Changing my aquarium into a planted one.

[Satsumas]

I have been thinking about completely re-arranging my aquarium for a while now i do like how it is at the moment bt i feel it has more potential and could look great. Also my mum recently told me that she never wanted an aquarium in her best room but because i wanted one she let me. I would like her to class my aquarium as a good point in her room and really quite like it. She says she likes it but i know she's just saying that.

By changing my aquarium i mean changing the gravel if not scrapping gravel altogether and having a moss like ground cover plant, removing/adding changing formations of some rocks etc.. and adding plants. I would love to have a really lush green planted aquarium like some of those on the showcase forums.

I would generally like to know if people that have planted aquariums had a picture in their mind of what they wanted their tank to look like when they were designing it or they just bought plants and objects they like and went from there.

When i got my tank i admit i rushed into it, lost fish, bought stuff i now dont use and wasted my best opportunity of designing my aquarium. I think now im getting an idea of what i want my tank to be like and so i am asking for advice on doing this and for any general tips on renevating aquariums.

My brother has a tank that is currently in the garden and has been for about 3 months now its slightly bigger than mine, i could clean that one up and use it for a part time home for my fish.

Hopefully i should be borrowing a digital camera tonight so i will post some pictures of my tank currently and see what you think.

 

[Jchillin]

Moved to "Planted Tank" forum.

 

[Jchillin]

Your topic was moved here to get responses from our resident planted tank folks.

You can take a look at the sticky's in this forum for some general hints and tips. It is very important to get off to the right start from the beginning.

I would generally like to know if people that have planted aquariums had a picture in their mind of what they wanted their tank to look like when they were designing it or they just bought plants and objects they like and went from there.

When I started, I wanted a low-light SA biotope. I researched the overall plan for rock, wood and plant placement, including suggestions on plants. Since then, I abandoned that mental picture and I currently do whatever looks good or appears good. IMO, other than the blue gravel, the bio-tope is there...more amazonian jungle than I ever orginally imagined.

 

[Simpte]

I look at my plants, then decide what kind of scape I'm going for. I start with a mental picture, then adjust as I'm planting. It never comes out like it looks in my mind.

 

[Satsumas]

Yeah thanks. I wasnt really sure where to put this thread.

I got off to the wrong start with my tank and dont i know it!

Looking at some of those tanks in the showcase forum just amazed me. If i can create something even slightly similair to those i would be happy.

I just love the whole natural effect. And yes i do have a colloseum ruin in my tank but it could work. lol

 

[gfink]

Since you have a smaller tank, I would suggest that you use plants with small leaves. This way you can scale everything small. In my 10 gal planted, I used plants with small leaves and it gives a good feel to the tank.

For inspiration, I started at this site: http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/

Look at the images in the contest section. Check out the small tank category and look at the plants people are using. The good news is that people had to list their plants, so you can see what they might look like in a tank your size. There are also wonderful landscaping ideas.

Direct link to 2004 contest, small tank category:
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004.cgi?&Scale=2&op=ishowcase&category=0&vol=0

 

[travis simonson]

Every time I've started off with an idea in my head of what my tank was going to look like it has changed before I even got close to my mental image. Plants are as unpredicatable as the fish and will constantly surprise you with what they do. That's part of the beauty of it. You can plant it the way you want to, but the plants will shape their own reality, usually a bit different from what you imagined. It's simply fascinating

 

[workfortheman]

As I see it, the "envisioning" process must be part of it. My first tank was pretty much "work with what I have and don't plan anything". Now I plan the tank but still try to work with what I have I would definitely suggest for a first timer: low light plants, no co2 injection. It's a very good learning experience with not a lot of investment.

Java moss can be used to creat a lawn effect, if you have enough of it. Looks pretty cool, and jungle-like!

the tanks you see in the showcase forum are set up usually with tons of expensive equipment and, well, expensive everything. Don't expect to get those results the first time!

 

[Tiffi]

When I am planning to set up a planted tank, I look first what light I am going to have or the money I will be willing to spend for it.

IMO you can also go with a low to medium light tank under 2wpg. That's how I started out. I didn't need any fertilizer besides fish poop and some laterite in the gravel and the plants grew like crazy. But I also added some little CO2 setup like the one from Nutrafin(?).

The next step would be to look around for pictures, decide for a layout, start looking at plants with the right look and requirements:

www.plantgeek.net
www.tropica.com

Then I draw a map, looking at which plants will be the tallest and where I would need to place them (front, middle, background or from one side going down to another side). Note that you already have to be sure about how much place other decorations like driftwood, stones or caves will take away. You will need to know that when you decide how many plants to buy.

Everything else depends on your taste, the aquascaping, maybe some colors with slight color, maybe some slower growing varieties so you don't have to trim that much, or maybe a biotope tank with plants from one region in the world.

Finally, I would say, you definitely have to do some research about the plants you like and that will suit your tank. Then just plant. If you don't like a layout, you can always change it again.

 

[Satsumas]

Right. Thanks for the advice so far. My only slight concern is my loach often scuffle around in the gravel looking for food.
Will moss upset them at all?

Also i have a pleco. I did have a big amazon sword tail plant (i think it was) anyway it had big flat oval shaped leaves that my pleco destroyed! I read that big flat leaves will be eaten by pleco's.

So the plants with small leaves suggestion should serve two purposes.
Also i have 2 oto's will these eat there way through my design?

 

[Tiffi]

Otos don't eat plants, they just eat the algae off of them. If they starve to death they might try to eat plants or suck on some bigger fishes you've got, but since you will make sure they got enough food and don't die they won't do that.

As to your loaches, every fish loves plants and they hiding opportunities they offer. You could also get dwarf chain swords or dwarf saggitaria instead of javamoss. Javamoss will float if you don't tie it down to something.

 

[workfortheman]

My yoyo's don't uproot many plants, only when I first plant them. Once the roots take hold it will be fine. Not sure about the moss, once it's attached to something it ain't lettin' go!

I don't know much about plecos and plants, but I'm pretty sure otos dont' munch on em!

EDIT: arrrrggggh, ninja'd!

 

[Satsumas]

I put a lettuce leaf in there every week or 2 so they'll be fine. I thought they'd eat some plants cus there herbivores but if they only eat algae they'll be alright.

Oh rite i wandered how you held moss down. Or more the fact of how it stays down. Do i need some aquarium soil or something for roots to grow into and hold it down?

I just bought a python no spill aswell! Im guessing this will destroy plants if i use it to clean up waste?

 

[Satsumas]

I have just realised that both my lfs do not have a good plant section.

There is another store that i could try but from my memory i dont think it was any better than the other 2.

Also the plants arent in particular good quality either and i was wandering if i could grow them on in a different tank. Is there anything that i can add to water to really boost plant development and growth?

I would have no fish in this tank so is there anything that would perhaps be great for plants and not very good for fish that i could add?

 

[Tiffi]

No, nothing lke that. The only thing that really boosts plant growth is a rather expensive setup with high light, CO2, fertilizer, etc.

Try www.aquariumplants.com they are great! Or look into the classifieds section in this forum. It'll probably be cheaper to get all your plants from one place though.

 

[Jchillin]

Just wanted to chime in again. The classifieds section here at AA is truly a remarkable resource for plants. From time to time, many of us have additional clippings after pruning.

The only issue would be shipping those overseas, it may be costly and of course, customs laws will have to be observed.

BTW, if you're interested in what a low-light planted tank can look like, check my sig.

 

[travis simonson]

The only issue would be shipping those overseas, it may be costly and of course, customs laws will have to be observed.

Unless of course we know someone on your side of the pond who can hook you up some good plants

 

[Crusis]

I'm in the random design crowd. I get some rocks, some plants, some wood, and put it all together on the fly. So far it's working for me, but my planted tank has a lot of growing in to do. In a few months I'll really know if casual aquarium design works.

I don't think you'll have any problem with the Otos eating your plants. They didn't disrupt my last planted tank at all.

 

[Elmware]

I just bought plants and decided how they would go afterwards. When I bought them, I asked the staff what was best for the tank I have because they are only ten gallon tanks. She asked me what kind of lights I had, and at the time I had bulbs, which I had later replaced with compact flourescents. Because of the lighting, they recommended plants which could survive in less light such as Wisterias, Money Worts and Mondo Green Grass. I also asked if there is anything I should have for the plants like fertalizers, etc. She recommended Leaf Zone. These plants seem happy with it, but whatever plants you get, you may want to ask what fertalizers to use. Some like to soak it up from the ground, so you may in some cases need to buy fertalizers which you stick into the gravel. Some might even like more iron than others. Some plants will grow rapidly, so you may need a larger tank for them.

I found that most plants are pretty much happy just as long as they remain planted into the gravel and that you don't allow the fish to knock them up out of the gravel where they can't get any nutrients they need to survive, unless you have something like Hornworts which can float or be planted.

One other thing to consider is wheather you use salt or not. Most plants don't like salt in the water and will not do well.

Some people have said that plants can make up for overcrowded tanks, but I believe that is far from the truth as the plants will die in an overcrowded tank. I found that out the hard way when my Marigold Swordtail decided to become ninfomaniacs. It was starting to show how the overpopulation was hard on the plants, but as I sold the babies off to the lfs, the plants have been recovering very well.