questions about converting to live plants

[my_little_tetra]

Hi,

I'm trying to change over from plastic to real plants in my 56g column tank. My substrate is black blasting sand. I currently have a 2 java ferns anchored to a piece of driftwood and an amazon sword that is "planted" in the sand near my filter intake. If these do okay, I'd like to eventually add some anubias, water wisteria, and jungle vals. Maybe some others too. It's a very tall tank, so I need tall background plants! lol

My lighting is just a standard fluorescent hood light that came with the tank. I don't use CO2 or anything fancy. I'm trying to just do low maintenance, low light plants.

I do have some flourish to put in the tank. Do I need anything else to be successful?

I would like to get a LED light at some point because I like the look that type of light better. Would double bright be better than standard? Or will that make no difference for the types of low light plants I want to keep? This tank doesn't really get any sunlight.

 

[spiketooth]

Most stem plants to well with low light and no co2, combobas(don't thing I spelled that right) do great with low light and no co2

 

[eAts]

Hi,

I'm trying to change over from plastic to real plants in my 56g column tank. My substrate is black blasting sand. I currently have a 2 java ferns anchored to a piece of driftwood and an amazon sword that is "planted" in the sand near my filter intake. If these do okay, I'd like to eventually add some anubias, water wisteria, and jungle vals. Maybe some others too. It's a very tall tank, so I need tall background plants! lol

My lighting is just a standard fluorescent hood light that came with the tank. I don't use CO2 or anything fancy. I'm trying to just do low maintenance, low light plants.

I do have some flourish to put in the tank. Do I need anything else to be successful?

I would like to get a LED light at some point because I like the look that type of light better. Would double bright be better than standard? Or will that make no difference for the types of low light plants I want to keep? This tank doesn't really get any sunlight.

As far as LEDs go, I've heard the single and double bright are not ideal for planted tanks. I use a finnex ray II and but it's moderate to high light. I agree completely on the look of LEDs, but I think it really depends on what you want. I know the feeling with the deep tank I couldn't grow anything with the standard lights that came with the tank so I too upgraded to LEDs. I dose excel (glut) and a PPS-Pro style fertilizer regime from GLA which many of us use. If I can find a link to an LED thread it will give you the PAR values of popular fixtures at different depths as well as what value is considered low, medium, and high light.

 

[my_little_tetra]

Okay, I thought maybe the depth could be a problem. I have a 3 gallon with some anubias and java fern that just has led lights that came with the tank, but its tiny and also gets some indirect sun.

That said, so far the plants in the 56g are alive. Haven't been in long enough to know about growth, but the fact they are still green is encouraging to me!

 

[Sharpchick]

Flourish will be a good addition for plants that take nutrients from the water column.

Rooted plants like swords, crypts and vals need root tabs pushed into the substrate close to their roots to really grow and thrive.

 

[notanewbie1997]

I would suggest getting a spectrum light. Great look and does a great job. Runs about $70 so a little pricy. Well worth it though. And dose with a fert. that has macro and micro nutrients. That's it. Low mainatence right there. With that all your plants will receive the min for a low mainatence tank. Just make sure all the plants you put in there will do well in the conditions you will give them. Anubias and Java Ferns are very undemanding. But with just a few up grades it gives a much bigger selection to chose from. Good luck

 

[my_little_tetra]

Is that a type of bulb I would put in a fluorescent hood or a type of LED?
I think I will add root tabs for my "planted" plants.
Thank you!!!

 

[my_little_tetra]

I'm very excited and my family doesn't care, so I'm putting it here! lol

I have officially removed all fake plants from both of my tanks!

I bought 3 bunches of cambomba and a red wendtii crypt (probably all spelled wrong) today and planted them. I also got some flourish tabs to put by the roots of them and my amazon sword. So far everything that was in there before (2 java ferns and the sword) are all still green and the sword is definitely taller. Crossing my fingers!

The plants in the betta tank are doing great. The anubias and java fern are growing well and the half dead, clearance wisteria I bought and stuck in there is putting out new leaves.

I'd put up a pic of the 56g, but the water is all partically from the cambomba. Maybe once it settles.