For about 12 months now ive been enjoying fishkeeping, and have always admired live plants but have never been able to grow them in my own tanks. I was wondering if any one could give me any tips on how to get started, none of my tanks have lights or anything special in them. I try to buy low light plants (the room my tanks are in gets lots of sun light) so i thort low light plants would survive but they dont, what am i doing wrong?
How do i get started???
- Thread starter Ebbi
- Start date
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jimenezlee
Aquarium Advice Activist
What do your plants look like now? Do they grow at all? Do leaves turn yellow, or have any other signs of nutrient deficiency? If the plants get any natural light then strong lights should not be too necessary, but water changes and ferts are where plants should get their nutrients from.
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
Light is essential for plants .... without it, plants won't grow, even the low light ones.
We need far more info to help you ... tank size, occupants, light (what kind & watts), etc.
For extreme low light, anubias or Java fern may survive (but not grow). they also do not need any substrate and can be attached to rocks or driftwood, etc.
We need far more info to help you ... tank size, occupants, light (what kind & watts), etc.
For extreme low light, anubias or Java fern may survive (but not grow). they also do not need any substrate and can be attached to rocks or driftwood, etc.
Tank is 210L. I do weekly 50% pwc and the leaves on the plants look like there cracking and my plants are starting to sag and fold over, i would take a pic and put up but i lent my caamera out and it hasnt been returned yet. Stock is: 3 guppys, 2 cherry barbs, 2 black phantom tetras, 2 gold flame tetras, 8 neon tetras, 2 small silver sharks, 1 pearl danio, 1 giant danio, 2 plattys, 3 goldfish, 5 rasboras, 1 rainbow shark, 1 sucking catfish and 1 kuhli loach.
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
3 goldfish?? What kind & size?
Goldfish don't mix well with tropicals ... and in a planted tank, it is even more challenging ... since you goldfish will treat most plants as a salad bar ...
You did not mention the type of lights over that tank..
And what plants do you have in there now?
Goldfish don't mix well with tropicals ... and in a planted tank, it is even more challenging ... since you goldfish will treat most plants as a salad bar ...
You did not mention the type of lights over that tank..
And what plants do you have in there now?
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- May 24, 2011
- Messages
- 5,011
Getting Started
Hello Ebbi...
Here's essentially how I started:
Bought a 55 G tank, hood and stand, heater, power filter, air pump and air stone.
Put in 2 inches of pea gravel substrate.
One T5, 6,500 K bulb from the local hardware store.
Filled and planted the tank with some rocks, driftwood, Anubias, Java fern, Cryptocoryne and Singapore moss.
Plugged in everything and let it run for 30 days. Didn't do anything else, just admired my handiwork a lot.
Bought a few small tropical fish and I was done. Set up my other tanks the same way.
That was several years ago and everything still runs and looks good.
B
Hello Ebbi...
Here's essentially how I started:
Bought a 55 G tank, hood and stand, heater, power filter, air pump and air stone.
Put in 2 inches of pea gravel substrate.
One T5, 6,500 K bulb from the local hardware store.
Filled and planted the tank with some rocks, driftwood, Anubias, Java fern, Cryptocoryne and Singapore moss.
Plugged in everything and let it run for 30 days. Didn't do anything else, just admired my handiwork a lot.
Bought a few small tropical fish and I was done. Set up my other tanks the same way.
That was several years ago and everything still runs and looks good.
B
