Heavily planted or no?

[Dreamroper]

I'm trying to decide if I want to plant my tank a bit more heavily, or leave it with more open areas since all of my community fish tend to be small. I've attached a picture. Do you think I should add more or leave it more open so that I can see my fish better. I have a lot more fish in this tank that when I took this picture. Thanks for your opinions-D

 

[Dreamroper]

I forgot to add that my plants are larger also, the Water Sprite fills up the whole end of the aquarium now. I took this picture a month ago. I've removed some of the rocks also.

 

[BBradbury]

Your Planted Tank

I'm trying to decide if I want to plant my tank a bit more heavily, or leave it with more open areas since all of my community fish tend to be small. I've attached a picture. Do you think I should add more or leave it more open so that I can see my fish better. I have a lot more fish in this tank that when I took this picture. Thanks for your opinions-D

Hello Dream...

Your tank looks fine to me. You've allowed room for the plants to grow and that's important. 2 to 3 inches space between plants is good. If the tank was mine, I'd add a floating plant like Anacharis or Pennywort. Fish feel more comfortable with a few more plants in their tank and both of these are natural water filters. They help keep the tank a bit cleaner. Anacharis also gives off a natural antibotic that discourages the growth of some types of algae.

B

 

[Dreamroper]

Hello Dream...

Your tank looks fine to me. You've allowed room for the plants to grow and that's important. 2 to 3 inches space between plants is good. If the tank was mine, I'd add a floating plant like Anacharis or Pennywort. Fish feel more comfortable with a few more plants in their tank and both of these are natural water filters. They help keep the tank a bit cleaner. Anacharis also gives off a natural antibotic that discourages the growth of some types of algae.

B

Hi B,
Great, thank you for the advice. I had some hornwort in my tank floating at the top for awhile, but I didn't like how little pieces would fall down into my other plants. I'll look into the pennywort and anacharis. Thanks again..

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I think it looks fine.. What's your lighting and ferts like? Maybe some foreground carpeting plants would be a nice addition. I'm not a big fan of floaters, they block light which can affect the plants below. BTW, that's an awesome Manzanita branch. I had one similarly in my 26g. You can tie some flame moss (or any other moss for that matter) to great effect. Something like the flame moss here:

 

[Sharpchick]

I plant heavily, because I prefer a jungle look.

I have small schooling/shoaling fish in my 29 gallon, and they have no problems getting in and around the plants, or feeding. I've noticed that the rasboras have a "spot" where they chill sometimes, so do the cardinal tetras, and the tuxedo guppies just go anywhere they please.

 

[Dreamroper]

I think it looks fine.. What's your lighting and ferts like? Maybe some foreground carpeting plants would be a nice addition. I'm not a big fan of floaters, they block light which can affect the plants below. BTW, that's an awesome Manzanita branch. I had one similarly in my 26g. You can tie some flame moss (or any other moss for that matter) to great effect. Something like the flame moss here:



View attachment 177553

Beautiful tank!! I've been trying to grow chain swords, but the leaves turn brown, even on the runners, so I need advice on a some other foreground plants?
My lighting is 2-T5s and I dose sparingly with Excel & Flourish. I don't vacuum the bottom of the tank, but my nitrates are really low.

Someone else suggested the flame moss, so now I just have to find it. I may have to buy it online if the LFSs don't carry it.

Any advice on ferts or suggestions on easy to grow foregrounds plants is greatly appreciated. D

 

[Dreamroper]

I plant heavily, because I prefer a jungle look.

I have small schooling/shoaling fish in my 29 gallon, and they have no problems getting in and around the plants, or feeding. I've noticed that the rasboras have a "spot" where they chill sometimes, so do the cardinal tetras, and the tuxedo guppies just go anywhere they please.

Your tank is beautiful, and very jungle looking. I only have two rasboras, but I've had them for a couple of years and I'm surprised at how big & colorful they've gotten. I also have a small school (shoal?) of different tetras. I think I'm going to try and find some flame moss for my manzanita branch.

 

[Sharpchick]

Beautiful tank!! I've been trying to grow chain swords, but the leaves turn brown, even on the runners, so I need advice on a some other foreground plants?
My lighting is 2-T5s and I dose sparingly with Excel & Flourish. I don't vacuum the bottom of the tank, but my nitrates are really low.

Someone else suggested the flame moss, so now I just have to find it. I may have to buy it online if the LFSs don't carry it.

Any advice on ferts or suggestions on easy to grow foregrounds plants is greatly appreciated. D

Swords are heavy root feeders - even the small ones.

Stick a couple of roots tabs very close to the roots of the pygmy chain swords and they ought to take off...

 

[Dreamroper]

Swords are heavy root feeders - even the small ones.

Stick a couple of roots tabs very close to the roots of the pygmy chain swords and they ought to take off...

I'll have to get some. Thanks!

 

[Rivercats]

Pygmy chain swords are slow growers. If you want them you just have to be patient. I like a very heavily planted tank myself but you need to plant it the way you like it. You can add more plants but you don't have to at this point. One thing that would be nice is to have a non green plant to add a touch of color in the tank.

 

[Dreamroper]

Pygmy chain swords are slow growers. If you want them you just have to be patient. I like a very heavily planted tank myself but you need to plant it the way you like it. You can add more plants but you don't have to at this point. One thing that would be nice is to have a non green plant to add a touch of color in the tank.

It's not the slow growing part that bothers me, but it sends out all these little runners, where you could see that eventually it would carpet the floor of the tank, but all of the leaves turn brown. I've ordered some fert tabs off of Amazon. Maybe that will help?

 

[Rivercats]

What is your lighting? Are you using any ferts other than root tabs? Are you using CO2 or liquid carbon such as Flourish Excel?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Beautiful tank!! I've been trying to grow chain swords, but the leaves turn brown, even on the runners, so I need advice on a some other foreground plants?
My lighting is 2-T5s and I dose sparingly with Excel & Flourish. I don't vacuum the bottom of the tank, but my nitrates are really low.

Someone else suggested the flame moss, so now I just have to find it. I may have to buy it online if the LFSs don't carry it.

Any advice on ferts or suggestions on easy to grow foregrounds plants is greatly appreciated. D

Thank you!

Are you using T5NO or HO?

Maybe some dwarf sag or microswords? I usually have a good amount of flame moss after a trimming. It's just too hot here in AZ now for shipping and receiving plants. If you don't find any, I'll have plenty in a few months to send when the temps drop a bit.

 

[Dreamroper]

What is your lighting? Are you using any ferts other than root tabs? Are you using CO2 or liquid carbon such as Flourish Excel?

I haven't been using any root tabs because I started the tank with Eco and didn't think that I would need them. I'm using Flourish and Excel only, but I ordered some root tabs from amazon today.

 

[Dreamroper]

Thank you!

Are you using T5NO or HO?

Maybe some dwarf sag or microswords? I usually have a good amount of flame moss after a trimming. It's just too hot here in AZ now for shipping and receiving plants. If you don't find any, I'll have plenty in a few months to send when the temps drop a bit.

I'm sorry, I don't know what kind of T5s they are. Yes, it sure is hot in AZ right now. I have friends and family in Phoenix and Tucson. If I can't find any, I'll just wait until you have some flame moss. As I mentioned to Rivercats, I've ordered some root tabs also, but I didn't think that I needed them since the tank is only a few months old and I started it with Eco. The problem is my nitrates are always really low, and if I understand correctly the plants need nitrates. Thanks! D

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Maybe post a picture of the inside of the fixture? T5HOs have reflectors while the NO doesn't. But even if it's a T5HO, there's different quality reflectors. All of these factors can determine what you can grow due to light intensity.