switching to real plants

[fishmon]

i have an Amazon habitat tank, but from the begining i have only had wood and fake plants. i think im up for the challenge and would really like some real plants. i have nothing in my gravel like fertalizer that would help them grow.. how should i do this, should i put stuff in my gravel, how should i do that??

 

[Bol]

Hope this isn't a forum faux pas, but I'd recommend checking out the PlantGeek site. Some good information in there (the Plant Profiles is a nice way to look at plants in varying categories), and there is a helpful and friendly forum there.

I'm not nearly an expert, but the biggest factor in what you can do is going to be the amount of light you have available; usually, the rating in watts per gallon is the most common measurement. That will most likely determine what types of plants you can grow successfully.

Others can probably give better advice, but to perhaps ease your mind, many plants will grow fine in just gravel, and more will grow fine in just gravel with the addition of periodic liquid fertilizer and/or fertilizer tabs under the roots. Some plants even "float" normally.

 

[fishmon]

ok thanks!! ill check out that link. illl tell ya how it goes.. no this isnt a "forum faux pas"

 

[Lithril]

I keep live plants in most of my tanks, they'll use Nitrates in the tank as a source of fertiliser. First thing you need to do is get enough lighting, a general rule of thumb is 2w per gal ( I run slightly under this without a problem though), next thing I use is a Hagen CO2 diffuser, works on a fermentation, very cheap to run and buy and makes a BIG difference.

 

[pmoyniha]

You don't NEED to get a Hagen diffuser. If you go to the DIY forum there are lots of cheaper ways to do it. If you have the cash then by all means, but I enjoy having something else to tinker with. (I built mine out of parts from my Chem lab... erlenmyer flask, glass tubeing etc. its kinda geeky, but really cool)

 

[lizard]

(I built mine out of parts from my Chem lab... erlenmyer flask, glass tubeing etc. its kinda geeky, but really cool)

I'd like to see pics of this, if you h ave some! It sounds cool! And there ain't nothing wrong with geeky!

Oh...I have a planted 10 gallon tank and add nothing extra to the tank for the plants. They're doing just fine...growing quite well...some are even flowering!

Pamela
aka Lizard

 

[Lithril]

pmoyniha the actual diffuser was so cheap it wasn't actually worth me making one although I'm going to try using my own canister to make so home brew and have this powering the diffuser...should last a lot longer.

 

[kev]

When I added plants the only problems I had where my Barbs picking the leaves off and the plec chewing holes. I seem to have made the right selection now and haven't added anything else to the tank to help. All seem to be growing perfectly. One i have to trim every fortnight (I replant the cutting and it coming on really well)