Real plants or fake ones
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
redsea
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well it depends on your lighting, Also, I think some gravel isn't the best for plants. I like live plants because they make the tank look very nice and lively! Good luck!
zooking12
Aquarium Advice Freak
Fakes are easier matinence and don't die... but live ones look more natural and remove harmful chemicals. Up to personal opinion i guess
redsea said:Well it depends on your lighting, Also, I think some gravel isn't the best for plants. I like live plants because they make the tank look very nice and lively! Good luck!
I just bought 50/50 aquarium light bulbs which it said was good for live plants I want some in my tank but didn't know if they made your tank to dirty or was a big hassle to have. I bought the little plant bulbs and they still haven't grown and it's been two weeks
BillD
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you bought 50/50 tubes that are half actinic, they aren't particularly good for plants. A tube in the 5000K to 6500K range is better. There are many plants that can be grown with little to no effort and low light. Anubias and Java fern to mention two. Both need to be planted with the rhizome above the substrate, or they can be attached to a piece of wood or rock.
epiphysis
Aquarium Advice Freak
Fake plants in an aquarium makes almost as much sense as having fake fish. Just a bit of researche will help you choose the right ones. And you will definitely see the benefits in your fish.
Galligak
Aquarium Advice Addict
There are lots of plants I like mosses Anubis ferns etc
roundar
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2011
- Messages
- 314
ADG Aquarium Makeover, vol. 1 - YouTube
Fake plants have their place. I prefer live of course, but I can imagine quite a few scenarios where, in larger tanks, fake plants would be desirable.
jcolon
Aquarium Advice Addict
It's all about the lighting ... first thing is to look at the bulb in your fixture, If it's a stock bulb ... it probably next to worthless for plants so you may have to upgrade. You have 3 easy to find choices.
1. T8 Bulbs at least 6500K lumens with a wattage preferably over 20 watts (since you have a 20gal). Ideally for low light plants you'd want over 1.0 wpg for low light plants to grow.
2. CFL bulbs ... basically same rule as above applies.
You can go with either one depending on the type of bulb and wattage your fixture can support. If your fixture's wattage is below 20 ... you'll need to consider upgrading.
3. T5 bulbs - This would require you to upgrade your fixture, but a T5 would give you more than enough lighting ... you could probably have enough to support medium light plants ... see the link below which I think you'll find useful. Again your still looking for around 6500K.
PAR vs Distance, T5, T12, PC - Updated Again Charts
1. T8 Bulbs at least 6500K lumens with a wattage preferably over 20 watts (since you have a 20gal). Ideally for low light plants you'd want over 1.0 wpg for low light plants to grow.
2. CFL bulbs ... basically same rule as above applies.
You can go with either one depending on the type of bulb and wattage your fixture can support. If your fixture's wattage is below 20 ... you'll need to consider upgrading.
3. T5 bulbs - This would require you to upgrade your fixture, but a T5 would give you more than enough lighting ... you could probably have enough to support medium light plants ... see the link below which I think you'll find useful. Again your still looking for around 6500K.
PAR vs Distance, T5, T12, PC - Updated Again Charts
Retired_AF
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Fake plants only have 1 advantage - they are easier to clean. The worst part about them is that they look fake. 
Live plants will help regulate your tank and look so much better. They aren't that hard to maintain, you just have to make sure your lighting is adequate. Fertilizers may be needed, especially at first, but once they get established you shouldn't need as much since the fish poo and uneaten food will help feed them. (You shouldnt overfeed the fish just to have some for the plants. It is my experience that there will always be a little uneaten food when it drops down into the gravel.)
A good substrate like fluorite will lessen the need for fertilizers. CO2 may or may not be needed depending on the size of your tank and the type/quantity of plants you will keep.
Lighting will be the biggest concern and cost. Each plant requires a different light level. If it doesnt get enough light it will die. I recommend you look into the types of plants you want and research their requirements. If funding is tight, look into low light plants. The more light you need, the more it will cost. Unfortunately the lights that come with most tanks are inadequate to sustain most plants.
If you are nervous about plants, I would start with low-light plants like anacharis, anubia nanas, java ferns, java moss and other plants like these. They arent very expensive (and some members will give you a really good deal or even give them to you, just pay for shipping) and are readily available.
One word of caution: Many pet stores will sell aquarium plants (usually in plastic tubes) that really arent aquarium plants. Not all plants in the tubes are bad choices, but some are. Make sure you look into the type of plant and make sure you can keep it in your tank. I purchased a beautiful plant from my lfs. A few weeks later it started dying and I then found out that it wasnt a plant that could stay under water. It would have worked planted shallowly with the blades above the water line, but not fully immersed. Just a word of warning...
Have fun!!!
Live plants will help regulate your tank and look so much better. They aren't that hard to maintain, you just have to make sure your lighting is adequate. Fertilizers may be needed, especially at first, but once they get established you shouldn't need as much since the fish poo and uneaten food will help feed them. (You shouldnt overfeed the fish just to have some for the plants. It is my experience that there will always be a little uneaten food when it drops down into the gravel.)
A good substrate like fluorite will lessen the need for fertilizers. CO2 may or may not be needed depending on the size of your tank and the type/quantity of plants you will keep.
Lighting will be the biggest concern and cost. Each plant requires a different light level. If it doesnt get enough light it will die. I recommend you look into the types of plants you want and research their requirements. If funding is tight, look into low light plants. The more light you need, the more it will cost. Unfortunately the lights that come with most tanks are inadequate to sustain most plants.
If you are nervous about plants, I would start with low-light plants like anacharis, anubia nanas, java ferns, java moss and other plants like these. They arent very expensive (and some members will give you a really good deal or even give them to you, just pay for shipping) and are readily available.
One word of caution: Many pet stores will sell aquarium plants (usually in plastic tubes) that really arent aquarium plants. Not all plants in the tubes are bad choices, but some are. Make sure you look into the type of plant and make sure you can keep it in your tank. I purchased a beautiful plant from my lfs. A few weeks later it started dying and I then found out that it wasnt a plant that could stay under water. It would have worked planted shallowly with the blades above the water line, but not fully immersed. Just a word of warning...
Have fun!!!
Love2Fish
Aquarium Advice Regular
I'm going to take the opposite route than most of the people here. It really is personal preference. I prefer the fake plants, because when you have live plants you aren't just responsible to care for the lives of the fish but also the plants. I have a lot of fake plants in my tank and I think it looks ok. I have them mostly to give a different type of hiding spots for my fish. If you have a little ship or decoration or something in your tank most likely it isn't "real" because if it were "real" it would be really big and wouldn't fit in your tank. I go with the fakes cause it's easier maintenence for me and it works well with my set up
Love2Fish
Aquarium Advice Regular
If your tank is well enough airated I don't really think it makes much of a difference
