New tank

[Ha28]

hey guys , im seting up my very first freshwater tank. I like the idea of tiles in the bottom and just a plant floating. It look very simple, i want something easy to clean . My worries wil be if this setting would affect tropical small fish? Do they really need a few plants and gravel and rocks? Any other suggestions? Thanks

 

[marcetaylor]

OK, the floating plant will work and some small tiles may work. However the ground needs to be gravel to make the tank easy to clean. The fish will probably like the floating plant as it adds a hiding space, but again not so much the tiles. I would cover the whole bottom in gravel and add small tiles when it is time to clean the gravel.
I hope this helps.

 

[Ha28]

OK, the floating plant will work and some small tiles may work. However the ground needs to be gravel to make the tank easy to clean. The fish will probably like the floating plant as it adds a hiding space, but again not so much the tiles. I would cover the whole bottom in gravel and add small tiles when it is time to clean the gravel.
I hope this helps.

Ok thanks. I just dont want to load the aquarium with stuff is my first one. this one is to learn

 

[Byron]

I may be able to explain why a substrate is important, whether it is fine gravel or sand. This is the biological hub of the aquarium. There are many species of bacteria that will live in the substrate, feeding on the organics that accumulate there. The filter is your nitrification bacteria primarily, though this occurs in the substrate too. But there is so much more to bacteria than just the filter.

Floating plants are a very good idea, and should be included in most all freshwater tanks, with some exceptions. They shade light (which does affect forest fish), and help to keep the water quality good.

Unless you have a reason for the titles, meaning something the fish may need (spawning sites), I would not put them in the aquarium. Once you have the substrate, decor like chunks of wood and/or rock is better, depending what the particular fish species may need. The fish have environmental needs which should come first if they are to be healthy.

Byron.

 

[Ha28]

Hey guys thanks for the help i added a nice gravel to the tank. Looks better and i understand the benefits. I put about 20 pound of gravel on my 29 tank .