Hello, I'M A Newbie :)

[Mozely]

I'm guessing from what I've read that tropicals wouldn't have such an apetite for plants like my goldfish? I put a couple of live pot plants in there for them to eat rather than Decoration. Obviously if I go down the tropical route it will be to see fish not plants, but would I be able to have more live plants and less silk ones? Anyone know what the best way to do that would be?

 

[Honeythorn]

Most basic Tropicals do not eat plants . Silver dollars do so if you want plants I suggest avoiding them.

But the usual sorts like tetras, gouramis, rasboros, loaches, danios, ect ect are all fine with plants and PREFER a planted tank to a bare one.

There are a variety of low tech ( as in no fiddly CO2 system required) basic lighting-friendly plants that you can grow very well in your tank. It seems a tall tank so plants like Cabomba, Amazon swords and Aponogentons would give a good effect and reach the surface nicely. I have all these and they look great Shorter plants like Crypts , Echinodorus and Anubias would fill out the bottom, and if you added a piece of driftwood ( or if you can afford it, the beautiful redmoor root ) you can have Java ferns and java moss , both of which can do well in basic light and both of which need to be tied down to rock or wood as they do not root in the substrate. Moss balls are a nice unusual looking additon to the bottom. They are actually a type of algae but they stay in a ball and do not attach to anything. They roll about on the bottom and look great, I have several, one of which is the size of a tennis ball!

The Tropic website has a page showing illustrations of most plants CLICK ME FOR PAGE

You can buy packs of live plants on Ebay for a reasonable price, packs of 25 or 50 or 100 plants ect. You can get mosses and moss balls on there too.

Here's my tank just as a quick example ( slightly blurry sorry! )

 

[Mozely]

Thank you, your tank looks beautifull. I have no idea what the plants I've got in mine are even called! I just buy the ones the fish like the taste of from previous experience! LOL. I'm looking fiorward to thins actually now. I was nervous, but I'm sure everything will work out, it usually does.

 

[JustFrozen]

just wanted to say beautiful tank (and owner too - sry had to say it). i luv how it forms a mini wall on the kitchen island, just makes the whole scene much more lovely.

anyway good luck to you. you're certainly at the right place to get going down the tropical route

 

[Mozely]

When checking the new post on this thread I just realiesed I'm a total numpty, my tank is 48" x 12" x 18" not 42"... So it is bigger than I wrote. They stll need the pong though. I guess that just means it is a little less urgent than I first thought.

An thank you for the compliment.