# Planted Aquarium Maintenance ?



## tsweers89

I picked up a 72g bowfront and am now finally getting everything ready to set it up and get it going, but i have a few questions. I am going to be aquascaping it with some driftwood to add in it.

Here are my qusetions:

1. I plan on having a grass plant on the tank bottom. 

Like this tank here:http://truthinart.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/amanotank1.jpg

Now i know on my old aquarium when i would do a water change i would syphon the gravel and such but when i have a grass type plant how do i go about doing that since i wont be able to get down to the gravel and trying would probably reck the plant?


2. How many of you use a UV seteralizer? I have been told it makes the water more clear and kills micro organizmes and bateria in the tank. What are your thoughts on this? also what is a good one to gowith for my 72g. Im using a ehiem filter so i would probably want to go with a inline one.

3. Since i am using a canister filter i thought about a inline heater also so i could get rid the intank one i currently have. How efficient are these? Would a 300watt be sufficient or would i still need a in tank to? This is the one i was looking at: ETH 300 In-Line Heater 300W f/16mm-5/8"Hose

4. As far as ehiem filter media goes do i really need anything? My first plan was to just use the sponges and then just a bunch of aquarium flawss. Is that ok? i see these bio balls, carbon, etc that you can get but am woundering if there are really needed.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

bio balls ect are biological filtration

I run mine with ammo chips, sponges and ceramic bio media.


300w should be fine since its warming the water going into the tank.


I dont use UV sterilizers, from whats ive read those are no good unless they are tiny on a planted tank.


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## susankat

UV's will work on larger tanks, I ran one on my 75 gal. Best to get at least a 32 watt uv and they work a lot better. They also help keep parasites out of the tank. Inline ones are great, I just use one that hangs on back of the tank.


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## beaslbob

I do not use any uv sterilizer or mechanical filtration of any kind on my planted tanks.

Just the tank, substrate, plants, lights, and fish.


my .02


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