Live plants in large tank?

[Missy]

I'm going, tomorrow actually, to but the largest tank I can afford.

I would like to include live plants in this tank as I like the look better and believe it is better for the fish, but can't afford the time or money for a pressurized CO2 system. I'm sure many people successfully keep live plants in their tanks without this but each and every website I check out about planted tanks insists that a CO2 system is an absolute must?.

Is is a must for live plants?

Will plants thrive in my new tank with the proper substrate and daily light?




(PS.. I probably should have posted in the plant section but I don't know how to move it now.)

 

[elgecko]

You do not have to have CO2 for live plants. I have a 40 Gallon tank that when I first set it up I ran the DIY CO2 for several months. I got lazy and left it go for around 3 years. The plants grew fine without the CO2. Then earlier this year I started running the Hagen CO2 system for a few months. Again I've gotten lazy and stopped using it. Yes plants grow faster with CO2, but not necessary. All you end up doing is making more work for yourself trimming your plants all the time.
Pictures of my tank without CO2 running in it.

http/www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/community.html

 

[CFC]

It is true that the larger (deeper) the tank the more difficult it becomes to successfully grow plants. The main problem comes not from lack of CO2 but from not enough light as light has difficulty penatrating deeper water. If plants are to be the main feature of your tank then a long wide shallow tank is prefferable for the best results.

 

[Moe]

I really love my plants and have recently started using co2. They are really growing well but I think the more important thing is watts per gallon. To grow really nice plants you need at least 2 or more watts per gallon. I originally was trying to grow low light plants at 1.5 watts per gallon and the plants did not thrive. They were pale, thin and just sorry looking. I eventually got a bigger light, now at 2.5 wpg and the plants are growing great.

 

[aschueler]

<ahem>

Before I started playing with this aquarium, gardened for a bit, so here's a simple run down on getting virtually any plant to grow. This exlcudes algea, plankton type things, and green things that look like plants but aren't.

Plants generally need a carbon source (CO2 is only one, but a relatively easy one in a tank. The black part of dirt is generally carbon, for example. CO2 can also come from your fish's respirations I would imagine, but this is a guess), a souce of light (photosynthesis), a source of nitrogen (ammonia, nitrate, etc), phospohorus, and a source of potassium. Then, individual plants need trace elements according to their own specifications. Broccoli for example needs boron. Don't ask me why, I just know it does.

So.

CO2/carbon source, light, N-P-K....and a substrate. Of course, it would be messy to put a large clump of compost in your tank, so you make do. that's not to say I haven't thought of putting compost in my tank for the plants....

 

[Lithril]

I run a Hagen CO2 system (cheap fermentation type one - cost me £15) and it works a treat, the plants grow faster and look really healthy. You definatley need to make sure though that you've got enough light in the tank usually at LEAST 2w per gal (more for hi intensity plants for deeper tanks).

 

[Morrgan]

I don't use a CO2 system, although both my tanks are heavily planted. The plants grow well enough without it. I agree with the ones who have said enough lighting is more important. I would think that if you want to keep more light-demanding plants you should provide at least 3-4 watts per gallon.