Converting to a Planted Freshwater Tank

"Converting to a Planted Freshwater Tank"," Fish feel more at home amongst natural plants - they are more likely to lay eggs in their leaves, or for fry to take refuge in them. For most people, though, what is most important is what is most obvious: they look much better! They are the real deal, and an imitation just doesn't hold a candle to the real thing. 1) Get a book on planted aquariums. Books that are mostly photographs are very helpful for inspiration, but to gain a core knowledge you need to start with something like ""The Simple Guide to Planted Aquariums"" by Rhonda Wilson and Terry Ann Barber, or ""The Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants"" by Peter Hiscock. probably. Stem plants do not root well in gravel. Their fine roots do best in sandy substrates. Another option is play sand, as long as it does not say ""Not for use in aquariums"" - Quickcrete is one popular brand. A name brand substrate such as Flourite or Eco Complete is best, but can be costly for larger tanks. you'll have a greater chance for success. However, you'll probably need to confine yourself to plants that do not need to be rooted in the substrate, such as floating plants (e. Amazon frogbit) epiphytes (e. Java fern, Anubias) mosses and liverworts (e. Java moss, Subwassertang) 3) Upgrade your lighting. A single fluorescent bulb is not going to grow very much, very well. Compact and energy efficient, it is rapidly becoming a favorite with planted as well as marine/reef hobbyists. If you are the least bit handy, DIY kits are available to convert standard aquarium hoods into more plant friendly options for lighting. research heavily before spending much money! 4) Settle on a fertilizer regimen, and stick to it. How much and what kind to use, depends on many factors - the types of plants in use, the density of the planting, the size of the tank, the amount of lighting, etc. Moderate lighting might be able to get away without CO2, although the plants will not grow as fast or as lush. Research online and find a liquid fertilizer and fertilizer regimen that works for you. An aquarium that previously had little or not algae, and was able to be controlled by a dwarf plecostomus, snail and/or otocinclus, may now be covered in numerous forums of the stuff! Algae is a nuisance, but it is also a helpful indicator of imbalance. Are the lights on too long? Are the bulbs the wrong spectrum? Have I added too much fertilizer? Am I not fertilizing enough? Do I have too few plants for the amount of lighting I have? These are the questions you need to present yourself when algae springs up. The exceptions are brown algae (really diatoms, and not an algae at all. These are not algae, but will still tell you something informative about the state of your tank. Water changes, water changes, water changes. They never hurt and sometimes help. There are numerous ones online, some dedicated to planted tanks, and others including a planted tank section within a larger forum. . Make my day click here NOW