Are having LIVE PLANTS essential?

[UM3R]

last time i bought plants, my tank was wrecked up big styles... 1000000 snails came with it as i did not rinse the plants.

also, 5 have many bubbles and dont know which is the best type of plant to have.

i have a 25 gallon 4ft x 15 x 12 tank

do i really need live plants? at the moment my tank is fine. 7 ph and nitrates, etc are ok too.

 

[guppy97]

not really, if you have frys then it's a good idea to have it. me i don't even bother buying live plants from the fish store. i buy it at home depot, the ones in a pot. i get rid of the soil and wash out all the dirt and stuff. it's cheaper but it's still the same as the ones from the fish store.

 

[Alien Anna]

Live plants or not is purely a matter of personal choice, but they do help keep the nitrates down.

If you want live plants without snails, consider getting one of the snail-eating fish that are available, depending on the size of your tank. I had a major problem until I got some chain loaches. Yoyo loaches are another good one, or clown loaches if you have a bigger tank.

Incidently, on this forum we use US gallons so I estimate your tank as about 31.5 gallons (1 US gal = 0.8 UK Imperial gallons).

 

[UM3R]

My measurement is 4ft X 15 X 12 Anna.. The lady at the LFS said i have 25 gallons capacity.. is she right? i dont really like her.. I think she talks up her (u know wot )

so this normal plant option.. can i go to lets say B&Q and get any plant i like and wash and put it in the fish tank? Is it the same thing? I dont wanna like poision the fish, etc..

The set up wont let me as I have a very nice set up with artifical plants, etc but i guess if its good for the cycle then why not..

 

[haaris]

if you have guppies i think its best to get
live plants
but you can get fake plants
but with live ones they keep the nitrate level doun
dont just get any plant some are poisionous to fish
and arent really water plants

 

[spanky_pp_]

Yes fake or real!?! Its up to you. I prefer real.

*You dont find fake plants in the wild, so hy should you in your tank!

*Plants filter out substances in the water including the fish waste, so the tank is cleaner for longer.

*Snails are good for your tank, as they eat waste, and clear away forming algae. I admit, they can be a problem, by reproducing, but you can wash your plants before you add them, or just remove the snails as you find them, remebering to leave a few to clear up for you though.

*Baby snails will be eaten by your fish once the adults eggs have hatched, giving your fish good and varied nutrition. Yum yum yum.

*Plants provide cover for bullied, or smaller fish such as fry.

*Plants can help seperate terratories like creating boundaries within the fishtank. So less fighting between whos land is whos...

*Live plants can be eaten and enjoyed by some fish.

*Live plants excrete oxygen, making oxygen levels in your tank higher, which results in your fish being more healthy.

*I go for how the plants look aswell as what they do. Try ones you like the look at.. Afterall a tank is to be enjoyed. I like the plants with mixed varigated leaves ( Two tone colours.) Like on one side of the leaf, it would be green, the other, purple and white... Any good pets store will have a good varied range of living plants, and the people working there should be able to tell you what is best for you. Also ask them, what conditions do they like, how big do they get, do i need to add anything to my water, or do they require any other special treatment etc.

Make sure if you do decide to get live plants, they need light to live...

There has recently been a post in this forum of people buying plants online... I had a look, and you do get a big bunch for what you pay for.
The only thing is, i cant remember what they are called... HELP US OUT FORUM!

Hope you think about some of the things ive said..

 

[Alien Anna]

My measurement is 4ft X 15 X 12 Anna.. The lady at the LFS said i have 25 gallons capacity.. is she right? i dont really like her.. I think she talks up her (u know wot )

so this normal plant option.. can i go to lets say B&Q and get any plant i like and wash and put it in the fish tank? Is it the same thing? I dont wanna like poision the fish, etc..

The set up wont let me as I have a very nice set up with artifical plants, etc but i guess if its good for the cycle then why not..

You tank is 25 UK gallons, but on this forum we don't use UK gallons, we use US gallons. It's 31.5 US gallons.

Aquatic plants are not the same as land plants - land plants will rot if you try to keep them under water. You need to buy them from a fish shop or online from an aquatic plants site.

Live plants can help with cycling a tank - they often have beneficial bacteria on the roots, but this is not essential. Live plants also work out cheaper than artificial, provided you have enough light, since you can get cuttings and grow them on. But if you prefer silk or plastic, that's fine too. It's entirely up to you.

 

[guppymonkey]

not really, if you have frys then it's a good idea to have it. me i don't even bother buying live plants from the fish store. i buy it at home depot, the ones in a pot. i get rid of the soil and wash out all the dirt and stuff. it's cheaper but it's still the same as the ones from the fish store.

This doesn't make any sense. Most home improvement stores don't sell aquatic plants, and the ones that do are for ponds. Those plants would be unsuitable for a tropical aquarium. They might look fine for a few weeks but they would slowly start to break down and add toxins to the tank.

Live plants are not that difficult to find and usually not that expensive either. The lighting for them can be difficult to find, I personally can't find bulbs over 20 watts in my area and they are not suitable for live plants. If it becomes too much of a hassle trying to find plants and supplies I would just go with some realistic looking fake plants.

 

[UM3R]

I just bought 2 bunches of small plants.. i am using a 42" bluemoon tube by INTRAPET. Is that sufficent light?

Also another thing..


See the roots of ur live plants?? do u keep them undergravel or above the gravel? if i keep em above the gravel the look so ugly.. the cotton thing, the steal thing and the roots.. but then again, i dont want to keep them under gravel if it will make the plant die..

HELP PLZ...

PS: I have been offered a tank 18X10X10 for £30.. it has a splash tray and some ornaments and gravel.. is it worth it? and is it ok size for a breeding tank? i wanna fill it up with live plants but i dont know if i will give them enough light.. what if i use my side lamp bulb? would that be enough? its around 60 watts but i can bang it up to a 100 watts if needed.

Any ideas, suggestions will be appreciated

 

[guppymonkey]

i wanna fill it up with live plants but i dont know if i will give them enough light.. what if i use my side lamp bulb? would that be enough? its around 60 watts but i can bang it up to a 100 watts if needed

You really need a lamp designed for aquatic plants. Plants need certain things that regular light bulbs don't have. You need a bulb that provides the same stuff as natural light but don't try to just put your tank next to a window because you will have massive algae growth and changes in temperature that can kill your fish.

 

[UM3R]

So how is INTRAPET MoonLight 42" tube like? Is this ok for most plants?? LFS say YES but they say yes to anything..

 

[guppymonkey]

I don't know that brand but its best to look on the box it came in. They usually say if they are good for plants. You need about 2 to 3 watts for each gallon to have good plant growth. If you want plants that need strong light you might need more watts per gallon.

 

[UM3R]

I am thinking of buying stuff online.. from FISH TANKS to ACCESSORIES.. Can anyone recommed any good e-shops? im in UK

 

[ramesses]

Personally I only keep "real"plants,I don't belive in having anything fake in my tank.Now,having said,I had no problem with anybody having fake ones.
A few things people have to concider while picking out plants are.....
LIGHTING.....make sure that the light bulbs in your tank are good enough for your plants well being.Not all plants require a special type of light,some grow just fine with the regular light bulb your tank cover came with.
TEMPERATURE........Your fish may require a high temperature in the 80's and your plant may start to loose its leaves creating in the process a mess for your filter to pick up.Make sure both fish and plants could flourish at similar temp.
WATER ........If your fish needs salt or you need to add specific solutions to keep your babies happy,make sure your plants would be Ok with these specific water conditions.
There are many things to concider.The best thing to do is to ask at your local LFS but ,if they seem clueless to you,get yourself on line and time to do some acuatic plant research.Go to some of the websites where they sell plants.E-mail them and ask questions,tell them about your water readings,type of fish you keep,etc.Most people will be honest and tell you what to get.
Also,you may have to buy some liquid fertilizer to promote the growth and well being of your new plants.
Good luck!

 

[UM3R]

I have only bought 2 bunches to put in..Lets see how long these last..

My swordtail is pregnant and shows the black thing in the belly.. She isnt that fat tho.. any suggestions when the cherry's gonna pop??