrate and put in the plant and fill the pot to close to the top. Then ease the pot into the tank. It's best to do this kind of thing when you're doing a water change. Place the pot when the water level in the tank is low. It's easier. Choose a pot with holes in the bottom, the roots will eventually grow out the bottom.

If you need some specifics, just let me know.

B

 

[Hobbiest]

The Telanthera plant I had once before and it produced a lot of plants for me the problem with it is I had reg. gravel in the aquarium and use a gavel cleaner so after about a year or so of being uprooted by cleanings it eventually died. Like I said before I also get a lot of natural lighting from the windows on either side of the aquarium so maybe that helped. Sorry if my post was misleading I do want to eventually have a fully planted tank but the question was about aquarium plants so I didn't know where else to post.I would consider it partially planted because of not having the subtate ,but it does have quite a few live plants. I am a beginer and am taking baby steps to having a fully planted tank, trying to learn everything I need to know about the plants I want and what fits best in a warm water aquarium. Thankyou all for your help this sight is wonderful I learned the hard way Petsmart isn't the place to ask anything about aquariums.

 

[Hobbiest]

I also already have a 5-6 inch clay pot in aquarium maybe that would work for sword, which way do you think it would look best?

 

[Hobbiest]

Thanks to everyone who replied I ended up just adding the Flora-max to the aquarium. I'm just going to completely change the gravel to that gradually.