Couple Questions For A Planted Tank...

[dropxxzone]

I currently have various fish tanks but my newest is a 20 gallon long (US gallons) and i'm thinking of planting it. Currently it has fake plants in it.

Question 1: How much more maintence will real plants require, other than clipping when they get to long?

Question 2: I will not be using ferts or co2, instead i'll be using the tabs, how often and how many tabs would I need to put in the tank?

Question 3: I have a strip light that covers the back of the hood and I have a 20 watt bulb for it (since I haven't seen a higher watt available for that size). I can't achieve more than 1 watt per gallon unless I put a light over the front of the glass where the lid lifts but i'd rather not do that. Is 1 watt per gallon ok if I get some low light req plants?

Basically, can I achieve the planted tank without to much cost or overload of maintence?

Thanks in advance.

Here's a pic of the tank currently.

Edit: It's been running for about 4-5 months. I have filtration fit for a 60 gallon tank, oxygenated by bubble walls in the back. Substrate is natural white rock (25 lbs).

 

[George Farmer]

Welcome to TFF!

You can have success with your lighting and planned low-tech approach but you will be limited to a few hardy species. The classic low-light tolerant include Anubias, Java fern and Java moss, all of which should be attached to wood, stone etc. These have the benefit of not requiring a nutrient-rich substrate.

For substrate rooted plants that tolerate low light you may be able to grow some crypts, swords and easy stem plants i.e. Hygrophila polysperma. Fert tabs will help these species, place one or two around each plant.

If you haven't one already then I recommend fitting a reflector to your tube. If it is older that 12 months then replacing it with a full-spectrum trisphosphor type will greatly improve your chances of success.

To answer you first question; maintenance will be very low due to the low growth. Change at least 25% water weekly to supply as fresh source of nutrients. The fish food and their waste should also provide ample nutrients with such low light.

Good luck.

 

[dropxxzone]

Welcome to TFF!

You can have success with your lighting and planned low-tech approach but you will be limited to a few hardy species. The classic low-light tolerant include Anubias, Java fern and Java moss, all of which should be attached to wood, stone etc. These have the benefit of not requiring a nutrient-rich substrate.

For substrate rooted plants that tolerate low light you may be able to grow some crypts, swords and easy stem plants i.e. Hygrophila polysperma. Fert tabs will help these species, place one or two around each plant.

If you haven't one already then I recommend fitting a reflector to your tube. If it is older that 12 months then replacing it with a full-spectrum trisphosphor type will greatly improve your chances of success.

To answer you first question; maintenance will be very low due to the low growth. Change at least 25% water weekly to supply as fresh source of nutrients. The fish food and their waste should also provide ample nutrients with such low light.

Good luck.

thanks for the response!

What exactly does the reflector do? Keep more light inside the tank or something?

You mention placing one or two fert tabs around each plant but what if I have a group of multiple plants, will I still place them at the base of each or just a couple in the middle of them? Also, how often would I need to do this?

 

[Themuleous]

The reflector 'reflects' the lgiht that goes out the top of the light tube back down into the tank. Simple as that.

If you have lots of plants just place the tabs a few inches apart and spread them around.

Sam

 

[George Farmer]

A reflector simply directs the light toward the plants. Without one you are wasting a lot of light.

There's no definite figure for using fert tabs. With your light light and therefore slow growth the plants will not demand much nutrients. One tab per 5 stems or so should work fine. Put two or three around a crypt or sword. I'd guess at putting new ones in once a month or so.

Looks like Sam's beaten me to it and ninja posted me!

 

[dropxxzone]

A reflector simply directs the light toward the plants. Without one you are wasting a lot of light.

There's no definite figure for using fert tabs. With your light light and therefore slow growth the plants will not demand much nutrients. One tab per 5 stems or so should work fine. Put two or three around a crypt or sword. I'd guess at putting new ones in once a month or so.

Looks like Sam's beaten me to it and ninja posted me!

Looks like i'll be starting a planted tank soon!

One last question for now.

Will cleaning the gravel be a problem from the syphon? Do I pull the plants out, do the gravel and replant them or just leave them in place and try not to hit the roots to hard.

Thanks for all the help!

Edit: You have to be fast in the posting game!

 

[Jen]

Hi and welcome.

Syphoning is nice and easy with plants. you just get what you can. You can do it normally where there are no plants, and then just sorta place it on the surface around the plants to get any gunk up off the surface. The plants will use the food and waste as fertalizer, so it doesn't hurt to leave some of it in the tank. You just need to watch your Ammonia and Nirtate levels, and if either get too high, you do a bigger clean.

 

[dropxxzone]

Ok, so I went out and bought a new light for my hood, it's a coralife 20w 24" bulb SpectraMax, it has a 180 degree external reflector on it. I just put it in and it's extremely dim, like a lot dimmer than the bulb that came stock in the hood and dimmer than my 15w aqua-glow I have in my 44 gallon. Is coralife not a good light or something? What's the deal? I'm thinking of returning it for aqua-glo since it's brighter.

 

[dropxxzone]

I also bought 2 Sagittaria subulata (but the guy threw in a third since it was the last one). According to one of the LFS I go to and aquariumplants.com this is a low light plant.

Initially I had trouble putting the roots in the substrate, so I took a small rock and anchored them to that for now, I am thinking about getting some of the plastic plant anchors that expand when the plants grow, so the don't get pinched.

Also, I bought some SeaChem tabs for the fert.

I'm going to trade in the light and get a different brand, and see how well the sagittaria grows before I go spending tons of money and buying a lot of plants.