Planted Tanks

[Nik_boyd]

How hard is it to maintain live plants in an aquarium, what equipment do you need, and what are the major benefits other than oxygen production?

thanks

Nik

 

[JamesTasker]

You need lights and food for them. Enriched bottom and CO2 equipment is optional.

The difficulty of keeping them depends on your water.

Advantages are that there is less algae, and the tank looks better.

 

[KentBlokey]

It also depends on which plants you want to keep. Some are very easy to grow, needing little light, where are some are very demanding. Some good beginer Plants would be...

Java Fern
" Moss
Hygrophila
Anubias
Amazon sword

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...I'll take the opposite. Some plants can exist under low light and fish poop is great fertilizer. If you want very sensitive plants, you will need excellent lighting, CO2, fertilizer, etc. Check the plant forum here for advice if you want to go that route. I have plants thriving with a single 30 watt aquaglo light in a a 46 gallon (look at my moonlight link to see the huge plant in the middle of my tank...it's live), in fact, I have to keep pruning several.Several plants that will do well under low light are java fern and anubias nana. Good luck. SH

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=80672

 

[B75]

I have live plants in my tank without any co2 or fertilizer, only fish poo and my plants are thriving. But they are the easiest plants to grow.

Vallis
Amazon sword
Hornwort
Java fern.