Planted vs Salted

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I'm coming from a salt water tank, and am well aware of the level of difficulty and care that is needed. Due to time constraints in life, I feel like I no longer have the time to have a healthy salt water tank, but would like something nice such, just not as time consuming. Are planted tanks as hard to maintain as a salt? I think I know the answer but am looking for some good advice and start up tips... This would be a 40 breeder, and I have a 120 watt 50/50 blue/white dimmable LED light. Thank you.

 

[CJonline]

I think that you will get a lot of different opinions here. It all depends on what you want to do and how much effort you wish to put into it. Some on here put hours and hours each week into the tank doing something daily, others feed daily, do the WC once a week.

Pre kids I had saltwater tanks. It was impossible (for me) to have two toddlers and the SW tanks - so the SW tanks went. I love having aquariums and still wanted them in the house so I went with silk plants and basic fish, other than feeding it was ok to forget about the tank for days at a time (once a week care for about 15 to 20 minutes unless something was sick). As my kids grew I started adding live plants to the tank and harder to keep fish. I don't do the CO or anything special with the tank but I wouldn't say I could go very long without doing something (still once a week for about 1 hr - I often pull out dead or floating leaves as i see them). I have my hands in the tank several times a week.

I would say a heavily planted tank with 'normal' to care for fish is going to give you the extra time while still requiring you to do some work. If you are talking about getting Discus then IMO its just as much work as SW just in a different way.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Depends if you want a low tech versus high tech tank; where the latter would require CO2 (and more ferts). Low tech is easy and requires less work. However, high tech, IMO, is more attractive in terms of the variety of plants. You can research both and decide what's best for you. One thing I'd recommend is not using a 50/50 LED unit on FW. You'll most likely end up getting algae, and colors would look washed out. You should get something with a warmer temperature like 6300k - 8000k. If you want to stick with LED, I recommend BuildMyLED.com for high tech, Current-USA's satellite LED+ for low tech planted.

Anyways, welcome to the planted side

 

[Rivercats]

I totally agree with Brian. I've been keeping both freshwater planted and reef tanks in a very serious level since the 80's. Health issues made me stop doing reefs a few years ago. I have planted tanks varying from low light to very high light/high tech and can tell you if you want easy to start with you can do low light and still have an attractive tank. It's a good way to get the feel of things. If you get a BML fixture with the dimmer you can use lighting from 10-100% making it possible to use the fixture from low light to high light. Over time you can change the tank into higher light with a wider variety of plants if you want.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yes, if you want an LED fixture that can grow with you in terms of starting low (via dimmer) with the ability to be cranked up for high tech planted tank capability, then Rivercats is 100% correct, BML all the way. You won't be disappointed.

 

[misterc007]

To answer your question in short Yes lol but really it doesn't have to be.

I wonder if you could use just the white lights in your current fixture? You said its dimmable and at 120 watts it should have enough power. If you could start out with that one you could decide later if you want to drop some coin on a better one. That is if you decide you really want to get into it that much.

 

[monaro_gto]

I run a 40b low tech setup, feed twice daily, excel once a day, flourish twice a week, once a week small water change, once a month hair cut, glass clean, filter clean, 3 month root tabs and it is going great. This for me is about as minimal maintenance as it gets.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I run a 40b low tech setup, feed twice daily, excel once a day, flourish twice a week, once a week small water change, once a month hair cut, glass clean, filter clean, 3 month root tabs and it is going great. This for me is about as minimal maintenance as it gets.

What kind if lighting do you use? Also, do you use RODI water or tap?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Also what filtration and do you use a power head for circulation...?

 

[monaro_gto]

My setup is 40b with a glass top.
Marineland C220 canister filter (would go bigger next time)
Hydor inline 200w heater so there is nothing in my display.
Current USA LED+light fixture that does a great job at this height. I only run full daylight for about 4 hours.
Black diamond blasting sand substrate, 2 pieces of driftwood and some rock.

 

[monaro_gto]

Oh and I was going to run a power head but that made it's way into my saltwater qt tank I think my Tetra's would appriciate a bit more flow but my plants dont miss it. I started with 6 pieces of dwarf sag and now my whole lower layer is covered with it.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Ok so I think I got a hold on equipment. Now, could someone answer if I would need to use RODI or not? Is there something specific that needs to be constantly tested for as well?

 

[monaro_gto]

RO/DI water no unless Discus are involved. Water parameters are all going to be dependent on what fish you plan on keeping. My GH and KH are very bad and to keep my platty's and Molly's happy I add baking soda ever week in my water change to bring it up.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

So I can basically just dechlorinate tap? Or is there something else I would want to add?

Here's where I'm getting at... I thoroughly enjoy fish keeping. My life ended up being very busy and can't find time to maintain a reef tank (lugging buckets of RODI, weekly water changes, testing water, adjusting lights and filtration, making sure salinity is on point). But I'd like something very natural with no fake ornaments, or colored stones, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about ...

I read a very interesting article about low tech planted tanks, where topoffs and very rare water changes was the recipe. This is what I'm looking for, and need to make sure it's doable before I take down my salty... I appreciate everyone's help with this!

 

[Rivercats]

So I can basically just dechlorinate tap? Or is there something else I would want to add?

Here's where I'm getting at... I thoroughly enjoy fish keeping. My life ended up being very busy and can't find time to maintain a reef tank (lugging buckets of RODI, weekly water changes, testing water, adjusting lights and filtration, making sure salinity is on point). But I'd like something very natural with no fake ornaments, or colored stones, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about ...

I read a very interesting article about low tech planted tanks, where topoffs and very rare water changes was the recipe. This is what I'm looking for, and need to make sure it's doable before I take down my salty... I appreciate everyone's help with this!

If you want that type of tank you need to do some serious research and read about how to do a Walstad Method tank. Personally I find them very limiting in the plants and fish you can use. If you just do a low light tank with the few plants that will work well you can get by with doing a weekly 50% WC and dosing something like Seachem Flourish Comprehensive. You can't get much easier than that. Then if you don't want to lug buckets look into getting an Aqueon or Python water changer. I've used the Aqueon one for years.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

If you want that type of tank you need to do some serious research and read about how to do a Walstad Method tank. Personally I find them very limiting in the plants and fish you can use. If you just do a low light tank with the few plants that will work well you can get by with doing a weekly 50% WC and dosing something like Seachem Flourish Comprehensive. You can't get much easier than that. Then if you don't want to lug buckets look into getting an Aqueon or Python water changer. I've used the Aqueon one for years.

So I definitely don't need RODI water for a low tech? The buckets getting lugged to and from my LFS is what bugged me the most. I don't mind filling up a bucket in the kitchen and making sure temp matches, but I am tired of mixing salt water, testing, mixing, lugging, etc... So say I do a 50% wc, what needs to be added to the water and does anything need to be tested before added to the tank?

 

[Rivercats]

Unless you have horrible tap water that has ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, or is very soft with a low kh and gh then there is nothing other than declorinator (Prime is my choice) that you need.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

And if it is hard water with high kh and gh?

 

[Rivercats]

Plants can acclimate to most hard water. If you have a gh and kh of 4 or above then there is enough calcium and magnesium in the water for them. Do you know your taps kh, gh, and ph?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I don't unfortunately. I've been using RODI in my saltwater tank and never tested it...