# New to planted tanks



## MriGuy85 (Aug 29, 2013)

Hey all, I am thinking about taking the plunge into planted tanks. I would like to turn my fake plants into real ones. Here's what I'm considering

I was told that anubias are great low light plants that can reach pretty large heights and widths. I also would like that grass carpeted look on my tank floor which I have heard can take a long time. What would be a good plant to give me that carpeted look?

Also, I've heard that in planted tanks, vacuuming the gravel isn't necessary anymore. Is this because the plants use the fish waste as fertilizer? 

And since I mentioned fertilizer, how does that work?

I am 100% new to plants in aquariums so please, give all you've got so I can do this the right way the first time around.

Thanks,

Brad.


----------



## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

Yes, Anubias can be large. The foreground planting for example, Echinodorus tenellus, is a beautiful thing, but takes time.
It must nevertheless be drawn. Even with regular water changes accumulate over time more and more dirt. The denitrification (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and plant nutrient) also takes a long time and is not exhaustive. There are other biochemical cycles of sulfur, phosphorus. It can also occur in the soil methane.
Then there after a long time biological phenomena, such as disc worms, snails-eeches.
Nevertheless, that is regularly changed water when these animals are noticed a thorough cleaning is necessary. After a half year.
Everythings out! Approximately 50% old water win clean. Due to the inoculation of beneficial bacteria.


----------



## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

With Anubias you would still want to vacuum, they pull nutrients from the water column. I started with an Amazon Sword but you really will need at least a 20 gal, they get huge. Java moss is adaptable, easy to grow, fairly cheap, and has lots of aquascape possibilities.


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Most carpeting plants require high light, fertilizers, and injected CO2 to grow. Marimo moss might be the exception, but as stated, it grows very slow.

Fertz come in two varieties - those dosed directly into the water (either dry chem or liquid), and those dosed in the soil (either enriched soil like Eco Complete, or high-CEC inert substrate like sand, with root fertilizer tablets). Different plants require different fertz, such as anubias needing water column fertz. Research your plants before you plant to see what they need.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Personally, I think you should start with some Anubias and some varieties of Crypts. If you are digging the whole planted tank thing and your plants are doing well, move on to a carpeted plant. They can require some tedious work.

Despite some beliefs, not all carpeting plants need CO2 or "high" light, but the light will need to penetrate the water column and get down to the plant. A 55g is a fairly tall tank, but not terribly so. A good example of a carpeting plant that doesn't take much is Marsilea quadrifolia. Go to google images and check it out. Very easy to grow, propagates own its own without much from you, doesn't need CO2, and the light requirements are low-med, but I would guess in order for you to be successful with it your light will need to be closer to medium or in the medium range due to the height of your tank. It really just depends on what you want to cover the bottom. I have had Anubias Nana cover nearly half of the bottom of a 75g after nearly 2yrs of growth. Other plants will stay low and do some type of covering of the lower part of your tank, but may not be considered your typical carpeting plant like I mentioned above. Plants like Dwarf Sagittaria can eventually cover the bottom of your tank as well. 

Keep it simple with ferts. You can do the whole root tabs for certain plants or water column ferts for the rest if you like. But, I have had planted tanks for going on 4yrs and although a short time doing it, I have NEVER stuck a root tab in any of my substrate and have never had an issue with being able to grow heavy root plants, like Swords or even Crypts. Will you do better with them? Maybe. I'm just telling what I do. I have had Amazon Swords grow to over 24" leaves and all they ever got was water column ferts. Granted, they got CO2 and fairly high light. Bottom line is, you find what works for you and stick to it. For a beginner in fertilizing a tank I would go to Greenleafaqauriums, look in their fertilizer section and get the PMDD package. Stands for "poor man's dosing drops". It will last you for years and you will never have to buy the $12-14 bottles of liquid ferts that you can find in your lfs. The package will have every fert your plants need and you will more than likely have to only dose once per week, depending on the light level.

The substrate doesn't have to be anything high tech either. I have 4 tanks with a product that Tractor Supply sells called safe-t-sorb. It cost $5 for 40lbs and 1 bag is more than enough for your tank. It needs to be rinsed, rinsed and when you think you are done, rinsed again. Can't beat the price. Eco-complete is a tad expensive and you would probably need 2-3 bags for your tank. The great thing here is it doesn't need to be rinsed...greatest thing about it. It is inert however and doesn't really provide much for your plants. Same goes for the STS mentioned.

Ready to start?


----------



## MriGuy85 (Aug 29, 2013)

So Ben (it is Ben, right?), does this mean I have to replace my Super Naturals sand substrate with the bags of stuff you're talking about? Also, when you say the light needs to penetrate the column, I'm not super familiar with how this is done or measured, but I do know that water and other nutrients refract and diffuse light, so I assume just because I can see the light on my substrate doesn't mean it's enough, right?

-Brad


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yes, it is Ben.

Your substrate is fine but optimally you will need at least 2" of depth to it. 3" can be easier in planting stem plants. Most of them (stems) do not grow heavy roots to hold them in place and your substrate will need to hold them. I was only offering other solutions if you wanted to explore something different than what you have.

For the light it just may be easier to post what you have and let a few of us tell you if you have enough for what you want to do. If I remember, you had low light and so things like Vals, Crypts, Swords (some may not like it), Anubius, Mosses, and a few others will work fine. It is the bottom covering plants that may be difficult. This is why I was saying start with a few of these first. If you like and you want to do more, you have to understand that it may require a new fixture or maybe a single-bulb (maybe two bulb) second fixture to add in some more light.


----------



## MriGuy85 (Aug 29, 2013)

Thanks, I appreciate the help. I have the original LEDs that came with the marineland 55g setup I bought. It was the all in one setup from petsmart. Each bank of LEDs (there are two) had three or four blue LEDs mixed in with the whites.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would want to know the kelvin of the LEDs. You will need 5000-10000K, roughly.


----------



## MriGuy85 (Aug 29, 2013)

Unfortunately I can't find anything on the web regarding the kelvin rating of these LEDs.


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

If it's a Marineland tank combo, I'd assume it's either a Marineland Single Bright or Double Bright.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would get into contact with Marineland. From what I have seen, they are usually pretty good with responding to questions as long as you give them the exact model you have. You can always put in one or two plants in there and see how they do, but would limit it to those for at least a month before buying anymore. Marineland's double bright is the only one I know for sure that they claim will grow plants. Anything other than that may be a crap shoot.


----------

