pm64971
Aquarium Advice Activist
What's the benefit if having live plants? Is there a benefit beyond the visual effect of having live plants vs plastic. How difficult is it to maintain live plants?
Live Plants
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Endgame319
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Live plants absorb nitrates from the water, but unless you have an aquarium specially designed for them, I would advise against it. They need co2, fertilizer, and over 2 watts per gallon of light.
Endgame319 said:
Just to add to this:
2 watts per gallon of flourescent light (though there are a few that will grow in as little as 1 watt per gallon).
Live plants also produce oxygen during the day.
Live plants also don't care for intense current from high flow filters.
medge00
Aquarium Advice FINatic
yes more work.... but also addicting and expensive
Kerrinne
Aquarium Advice Freak
I am new to this somewhat...having planted aquariums only two months, but I would not outright advise someone against trying them who doesn't have CO2 and flourescent lights. I would have never dabbled into them (and my betta would not love me so much for doing so!) had I taken that advise.
I think it depends on the type of tank and the types of plants you have as well. I have live plants in my 3 gal, my 5 gal and my 10 gal. I do not have CO2, and in two of the tanks I do not have flourescent light. My plants are doing quite well (see my plant update in the planted tank section of freshwater community), though I do use a liquid fertilizer for some of the important elements like iron, etc.
I think it depends on the type of tank and the types of plants you have as well. I have live plants in my 3 gal, my 5 gal and my 10 gal. I do not have CO2, and in two of the tanks I do not have flourescent light. My plants are doing quite well (see my plant update in the planted tank section of freshwater community), though I do use a liquid fertilizer for some of the important elements like iron, etc.
LAGlocker
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have to ask, specifically designed for plants? Ummmm do what? Never seen a aquarium that was specifically designed for plants, but thats just me. I Agree with Kerrine, if they wish to try to raise live plants in their tank, go for it. Go buy a few low light plants, and plant them. If they start growing, great. If you like how it looks, upgrade lighting, stick some more plants in the tank, eventually you will be like most of the rest of us and have mts, and tons of plants anda co2 and cf lights.
TygGer
Aquarium Advice Freak
Can fish tell a difference between fake and live plants?
QTOFFER
Aquarium Advice Addict
TygGer said:
Not unless they are herbivores!
I think that a fish that just wants a place to hide or sleep in peace will be just as happy with a plastic plant. The aesthetics is a purely human concern.
AtodaJ
Aquarium Advice Freak
As mentioned before, it really depends on the type of plants you keep. You can, however, have a planted tank without making any special efforts such as increased lighting and/or adding fertilizer. For example here is my 10g planted aquarium. I use a 15 watt strip light and no fertilizer added. It's been a couple of months and all the plants are doing well:
I still have to attach my Java Moss correctly... I'm trying to make it look like a tree underwater.
There are a number of plants that have very minimal requirements. Here is a link to an "easy" planted aquarium. Hope that helps.
http://www.petfish.net/eplant.htm
I still have to attach my Java Moss correctly... I'm trying to make it look like a tree underwater.
There are a number of plants that have very minimal requirements. Here is a link to an "easy" planted aquarium. Hope that helps.
http://www.petfish.net/eplant.htm
QTOFFER
Aquarium Advice Addict
AtodaJ, I looked at your link and I'm intrigued.
So you just have filter floss under your gravel for the plant roots to anchor into?
What if you don't have an UGF, will this still work?
So you just have filter floss under your gravel for the plant roots to anchor into?
What if you don't have an UGF, will this still work?
AtodaJ
Aquarium Advice Freak
Well actually, I kinda used my own unique planting method (poor man's easy planted tank). I don't have filter floss or an ugf. The plants on the left are Java Fern babies and are simply put into the gravel. They'll attach nicely themselves.
The plants on the right are actually Betta Bulbs... hehe. The bulbs provide the rooting base and all I had to do was put the bulb into the gravel after the plant began to grow. I was quite surprised at how quickly and how well those plants grow. It's almost like they are underwater weeds or something. Pretty good no hassle plants though which makes sense. Betta bulbs are meant to be put in vases with a Betta so the maker would have to assume very little light.
I had heard of others using Betta bulbs for an easy planted tank and decided to try it out. Been pretty happy so far.
The plants on the right are actually Betta Bulbs... hehe. The bulbs provide the rooting base and all I had to do was put the bulb into the gravel after the plant began to grow. I was quite surprised at how quickly and how well those plants grow. It's almost like they are underwater weeds or something. Pretty good no hassle plants though which makes sense. Betta bulbs are meant to be put in vases with a Betta so the maker would have to assume very little light.
I had heard of others using Betta bulbs for an easy planted tank and decided to try it out. Been pretty happy so far.
QTOFFER
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cool, thanks.
I'm going to look into this for my 7 gal betta tank. I would like for it to be a planted tank and this looks like a low-cost, low maintenance way to go about it.
I'm going to look into this for my 7 gal betta tank. I would like for it to be a planted tank and this looks like a low-cost, low maintenance way to go about it.
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
I REALLY wish I had pics of my tanks. There's a ton you can do with fake plants (some of which look quite natural). I use the fake plants to give my fish hiding places. I let my filter take care of the rest 
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