Rescaping Advice

[robmol]

Hi guys, ive had my 120L tank for about 4-5 months now with gravel and plastic plants and im a little bored of it!

I really want to change the gravel to sand and use real plants instead. I know nothing about real plants, ive had a look in the plant section obviously, but its a bit of an information overload . Does anyone here have a similar size tank with sand and real plants they could post a photo of so i can get some ideas? Ideally would be looking at some plants that are easy to look after. I really like the look of densely planted tanks but is that not advisable for a plant noob? Also would like a bit of advice on how to actually rescape it, i have a large clear tub i could put the fish into temporarily, would this be suitable? How long would they have to remain in there before all the sand etc has settled?

Sorry for all the questions, but id appreciate any advice you can give

 

[Truck]

this is my 125 litre tank...set up last wednesday, i have a lot of light so i dose lots of nutrients and carbon...but with lower light these plants pictured can be grown with little ferts and CO2.

the plants in this setup so far are

2 pots of cryptocoryne willisii
2 pots of pogosteemon helferi
2 pots of anubias nana
and i have a further pot of anubias barteri, and two pots of java fern on the way.

planted tanks can be a pretty specialist subject...it takes hard work, research and determination.

the best thing you can do is plant thoroughly from the start!

 

[robmol]

Thanks mate. What did you do with your fish whilst you did that? Can you buy plants ready grown or is it advisable to grow them yourself? Worried about harming any fish in the process

 

[Truck]

Thanks mate. What did you do with your fish whilst you did that? Can you buy plants ready grown or is it advisable to grow them yourself? Worried about harming any fish in the process

i bought all my plants from pets at home cost me £18 all together for massive tropica pots (the best IMO )

i didnt have any fish prior to that...i scaped and then added fish and started a fish in cycle (common practice with planted tanks)

i would leave the fish in if it were me. theyre used to me having my hands in the tank anyway fiddling.

 

[robmol]

Changing gravel to sand though, surely that would kick up loads of stuff? I have some loach and a plec they would be terrified if i take out their little hiding places!

 

[Truck]

Changing gravel to sand though, surely that would kick up loads of stuff? I have some loach and a plec they would be terrified if i take out their little hiding places!

oh...right for changing substrate you will need to take them out the tank and put them in a bucket with the filter and heater.

drain the tank and then remove the gravel...fill with toysrus play sand and fill up then add fish and plants

it might be worth, putting some 100% clay cat litter under the sand (about a cm covered with 1.5 inches of sand) as clay has a high CEC content meaning it can take on lots of nutrients if you dose them and then slowly release them to your plants roots

 

[Wills]

sorry to hijack but just wanted to ask truckasaurus if your anubias is buried in the substrate or tied to a rock as it looks like its buried in the sand on that pic - they need their roots exposed to water other wise they rot if they are buried

 

[Truck]

sorry to hijack but just wanted to ask truckasaurus if your anubias is buried in the substrate or tied to a rock as it looks like its buried in the sand on that pic - they need their roots exposed to water other wise they rot if they are buried

they need the rhizome above the substrate...the roots however are fine in the substrate

as you can see in the picture...the rhizome is above the substrate

 

[robmol]

Thats great cheers for the info. I guess il head to the lfs and see what plants they have, thatll narrow it down a bit theres far too many to pick from online

 

[Truck]

Thats great cheers for the info. I guess il head to the lfs and see what plants they have, thatll narrow it down a bit theres far too many to pick from online

whats your lighting like? how many watts? and how thick are the tubes? an inch? or less?

low light easy grow plants are:

anubias
crypts
vallis
echinodorus
hygrophillia polysperma

 

[robmol]

30w. Its at least an inch if not more

 

[lil-x-me...x]

i recently changed my substrate and just popped my fish into the old 15ltr biorb id definatly recommend taking out your fish if you sre changing any substrate as for putting the live plants in...keep the fish in...they'l just move out of the way

 

[Truck]

30w. Its at least an inch if not more

it could be T12 or T8 i would stick to the plant species i recommended above...also dosing a little Tropica plant nutrition+ and easy carbo will help too (both available from fluid sensor online.

 

[Wills]

Ah right cool!! I didnt realize that worked might move some of mine down from the rocks thanks