New To Planted Tanks

[guppymad]

ok, i'm new to planted tanks and have only recentlly started using real plants in my tanks, before i used to use plastic but i think it looks abit fake and taky, anyway I would like a plant that will grow on the bottom of my tank creating a carpet like effect, can anyone sugest anything??


p.s any advice on planted tanks wold be great aswell thanks

 

[Jen]

It really depends on how far into this you want to go. You can go low tech or high tech, but how much do you want to spend on equipment?

 

[guppymad]

It really depends on how far into this you want to go. You can go low tech or high tech, but how much do you want to spend on equipment?

i want something quite low-tech to start with and hopefully get into it abit more and go high tech, I have quite abit to spend on equiptment (£200-£300).

 

[Jen]

What do you have in the tank now? lights, substrate and what sort of plants? Are you fertalizing at all now?

 

[guppymad]

What do you have in the tank now? lights, substrate and what sort of plants? Are you fertalizing at all now?

i just have a normal light at the moment but i am going to upgrade it, i have 3mm gravel, plastic plants , and i'm not fertalizing, i'm a complete beginner.

 

[Jen]

Ok. so how far do you want to go? Have a look at the tanks in this thread. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=111385. Its the planted tank gallery. A few of us who are very into planted tanks talk about how we make things work in our tanks. Most of us have high tech plants... lots of light, we add co2 and lots of ferts. Have a look at Mr. Miagi and simon brown have low tech tanks that are just as nice as the rest of them... and they take a lot less time.

Figure out what you think you would like to see for your tank, then we can work on a game plan.

 

[guppymad]

I want something quite low-tech and don't really want to use Co2, i like the grass in the foreground of G sharky's tank, and the plant paulioo has all over the bottom of his tank.

 

[Alex_]

glosso and micrograss

are my faverite carpet plants

 

[George Farmer]

I want something quite low-tech and don't really want to use Co2, i like the grass in the foreground of G sharky's tank, and the plant paulioo has all over the bottom of his tank.

To have success with most carpeting plants you will need plenty of light and CO2. G Sharky and Paulioo's set-ups are both high-tech (lots of light, CO2 etc.)

You may be able to grow Echinodorus tenellus or Sagittaria sp. with no CO2 and lower lighting.

Glosso (Paulioo's tank) will definitely need higher lighting and CO2 injection, as well as a suitable substrate and water chemistry.