Substrate Question

[navvet8992]

i now have a 55 galon community fish tank with gravel substrate and fake plants. I was thinking of adding real plants but dont have a clue how to do it. Can i use the gravel i have? How do you plant the roots (just cover them with the gravel)? I just finished cycling the tank and have everything set up now so dont want to change the gravel. Will the plants grow like this? I know these are probably stupid questions but i have never had real plants before and i have read it makes for a healthier tank. Any help on this is much appreciated. Thanks

 

[Corleone]

Plants will do ok in gravel. Pretty much, just shove them in where you want them. Dig a furrow in the gravel, hold the roots in with one hand, and bury them in the gravel with the other. If they come potted, take the pot and rockwool off of the roots first. If you damage the roots in the process, it's not too big of a deal, they will grow back, but the plant might not root firmly for a couple weeks.

Aside from that, I use Flourish Excell daily in lieu of CO2 injection, and root tabs monthly as directed (Read the directions carefully - some brands have pretty esoteric dosing instructions, I finally settled on one that just said "Bury one every x inches every month")

 

[navvet8992]

sounds easy. is the flourish like plant food? are live plants better for the health of my fish? thanks alot for the help.

 

[Corleone]

Florish makes a whole line of products. Some of them are plant food, some provide trace chemicals. Excell is a carbon source, and also the only one of the line I use anymore. The root tabs are the only plant food I use. I bury one in the gravel near each of my bigger plants, and spread them out through areas with lighter plant cover like crypts, valis, and swords.

Healthy plants are good for the health of your fish and tank as a whole - they use ammonia and nitrate from the water. IME, a healthy planted tank will reach a point where there simply isn't any noticeable algae growth, which cuts down on maintenance far more than the water quality effects.

 

[jonnyf84]

I always wrap a small amount of filter wool just above the roots then add a weight around that, this protects the stems, don't wrap it too tight thought, if you are going to keep larger fish this will help keep them rooted too. good luck.