Over 50% of the volume of the tank is what I call heavily planted
What Criterion would need to met to qualify as a Heavily Planted Tank
- Thread starter imw
- Start date
Happy fishes !
With any of the small fish you literally can't have to much plant.
JazzyV
Fish Crazy
but I just wacked it all and I don’t even know if I got a full pic on that lol
They are a good example for all newbees to this hobby for what they should be aiming for. I think they look great. Fantastic planted aquariums.
JazzyV
Fish Crazy
Patience, grasshopper!
I think you're comparing your newly planted tank against long established tanks, and that's not being fair to you or your tank! Yours has the potential there, the plants are just new and haven't shot up yet. But keep taking photos and compare how much they've grown in over two months, and you'll see a huge difference! It'll be gorgeous when they're all grown in.
Sometimes it's not a matter of not having enough plants, but just giving your plants some time to grow in.
I agree with the suggestion to get some floating plants though. Along with the help in water quality, and benefits for fish, they also help to give that "planted tank" look, filling in that large open area at the top.
ATBPatience, grasshopper!
Yes, Master I will practice Patience.
Here are a pair of mine you can judge for yourself. The first is a 120 the second is a 40B; so not these tiny 1 gallon things:
Both of these tanks receive weekly heavy pruning so they could be a lot denser.... both are established with the 120 30+ months old and the 40B 14+ months.
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I wanted to add this tank since it is low-tech. It is not heavily planted but it could be a lot denser; alas i don't want it to be any denser and I've been pulling new val sprouts on a weekly basis to keep it under control; why - well I do have fishes in the tank and while you can't see the larger devils they do want at least some area of open region; though the val at least allows them areas they can swim between the leaves.
Both of these tanks receive weekly heavy pruning so they could be a lot denser.... both are established with the 120 30+ months old and the 40B 14+ months.
--
I wanted to add this tank since it is low-tech. It is not heavily planted but it could be a lot denser; alas i don't want it to be any denser and I've been pulling new val sprouts on a weekly basis to keep it under control; why - well I do have fishes in the tank and while you can't see the larger devils they do want at least some area of open region; though the val at least allows them areas they can swim between the leaves.
Last edited:
JazzyV
Fish Crazy
definitely takes time to grow …wanna see pics on how my start tanks looks??lol rofl
They really look just like how yours look starting out @imw
plants grow more/faster in warmer temp water also …so often when ppl raise temp to treat ick their plants will need a pruning usually by the end of treatment lol
something else to do is grow the plants outside the tank to sizeable before I put it in tank can help a lot. You can liquid fert it it all u want to 20 ppm nitrate while it’s by itself and no livestock. Bc outside of tank you can feed it and give it light it needs more/less light and crank up the temp it will flourish and boom. If you don’t toss it in at a drastic temp difference too can help a plant avoid melt down or sprout growth when you put it in tank for minimum adjustments and not stress out the plant. Each plant’s care can vary a lot.
another thing with plants is if you have “magic water”…it’s true some of us our water is not “magic” bc our tap doesn’t draw the amount plants like to thrive and flourish in our water parameters.
What that guy has listed on the top left ..his water is very nice. He can practically grow anything. Study his water content helps understanding a lot.
They really look just like how yours look starting out
@imw plants grow more/faster in warmer temp water also …so often when ppl raise temp to treat ick their plants will need a pruning usually by the end of treatment lol
something else to do is grow the plants outside the tank to sizeable before I put it in tank can help a lot. You can liquid fert it it all u want to 20 ppm nitrate while it’s by itself and no livestock. Bc outside of tank you can feed it and give it light it needs more/less light and crank up the temp it will flourish and boom. If you don’t toss it in at a drastic temp difference too can help a plant avoid melt down or sprout growth when you put it in tank for minimum adjustments and not stress out the plant. Each plant’s care can vary a lot.
another thing with plants is if you have “magic water”…it’s true some of us our water is not “magic” bc our tap doesn’t draw the amount plants like to thrive and flourish in our water parameters.
What that guy has listed on the top left ..his water is very nice. He can practically grow anything. Study his water content helps understanding a lot.
definitely takes time to grow …wanna see pics on how my start tanks looks??lol rofl
They really look just like how yours look starting out
plants grow more/faster in warmer temp water also …so often when ppl raise temp to treat ick their plants will need a pruning usually by the end of treatment lol
something else to do is grow the plants outside the tank to sizeable before I put it in tank can help a lot. You can liquid fert it it all u want to 20 ppm nitrate while it’s by itself and no livestock. Bc outside of tank you can feed it and give it light it needs more/less light and crank up the temp it will flourish and boom. If you don’t toss it in at a drastic temp difference too can help a plant avoid melt down or sprout growth when you put it in tank for minimum adjustments and not stress out the plant. Each plant’s care can vary a lot.
another thing with plants is if you have “magic water”…it’s true some of us our water is not “magic” bc our tap doesn’t draw the amount plants like to thrive and flourish in our water parameters.
View attachment 142651
What that guy has listed on the top left ..his water is very nice. He can practically grow anything. Study his water content helps understanding a lot.
You cannot believe everything you see on the internet. While it is true that some have tap/source water that is "better suited" to certain fish species and plants, those that do not can still have equally good aquaria. I have always considered myself fortunate to have very soft water, as it means I can keep any of the soft water fish from South America and SE Asia without any manipulating of parameters. Plants have more difficulty than the fish I want, but adding nutrients for plants is a relatively easy process.
I've no idea what levels of some of those minerals are in my source water, but I suspect zero. My GH is said by the water authority to be 7 ppm, KH is zero. I know there is insufficient calcium if I do not use some form of supplement. [CO2 by the way is not a nutrient in the source water, it occurs from processes in the individual aquarium.] The photos below of a few of my tanks illustrate what can be done with near-pure water.
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JazzyV
Fish Crazy
True…I just study everyone’s water 
…and test everyone’s water 
..nothing is one way..there’s always an open mind to discovery knowing that not everything on internet is true. But without study a wide range it’s hard to know better on what works for you and don’t when applied in your real life and knowing to recognize what you read outside of text or how to videos.
I’m sorry if I did something illegal post. Not my intention.
Just a guy that seems to have success so I pay attention in case I can learn from him or anyone. I’ll limit my share. Thanks.
…and test everyone’s water ..nothing is one way..there’s always an open mind to discovery knowing that not everything on internet is true. But without study a wide range it’s hard to know better on what works for you and don’t when applied in your real life and knowing to recognize what you read outside of text or how to videos. I’m sorry if I did something illegal post. Not my intention.
Just a guy that seems to have success so I pay attention in case I can learn from him or anyone. I’ll limit my share. Thanks.
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