Fake To Real

[DyArianna]

I have a 10 gallon tank with 2 adult guppies and some fry and a 20 gallon with 2 adult mollies, 2 juvenile mollies. I see all the other tanks that look so wonderful on here and then I look at my tanks. They are as fake as you can go. I want to make drastic changes in them but I am honestly, quite hesitant. I do Not have a green thumb so to speak. And quite frankly...I have killed an air plant. I would like to start with my 10 gallon and change it all around. I am just not sure where to start. My substrate in the tank is blue gravel approx. 1/8 inch size. My Ph is 6.8. And i currently have 2 25 watt bulbs in the lid that run about 6 to 8 hours per day. Other info if needed...tank has been established and running for almost 6 months. I do weekly water changes of about 25% and test my water with api liquid test kit. Readings are 0, 0, 40. Any thoughts for someone alittle hesitant to venture this way?

 

[r.w.girard]

Planting a tank can be as complicated or as easy as you would like it to be.  Some plants grow well in the most ridiculous of conditions, in both extremes: where some require regular maintenance, others even light seems to be optional.  If you want to start slowly and just add some easy greens to your tank, give either java moss or java ferns a shot.  I have been growing java ferns in a tank without light for months now and it seems to be doing just fine.  Cryptocoryne are great too.  Only they tend to "melt" when you fist buy them, but should grow back shortly there after.  Nothing to be shocked out, just make sure you pull out the leaves.  And then there are Anubias which should survive the nuclear holocaust as well, from what I can tell.  Beyond that, you would need to start thinking about fertilizers and carbon sources, which complicates things somewhat.  But, I will say this: from my limited experience, it is much easier to maintain a heavily planted tank than a lightly planted one.  Just get some ottocinclus and some shrimp [Cherry shrimp are easy to raise] and you should be pretty good to go!
 
Good luck and welcome to planted.

 

[DyArianna]

Thanks for the response! I will be looking in my LFS for these plants. We had a filter bite the dust last night in my Molly tank and so right now we have them in with my guppies. Outside of dealing with the increased bioload, water changes and testing....this actually opens upa tank to be a little more free to work with. I really look forward to trying out a few plants. My questions now lie in do I change the substrate while I have the chance or can I stay with gravel? If plants will grow in gravel and if most of the gravel will eventually be covered...does it really matter? Thanks in advance for any help. ea

 

[frapadoodle]

I go with sand, but that is personal choice, and for my cories.
Most plants will grow either way. Rhizome plants like anubius need to sit on top of the substrate so the rhizome doesn't rot.
Java fern is another easy to grow plant. Watersprite, moneywort, and anacharis are also easy going, and can be grown in the substrate or free floating and easy to propagate.

 

[r.w.girard]

Right, so substrate [gravel, sand, dirt, cat litter, etc] is a choice that we all have to make.  And it depends on what you want.  Some substrates will raise pH [aragonite sand] while others will lower it [ADA Aquasoil], while most are pH neutral and will not influence it either way.  And then there are substrates with nutrients for plants, and others that don't.  So there is fluorite, which is rich in iron and is good for plants while silica sand adds nothing for the plants, although it looks very nice. So, if you are planting a lot of plants, you might want to look into a plant-friendly substrate.  But if you want fish like corydoras, you would want to go with a sand, as they dig.  And then, certain fish and shrimp tend to have brighter colors against a darker substrate, so keep that in mind. Also, I find gravel easier to clean than sand, but that is personal preference rather than the way things need to be. But, finally, and most importantly, there is the question of what you want your tank to look like.  If you want natural-looking or bright pink gravel, bright white or black sand.  Lastly, price: you can spend a little to a lot.  But the choice is mostly yours.  If you want to change it, do it now.