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DaveK · 05-13-2008, 11:17 PM

Keeping a planted tank is not too difficult. It does require a different methodology compared to a typical FW fish aquarium.

About all you need is good water, good filtration, and good light.

Test your tap water. Check on the requirement of the plants you want to keep and adjust it accordingly. You can use RO water to lower GH and KH, and products like R/O Right to raise them. pH can be controlled by the usual chemicals. Some people use all RO/DI water and then use R/O Right to get the water where they want it. It's a good way if you have it available.

Good filtration. Most plants do not like traditional under gravel filters. Get rid of them, if you are using them, and use about a 3 inch deep substrata. You usually add about 1 1/2 inches of gravel and mix that with laterite, then top that with clean gravel. Laterite is a tropical dirt that contains a lot of nutrients for plants. Avoid fish that dig when using it. You can also use one of the planted aquarium substrates such as flourite. In this case you just use a 3 inch layer of it, with nothing added.

Since you got rid of the undergravel filtration, you need to replace the biological filtration it provided. You'll need some type of bio media in the external filtration system. On a large tank, you can do this by using a canister filter, and filling it with a biomedia such as Ehiem substrat pro. On a small tank such as yours, the best way is to use two small hang on the tank filters. Let the media they use become your biological filtration. This will take a few weeks. Then clean only one filter at a time about 4 weeks apart. This can vary a bit. The idea is you only want to clean the other filter after the newly cleand one has had time to build up a bacteria base.

Lighting. It is possible to go with MH lighting, but for the size tank you have it would be way over the top. You can get excellent results by using NO, PC or T5 lighting. I like to see about 2 to 4 watts per gallon. The bulbs should be 5600K to 10000K full spectrum bulbs. Unlike reef tanks, you want the yellows and greens in the spectrum.

Planting. Chose real aquarium plants. Many plants sold by LFS are not really aquatic plants, and they will not survive submerged. Chose plants that are compatable with your tank. Many have special requirements, and for the time being you want to avoid those.

Plant dense. You want the plants to out compete algae for nutrients.

For a lot more additional information I highly recommend the book Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock.

05-13-2008, 11:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
DaveK Neon dottyback Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Philadelpahia, PA Posts: 661 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Keeping Live plants Keeping a planted tank is not too difficult. It does require a different methodology compared to a typical FW fish aquarium. About all you need is good water, good filtration, and good light. Test your tap water. Check on the requirement of the plants you want to keep and adjust it accordingly. You can use RO water to lower GH and KH, and products like R/O Right to raise them. pH can be controlled by the usual chemicals. Some people use all RO/DI water and then use R/O Right to get the water where they want it. It's a good way if you have it available. Good filtration. Most plants do not like traditional under gravel filters. Get rid of them, if you are using them, and use about a 3 inch deep substrata. You usually add about 1 1/2 inches of gravel and mix that with laterite, then top that with clean gravel. Laterite is a tropical dirt that contains a lot of nutrients for plants. Avoid fish that dig when using it. You can also use one of the planted aquarium substrates such as flourite. In this case you just use a 3 inch layer of it, with nothing added. Since you got rid of the undergravel filtration, you need to replace the biological filtration it provided. You'll need some type of bio media in the external filtration system. On a large tank, you can do this by using a canister filter, and filling it with a biomedia such as Ehiem substrat pro. On a small tank such as yours, the best way is to use two small hang on the tank filters. Let the media they use become your biological filtration. This will take a few weeks. Then clean only one filter at a time about 4 weeks apart. This can vary a bit. The idea is you only want to clean the other filter after the newly cleand one has had time to build up a bacteria base. Lighting. It is possible to go with MH lighting, but for the size tank you have it would be way over the top. You can get excellent results by using NO, PC or T5 lighting. I like to see about 2 to 4 watts per gallon. The bulbs should be 5600K to 10000K full spectrum bulbs. Unlike reef tanks, you want the yellows and greens in the spectrum. Planting. Chose real aquarium plants. Many plants sold by LFS are not really aquatic plants, and they will not survive submerged. Chose plants that are compatable with your tank. Many have special requirements, and for the time being you want to avoid those. Plant dense. You want the plants to out compete algae for nutrients. For a lot more additional information I highly recommend the book *Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants* by Peter Hiscock.