Planting Tank

[Ashley1991]

Hey guys

I have being keeping goldfish for nearly a year now but i want more of a challenge so i did a lot of reading about reef systems, my heart was set on a reef until i realised my tank is a tropial tank (it came with a heater and eerything) so why not go tropical first (it would save me alot of money from buying a new tank etc.)

now im trying to cram all the tropical information into my small brain to!

ok dont with the little intro

i want to plant my tank first before getting any tropical fish (by the way the goldfish have new homes) i have being reading about substrates and i was wondering can i just use the substrate that i already have? its just bog standard gravel no high nutrients or anything (being reading i should get special substrates) is there a way i can give my plants (when i get them) the best enviroment without buying new substrate? i have being reading about some sort of fertiliser you can put inbetween the gravel (like put half the gravel in put this special stuff there then put more gravel on top)

im not rushing into this im taking it slow and want to get all my information first.

sorry if this is a bit confusing XD

thanks
ash

 

[xhan]

As far as I can tell the only difference between goldfish and tropical is the heater!

The gravel is the same (unless you go for an uber substrate enriched planted tank) but sand/gravel have always worked very well for me!

All water tests are the same - freshwater

The fish are of course different and of course you might need different foods for them and some like BN's need bogwood for digestion

 

[lljdma06]

Many here use specialty substrates, however, you can have a successful planted tank with just standard gravel. My first planted tank used just that. I didn't know about specialty substrates back then and just opted to dose my water column with the necessary fertilisers.

Check out our PARC section (Planted Aquarium Resource Center). This features some well-written articles on the basics on setting up a planted tank. Aaronnorth's "Back to Basics" is another fine read. In addition, you can get many ideas by just browsing at our Journals section.

Honestly, a planted tank can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. I have both a complex system and one that is basically a no-brainer. Both are doing pretty well. In fact, as it stands now, the no-brainer, no-tech system is doing a bit better. I often recommend a simple system like that for beginners. It builds confidence.

My complex system. This one has more light, CO2, and ferts. It still isn't very complex by most standards, but I do have to do more to maintain this system and not get algae.

My simple system. This system has tough enough plants that you'd be fine with just stock lighting (depending on the size of your tank). No CO2, no ferts, a waterchange once every 2-4 weeks.

Both are proper planted tanks.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

llj

 

[Ashley1991]

thank you both for your replys from what i have being reading it made it sound really daunting all the extra light and co2 injection, special substrates and so on it nice to know that to begin with i can keep it simple then as i get more confident add the extras

thank a bunch you made the move to tropical alot less daunting

Ash