Help Me Get Planted Please!

[TetraFin]

Hi all!

I was considering getting a group of silk plants to add colours and vegetation to my tank, but now I'm considering going for planted. I don't know much about it at all, even after having read articles in PARC. So a few questions....

First of all, about my tank, it's an aquaone 620T, 130L, with a 1 1/2 inch fine gravel substrate. I have the option of running either 1.2WPG or 0.6WPG as the 18w pl lamps switch seperatly. I am after a low tech setup, no CO2 or special care, I'm after easy. It is my first planted attempt anyway, (well other than 1 plant I put in and killed a while ago...).

So questions...

1. I've seen that you can buy stem cuttings, should I buy these grouped into 5's or singular? Also do I plant these straight into substrate?

2. For a low tech setup should I use 1.2 or 0.6 WPG? Is this a low, mid or high level light output?

3. Is ferts needed? I wouldn't have a problem adding a liquid of powder fert once or twice a week.

4. Do you just vacuum around them once it's in the tank, or do you pull them up and replant after?

I'm able to do loads of research on the plants through this site to find suitable ones, but any advice is welcome!

Thank you for any input!

 

[Ps3Steveo]

1. buy in groups and plant in groups of 3 straight into substrate, might need slightly deeper substrate tho and some planting tweezers make it easier.

2. Use 1.2WPG.

3. Depends how heavily you plant and how much stock your having?

4. I don't vacuum once planted as the rubbish on the bottom generally helps fertilize the plants over time.

5. Crypts, Swords, Ferns, Mosses, Anubias etc.

Hope this helps.

 

[mike455555]

1. depends on the plant plants. you can group some plants together for example crypts love it. it all depends how you want the tank to look

2. if i were you id do 1.2 wpg. this is verging between low and mid light tank. but 0.6 is a little low IMO although depending on the plants it can work. im running a 0.5wpg~ (not done the maths) tank fine with some crypts, swords and moss's. it mainly comes down to what plants you want

3. if your doing a 1.2wpg tank i would dose ferts weekly. i doubt you would need carbon addition but it can help. if your running a 0.6wpg i wouldn't bother with weekly ferts. as long as you do water changes each week

4. DONT pull them up. plants hate being moved once established. just vacuum around them. i use sand and the poo normally sits on top so its easy to suck up. but for gravel i normally dont bother with vacuuming at all

if i were you id start with some easy plants crypts swords and moss's, java ferns and anubias