how hard is it to plant a tank that is currently fake?

[aaronjohn20]

Thinking of going with some real plants but have never done it before. How hard is it to do? And do I need anything special for plants?

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Thinking of going with some real plants but have never done it before. How hard is it to do? And do I need anything special for plants?

#1 You ABSOLUTELY need the right color bulbs meaning 6,500K-10,000K.
#2 Decide what plants you want so you can adjust your WPG (watts per gallon) i.e. 40 gallon tank 80 watts = 2 WPG 40 gallon tank 120 watts = 3 WPG etc.
The higher WPG generally you need to start thinking about CO2. If you use the search here there is a GREAT DIY setup that I started with that I think cost me about $10 if even that.
#3 Depending what plants you get, you may want to get fertilizers as well.

It can be as expensive or as cheap as you decide, bit it all depends on what YOU want to do.

And My advise on the CO2... spend the money to get a setup instead of DIY kit. I had a bad experience with the DIY because of my own carelessness. For $100 I got a tank and regulator and a timer... and I didnt even have tgo THINK about my CO@ for MONTHS.

How big is your tank?

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Oh yea and lastly, try and avoid the superstores. 3 times I have been burned on plants they sell as aquatic that are NOT and once they refuse to take one back even with proof.

Once you go live... you tank takes on a whole new life and u will hate fake lol

 

[aaronjohn20]

Ok thanks. I don't want anything real expensive or something that takes a lot of co2. Just lookin to spice the tank up alil. Here's the bulb I currently have

 

[Luananeko]

If you don't want to change up your equipment much, most java ferns, anubias, crypts, anacharis, and mosses will do fine with standard gravel and lighting. They're all pretty hardy and forgiving of just about any water parameters. Just pull out the plastic plants, put in the live plants, and off you go. They'll obviously do better if you're willing to swap your substrate to something more nutrient rich and swap the bulb for something meant for plants, but the species I listed are pretty hard to kill and your fish will love them.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Ok thanks. I don't want anything real expensive or something that takes a lot of co2. Just lookin to spice the tank up alil. Here's the bulb I currently have

View attachment 93639

I did a quick look on Google but I couldn't find the "color" of the bulbs. It has more to do with what the wavelengths arelll like black lights vs infrared. its based on if the plant will actually use the light to grow or just be illuminated by it. Maybe someone else can step in and help with the explanation as I am relatively new to the specifics myself.

Most important at the moment is how big is the tank. If its a 30 watt over 15-30 gallons you are fine. However I THINK even most of the low lights plants require 1-1.5 WGP. You def don't have to do CO2.


lol what might happen is exactly what happened to me... you start and then cant stop when you realize how amazing the tank can look.
this is not my tank I found it thru google but my ultimate goal is something like this. I am going to upgrade to a 55 in about a year so I am just saving my pennies now so I can do something like this when i set it up

 

[aaronjohn20]

Its actually a 46 gallon bowfront

 

[mohican]

I did the same thing! What I did was pulled my fake plants and mixed nutrient rich substrate with my current substrate. U could even just mix only in areas where u want to put the plants and not the whole tank. This can save time and money. Besides that, lighting is ur next big thing but just to get started, what u have should work. I used t-8 for the longest time until I wanted to push the envelope of the tank. Please research lighting first before posting lighting questions here as information here is all over the place.

 

[Fishandmusic81]

I did a quick look on Google but I couldn't find the "color" of the bulbs. It has more to do with what the wavelengths arelll like black lights vs infrared. its based on if the plant will actually use the light to grow or just be illuminated by it. Maybe someone else can step in and help with the explanation as I am relatively new to the specifics myself.

Most important at the moment is how big is the tank. If its a 30 watt over 15-30 gallons you are fine. However I THINK even most of the low lights plants require 1-1.5 WGP. You def don't have to do CO2.

lol what might happen is exactly what happened to me... you start and then cant stop when you realize how amazing the tank can look.
this is not my tank I found it thru google but my ultimate goal is something like this. I am going to upgrade to a 55 in about a year so I am just saving my pennies now so I can do something like this when i set it up

Lol yupp you'll get addicted trust me you'll realize that a few plants isn't enough that it must look like a jungle like pic shown lol

 

[BBradbury]

Planting a Tank

Hello a...

It isn't hard at all if you're willing to use pots. Planting an established tank is messy at best. Use small plastic pots. Fill the bottom with a little standard pea gravel from the pet store. Then, add a little Miracle Gro organic potting soil and plant the plant. Secure the plant, by topping the soil with more pea gravel.

Planting is best done during a water change, when the water level in tank is low. Just ease the pot down into the water a let it slowly fill with water. Then position the pot in the tank. The potting mixture nourishes the plant for months.

I like to move the pots around and even stack them to take full advantage of the light. Attached is a pic of one of my "potted" tanks.

Just a suggestion.

B

 

[aaronjohn20]

My bulbs got a pinkish blue light. I did some research on it. I think it might be 9375k. Anyone know if that sounds about right

 

[Marine4life]

Go to yourube and look for justinsfishtanktv he does planted tank and full of tutorial videos.

 

[aaronjohn20]

Ok thanks a bunch

 

[aaronjohn20]

If you don't want to change up your equipment much, most java ferns, anubias, crypts, anacharis, and mosses will do fine with standard gravel and lighting. They're all pretty hardy and forgiving of just about any water parameters. Just pull out the plastic plants, put in the live plants, and off you go. They'll obviously do better if you're willing to swap your substrate to something more nutrient rich and swap the bulb for something meant for plants, but the species I listed are pretty hard to kill and your fish will love them.

Thank you for this info

 

[BBradbury]

Your Lighting Question

Hello again a...

Ideally, you want 6500 K bulbs. These come closest to natural daylight at 5500 K. I'm sure you'll get other views, but these are what I use in my planted tanks and they work fine. But, use the kind you have and see how they work.

You need to look into some source of trace element fertilizer too. I use liquids because they're easy and inexpensive, but there are others in dry, tablets and granules.

B

 

[aaronjohn20]

Hello again a...

Ideally, you want 6500 K bulbs. These come closest to natural daylight at 5500 K. I'm sure you'll get other views, but these are what I use in my planted tanks and they work fine. But, use the kind you have and see how they work.

You need to look into some source of trace element fertilizer too. I use liquids because they're easy and inexpensive, but there are others in dry, tablets and granules.

B

Thanks for your input. I think I am just gonna get 1 hardy plant and see how it goes. Will also look into fertilizer when I figure out which plant I am gonna try

 

[Monkey Magic]

Just to throw in my two cents wpg only works with t8s im pretty sure

 

[Fishandmusic81]

Thanks for your input. I think I am just gonna get 1 hardy plant and see how it goes. Will also look into fertilizer when I figure out which plant I am gonna try

Then definitely go with anacharias it's extremely hardy

 

[Jess1ca]

Hi! I have a very low tech planted 10 gallon. I don't have special lights or co2. I have Subwasssertang, Anubias, Java Moss and Hornwort. My shrimp are in love with it. My plants are thriving in the low light but I do dose flourish Excel

 

[Coursair]

Try Java Ferns. Just tie it to a rock or wood or decor. The roots will grow around and anchor the plant.

If your bulb is over a year old, consider changing it. The output drops in older bulbs.