Keeping A Heavy Planted Tank Healthy....

[Batmanjay28]

I really just started useing live plants and would like to have my 55G heavy planted. I would like to know how and the best way to keep your plants health and growing at a good rate? Tips and things like that would be great.

 

[Dave Spencer]

Have a look at the pinned articles at the head of this forum. I went down the EI path.

 

[mikey12421]

Have a look at the pinned articles at the head of this forum. I went down the EI path.

Proper lighting + Proper water chemistry + Proper ferts + Proper substrate = healthy.

"Proper" is a relative term. If you buy plants that don't need a lot of light you can get away with less than 2WPG of lighting, no CO2 injection and low ferts. Plants will grow slowly, but they'll grow and be healthy. If, on the other hand, you want to keep plants that require higher lighting and/or you want fast growth, you'll need greater than 2WPG (probably more like 3), CO2 injection (you might be able to get away with DIY on a 55gal, but it will be tough) and a regular dose of ferts. Either way you will do best if you get a substrate made for plants or make your own. Like Dave Spencer said, check the pinned topics.

Either way you can keep plants healthy, but just keep in mind to keep everything consistent. So, if you choose the low tech (and less expensive) method, make sure you don't dose a ton of ferts (it will be a waste at worst and an algae factory at best) and add c02 (a waste that could kill your fish by driving of dissolved oxygen). If you choose high tech you'll need those two things, or again you'll have an algae factory and your plants will most likely die.

Mike

 

[Batmanjay28]

his is seriously so hard to understand. I need c02 and some fert andI'll be good togo?

 

[anodized]

his is seriously so hard to understand. I need c02 and some fert andI'll be good togo?

in my 55G i have been using this method of EI verbatim, and it is working *very* well. Running about 4.7WPG (260W) CF, and pressurized CO2

ensure CO2 is kept constant and is running prior to getting any high amount of lighting going on.

probably dose less until your plants are well established (ie, good amount of them)

Sunday
- 50% water change
- 1 teaspoon of Epsom Salts
- 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3
- 1/2 teaspoon of K2SO4
- 15 ml of Tropica Master Grow/15 ml of Plantex CSM
- 1 Cap of Flourish Excel

Monday
- 1/8 teaspoon of KH2PO4

Tuesday
- 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3
- 1/2 teaspoon of K2SO4
- 15 ml of Tropica Master Grow/15 ml of Plantex CSM
- 1 Cap of Flourish Excel

Wednesday
- 1/8 teaspoon of KH2PO4

Thursday
- 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3
- 1/2 teaspoon of K2SO4
- 15 ml of Tropica Master Grow/15 ml of Plantex CSM
- 1 Cap of Flourish Excel

Friday
- 1/8 teaspoon of KH2PO4

Saturday
- Nothing*