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Goofy Mog

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Hey guys,

I've kept aquatics for 17 years now, from 200 gallon freshwater predatory tanks to SPS reef tanks. After starting pre-med, I had to shut down my most recent reef but my partner and I have decided to tackle a planted tank.

I have 0 experience with planted tanks but there are plenty of similarities, most importantly discipline, in keeping a reef.

Nice to meet you all, I'm heading off to the planted tank forum to get a tank-log going!
 
Hey guys,

I've kept aquatics for 17 years now, from 200 gallon freshwater predatory tanks to SPS reef tanks. After starting pre-med, I had to shut down my most recent reef but my partner and I have decided to tackle a planted tank.

I have 0 experience with planted tanks but there are plenty of similarities, most importantly discipline, in keeping a reef.

Nice to meet you all, I'm heading off to the planted tank forum to get a tank-log going!
Never done reef but much like reef tanks planted tanks need a balance between lights and nutrients. Reef lights are generally 10000K actinic where as freshwater need to be 5000K to 6500K. Much like growing corals the correct amount of lumens at correct Kelvin is essential. Low light plants need around 20 lumens/ liter and medium 30 to 40 lumens/ liter high light plants like red plants and carpeting 50 lumens/liter with over 30 PAR at the bottom as you well know light intensity decreases as it travels depth of water.
Next is substrate. Aquarium plants get nutrients 2 ways, through roots in substrate and through leaves in water column. Some like crypts swords Vallis get nutrients majority through roots if one is planting a lot of stem plants or plants like java fern or anubius that arent rooted than liquid fertilizer is going to be more helpful to the plants. Id suggest finding a good liquid fert, i use Easy green from aquarium CO op its super concentrated and comes in a bottle with a pump. Then find a good substrate. If you buy a nutrient prepared commercial substrate like ADA soil or aqua soil be prepared to change it out after about a year or 2 as the nutrients will be used up and soil can go anaerobic. Or one could use gravel or sand and supplement it with root tabs as needed. Good luck research the plants before purchasing to see how they best feed, roots or water column, and what nutrients they most need. For instance Vallis need more calcium than some aquarium plants swords eat lots of ammonia and floating plants need lots of nitrates, red plants of course need more iron. Good luck ask lots of questions and if about lights or substrate or ferts or plants there is a forum for plants and one for ferts and lighting:)
 
Welcome to TFF!
 

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