Why?

[T1KARMANN]

just out of intrest whats the attraction with girly plants that some people keep in their tank

i think a nice bit of rock or bogwood is much nicer

 

[Lexie3787]

Girly plants?

 

[T1KARMANN]

i just think a planted tank may look nice but its for girls

 

[moon]

i just think a planted tank may look nice but its for girls

I plant mine because I'm comfortable with my sexuality, find it pleasing and think the fishies will like it better.

I wish I'd known that the ladies like planted tanks when I was younger - "fancy coming back to mine to check out my planted aquarium?".

 

[Lynz781]

Plants are another different fascinating subject as well as fish. They provide oxygen and food for fish and shelter for fry. They can be as aesthetically pleasing as bogwood or rocks or whatever and provide a natural environment. My fish love plants (they told me). They hide in and spawn on them. It baffles me as to why you think plants are girly? Perhaps its because it wouldn't have the same effect if you hit someone over the head with a wet plant?

 

[leafs]

i just think a planted tank may look nice but its for girls

How old are you?

 

[Lexie3787]

Well Im glad there are millions of boys who are so comfortable with their sexualities that they will :dramatic pause: actually plant their aquariums. :gasp:

 

[George Farmer]

whats the attraction with girly plants?

My plants aren't girly - they reproduce asexually!

Ask a stupid question...........

 

[MAM]

But the question could be turned around on you. For example, you keep or have kept rays. I'm guessing the tank had minimal decor to allow the rays room to roam and feed without hinderance. That sort of setup was best for their optimal care. But for many, that would be a very dull and boring tank to look at. For you, it was exciting, because you could see your rays activity, the whole reason for the tank. So for people with plants, its because plants are the optimal tank environment for many fish, and bring out behaviors they might not get to witness were the tank bare or if it had minimal decor.

You can chose to see plants as girly, but they're a challenging and interesting aspect of fish keeping. Some people like the adventure of trying their hands at something new and challenging. Once they've mangaged to successfully keep their fish alive, they usually want to try to make the environment in the tank as close to nature as possible. So they turn to live plants. With live plants come a whole host of new challeges, experiences, and what not, that are just the next step in the hobby for some. But its all about what type of fish you keep and personal preference (or in my case, the inability to keep plant life alive, whether in water or not). To each their own, that's what makes this hobby so great.

 

[Soaup]

i just think a planted tank may look nice but its for girls

How old are you?

Lol thats what i was thinking.. Tanks are planted because sometimes people think it looks better.. Everyone has an opinon of there own.. There is nothing wrong with girls and im sure many memebers on these forums are girls and you might have just pissed off a few of them.. A girly tank might be for a young girls room.. A goldfish bowl or such..

 

[BoSelecta]

I only keep fish because the plants like them

 

[George Farmer]

i have just started a thread in the plant forum to find out the attraction is with girly plants

im not scared of a debate thats what forums are for

Now I understand the motivation behind this thread.

T1KARMANN - So you like a debate?

My case for plants in the aquarium -

Ten things that are positive about a planted tank, from the top of my head, in no particular order -

1) Purifying water, extracting all sorts of nasties, ranging from nitrogen compounds (NH3, NH4, NO2, NO3), phosphates, heavy metals etc.
2) Production of natural antibiotics to help fend of possible infections in fish.
3) Production of allelochemicals that help prevent algae.
4) Production of oxygen.
5) Providing security, shelter and terrorteries for fish.
6) Providing a more natural, aesthetically appealing looking focal point in one's living space.
7) A chance to become closer to nature and realise the delicate balance between various intrinsically linked ecosystems.
8 ) A chance to show off a piece of something that you have created, some take aquascaping to a higher artform so this becomes another part of the hobby altogether, becoming limited by imagination only.
9) Maintaining a planted tank, pruning, re-planting, choosing and buying new plants, re-aqauscaping, photographing the end result all are very therapuetic.
10) A planted tank is the perfect blend of technology, art, science and nature.

I understand you keep fish that are unsuitable (large oddballs if you're video is anything to go by) for heavily planted tanks, but I'm sure you understand that plants do have their purpose for many in this wonderful hobby, maybe not for you personally and that is fine, but please don't use inappropiate stereotyping ("girly plants") in such a manner again on here - it is bordering on the offensive.

 

[Discomafia]

Alright gf225, way to go!

Now T1KARMANN, let's see your 10 reasons why you choose not to plant your tanks...

 

[EliteFishy]

I started a planted tank because I got bored with those plain borring tanks and I wanted a challange.

 

[demonmagus]

I had to decide between planted and cichlids, I went planted because (no offense intended), I think that cichlid tanks, just rocks, look horrible, just my opinion though