# Going from fake plants to live plants



## LariM78 (Nov 2, 2010)

Hi all, just wanted to ask if anyone can give me some guidance to convert my community tank into a planted tank. The tank is a 45g/ 170l pentagonal tank and the substrate is a normal silica gravel substrate. The lighting is one fluorescent white tube and I have a few plastic plants.

How would I go about converting this? Do i take the fish out, gravel out etc? Do I need to include some CO2 gas diffusing into the water?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

LariM78 said:


> Hi all, just wanted to ask if anyone can give me some guidance to convert my community tank into a planted tank. The tank is a 45g/ 170l pentagonal tank and the substrate is a normal silica gravel substrate. The lighting is one fluorescent white tube and I have a few plastic plants.
> 
> How would I go about converting this? Do i take the fish out, gravel out etc? Do I need to include some CO2 gas diffusing into the water?
> 
> ...


Hello Lari...

CO2 is a nice addition, but not needed for a nicely planted tank. One bulb will allow you to grow some low light plants. I have a 45 G tall tank and use a single, 6500 K, 40 watt, T12 bulb.

I have Anubias attached to mapawni driftwood with black sewing thread and Java fern attached to lava rock with the same type thread. I also float Water wisteria, Java fern and Pennywort attached to floating pieces of driftwood.

By using plants that don't need to be planted in the gravel, you don't disturb the bottom and have all the debris floating in the tank water.

If you have any specific questions on planted tanks, just PM me anytime.

B


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 2, 2011)

several low light plants will thrive on the one bulb you have as stated above and co2 is a nice addition but definitely not necessary unless you get the bug like most of us and want to start growing more light demanding plants then you will need to up grade the lighting and possibly co2...no need to take fish out just remove the plastic plants and add live plants to your tank.. hope that helps you some.

Rick


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

CO2 is not hardly ever needed unless you have a powerful light and you need to keep the algae away. Many believe this algae is the nice green kind that covers your glass or deco, but it's not. The two main things a plant needs is light and CO2. A high powered light will drive the plant to grow, which will in turn drive the need for more CO2. If it is not there the plant becomes weakened and the black brush algae (BBA) will start to cover the plant. This is not an overnight process.

CO2 in low light tanks is a nice addition because you see growth rates that you may have only seen in higher light levels. You will grow the plant faster and it will be more healthier. I would encourage anyone with a smaller tank that wants to grow plants to try it. Those that have never tried to use CO2 have no idea how different their plants would look if they'd try it. Just food for thought.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 2, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> CO2 is not hardly ever needed unless you have a powerful light and you need to keep the algae away. Many believe this algae is the nice green kind that covers your glass or deco, but it's not. The two main things a plant needs is light and CO2. A high powered light will drive the plant to grow, which will in turn drive the need for more CO2. If it is not there the plant becomes weakened and the black brush algae (BBA) will start to cover the plant. This is not an overnight process.
> 
> CO2 in low light tanks is a nice addition because you see growth rates that you may have only seen in higher light levels. You will grow the plant faster and it will be more healthier. I would encourage anyone with a smaller tank that wants to grow plants to try it. Those that have never tried to use CO2 have no idea how different their plants would look if they'd try it. Just food for thought.


i agree 100% with that statement..i will never have another tank without co2 injection..but it is not necessary..

Rick


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## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

I'm sort of in the same boat, I need lower light plants in my 90 gal, I also have 3 goldfish in there and I know they like to eat certain things. I started out with a few small jave ferns tied to wood and rock, for the first couple days goldfish were picking them apart but it seems like they are less interested in them now. people say to remove plastic plants, do they effect the live plants or something? also my nitrates are pretty high and some say wait till they go down but I thought plants would help bring it down? i dont use co2.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

IMHO the best idea would be to take a couple of hours or so and rebuild the tank as planted.

Some ideas in this thread:

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-beaslbob-build-methods-26410.html

just a thought.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If you're keeping the goldfish, don't go changing anything. Not worth the effort. They would make a mess out what already is a mess with peat. If you relocate maybe. There are much easier and less costly methods than a beasl build though.


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## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

jrman83 said:


> If you're keeping the goldfish, don't go changing anything. Not worth the effort. They would make a mess out what already is a mess with peat. If you relocate maybe. There are much easier and less costly methods than a beasl build though.


Thanks, I have no intentions of a Beaselbob build, his tanks look nice and all, but to me half of the fun in this hobby is taking care of the tanks and it sounds like he just plants and leaves them as is, whats the fun in that?, but if that floats his boat then great for him.
unfortunatly I do have to keep the goldfish around, my kids won them at the carnival over the last couple years and they would be heartbroken if I gave them away.So I might just add a few hardy plants that they dont seem to like. I've been following your advice in this thread too, my tap water has no nitrates in it so I figure if I do a 50-60% WC every day till I get them down I would be ok? It probibley isnt good to do more than 1 WC in a day right? or maybe like every 12 hours? thanks again jrman


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## LariM78 (Nov 2, 2010)

Thanks for all the feedback. I've decided to re build the tank, however I will not do it now. We are probably going to be moving house some time this year and when we do that I will have to empty the tank in order to move it and I will then take that opportunity to re do the tank as a fully planted tank. It will give me the time to do some proper research and make sure I get everything right.


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