WOW... Firstly reading through all the great threads some of you have fantastic tanks 
There is also loads of really interesting and helpful info in there too which is great 
I have started to add a few (5) plants to my 240l tank (I see it as a tentative toe dip into planted aquariums- to see if i get the bug!). I have put some 'food sticks' as recommended by lfs next to them and have two 40w pro-plant growth lights (one with reflector). Generally most of the plants seem ok- but is early days. Basically, I hope to stay under the Co2 adding/additional lighting threshold at the moment!!!
My main concern though is that sand is too compact as a substrate and the plants in the sand as opposed to 'gravelly sand' are doing less well, is this likely to be the case? My other question is: I would really like to have just 5 established plants in the aquarium (at the moment!), is it possible to do this w/out CO2 etc or is this too much of a 'half-hearted' approach?
TIA
P.S. I know I haven't given any species, but I have asked the lfs for hardier plants.
There is also loads of really interesting and helpful info in there too which is great I have started to add a few (5) plants to my 240l tank (I see it as a tentative toe dip into planted aquariums- to see if i get the bug!). I have put some 'food sticks' as recommended by lfs next to them and have two 40w pro-plant growth lights (one with reflector). Generally most of the plants seem ok- but is early days. Basically, I hope to stay under the Co2 adding/additional lighting threshold at the moment!!!
My main concern though is that sand is too compact as a substrate and the plants in the sand as opposed to 'gravelly sand' are doing less well, is this likely to be the case? My other question is: I would really like to have just 5 established plants in the aquarium (at the moment!), is it possible to do this w/out CO2 etc or is this too much of a 'half-hearted' approach?
TIA
P.S. I know I haven't given any species, but I have asked the lfs for hardier plants.
