Planted tank water change?

[mac0eighty]

Hey All,

Loving this forum!

I currently have a live planted tank and will add livestock later down the line but I'm wondering whether water changes are necessary?

I've been doing it up until this point and also adding beneficial bacteria, Dechlorinator and API Quickstart solution every time I do a partial water change, is this required or am I wasting my time?

Thanks in advance

 

[Essjay]

With no livestock you don't need to do a water change. But you probably need to add some sort of plant fertiliser. Which type of fertiliser depends on which type of plant, can you tell us exactly which plants you have?

 

[mac0eighty]

Yeah I'm currently using API leaf zone I hear it's not the greatest, I've only seen pearling once. I may get a CO2 kit to speed up the growth.

Tropica Anubias Barteri Var Nana
Eleocharis montevidensis
Salvinia auriculata
Taxiphyllum 'Spiky' - stuck to on decor, think this was a bad idea
Cladophora aegagropila
Ludwigia palustris - I may remove this

 

[mac0eighty]

What do you think?

 

[utahfish]

Yeah I'm currently using API leaf zone I hear it's not the greatest, I've only seen pearling once. I may get a CO2 kit to speed up the growth.

Tropica Anubias Barteri Var Nana
Eleocharis montevidensis
Salvinia auriculata
Taxiphyllum 'Spiky' - stuck to on decor, think this was a bad idea
Cladophora aegagropila
Ludwigia palustris - I may remove this

API is just potassium and iron where as plants need more than just these 2. Tap water will provide some nutrients depending on whats in your water and food and fish waste will produce some nitrates and tge breaking down of organics like rotting leaves will produce phosphates but with out fish or food for fish your plants are most likely deficient in many nutrients. Get a comprehensive liquid fert like flourish and a comprehensive root tab. Plants feed two ways, from substrate through roots and through their leaves or shoots from water column. Majority of your plants are shoot feeders so a comprehensive liquid fert will help. Root tabs will help with your plants rooted in the substrate like your ludwigia. Adding CO2 without also including all the other nutrients the plants need wont increase growth instead it will just grow algae. Hold off on the CO2 until the plants are getting all the nutrients they need

 

[Retired Viking]

I like your tank and the way the tower disappears into the surface salvinia. I use flourish comprehensive and flourish plant taps for my tanks. I also have moss balls in some of my tanks

 

[mac0eighty]

I like your tank and the way the tower disappears into the surface salvinia. I use flourish comprehensive and flourish plant taps for my tanks. I also have moss balls in some of my tanks

Thanks dude!

It's a shame of the small dimensions, being a noob I've only found out that I don't have much stocking room.

Do you find flourish comprehensive and flourish plant tabs works well?

I also have Tropica root tabs, I've used 1 to see how the straw plant gets on but it's only been a few days since i buried it. I have an unopened bottle of Tropica Premium Nutrition ferts, I might open it if the API leaf zone doesn't work in my favour - we'll see how the plants get on in a few weeks.

 

[Essjay]

Just a heads up - the anubias should be grown attached to decor not planted in the substrate. The rhizome - the thick thing the leaves come off - will rot if placed in the substrate. The roots, which are the thin things which grow from the oppsite side of the rhizome from the leaves are fine if they go into the substrate but the rhizome must be above the substrate.

 

[Retired Viking]

I use flourish at 1/2 dosage but yes I have been very happy with the results. Your salvinia is good at absorbing ammonia so when you decide on a fish that will do a good job keeping the water quality good. They do make small heaters that do not take up a lot of space. I have a Tetra submersible heater that is 1/2 the size of my other heaters that covers 10-30 gallon tanks. It is like 6-7 inches tall. I have it in my LOTR 30 gallon tank. @essjay beat me to pointing out about your anudias, I have lots of Java Ferns and have to worry about that too.

 

[mac0eighty]

Just a heads up - the anubias should be grown attached to decor not planted in the substrate. The rhizome - the thick thing the leaves come off - will rot if placed in the substrate. The roots, which are the thin things which grow from the oppsite side of the rhizome from the leaves are fine if they go into the substrate but the rhizome must be above the substrate.

Nice one, yeah I've got some aqua glue on my shopping list and planning to stick it to some wood, I hope it's weighty enough not to float away

 

[Byron]

I'm in agreement with other members here. You do not need CO2--this is only a benefit with mega lighting, daily nutrient supplementation, and a heavily planted tank to begin with, like an aquatic garden. And a comprehensive fertilizer is essential. Dosing too much of this or that nutrient can cause real problems for plants.

Adding API Quickstart or any other bacterial supplement is not going to help, and may in a sense hinder the plants. Plants use the ammonia/ammonium, and they grab it faster than bacteria usually, but you do not want to be "encouraging" nirtrifying bacteria with plants.