Want To Have A Planted Tank But Really Confussed

[Craig89]

Hi all I'm setting up my 50 gal (uk) tank this week and really want to have good looking, healthy plants instead of th dying off. I've read a few articles on here but I'm a liitle confussed with the steps I should take.

I've calculated my WPG to be 1.2 and I don't intend on using Co2.

I have got a tropical plant substrate to go under my gravel but this is as far as I have got.

I'm realy struggling on selecting plants for my tank which will do well in the conditions. I have java moss in my current tank and it is doing well but ide really like to have some tall plants for the back of the tank, a few nice bunches for the middle and some smaller, almost at gravel level plants for the front.

Could really use the expertise and guidence of some one who knows what they are doing.

Thanks in advance.

Craig.

 

[RadaR]

Suitable plants:

Amazon Swords
Aponogetons
Crypts
Java fern
Java moss
Other mosses
Vallis
Anubias
Hornwort
Ambulia

Have your lights on for 7-8hours a day.
Peform 10-25% water change weekly. (best to do this when the lights are off. So at the end or beginning of the photoperiod. This stops CO2 fluctuations from causing algae. Tapwater has higher levels of CO2 than your tank)
Dose micro nutrients once or twice a week.
Stock your tank to the max and the fish will produce enough N+P (nitrogen and phosphorus) for your plants.
You want 800-1000litres of flow per hour.
Obviously change your filter floss when it gets dirty and if there's a build up of organic waste on the gravel then hoover it up.

Feel free to ask any more questions. We want to get this right for ya

 

[Craig89]

Have you got a recomended product for the micro nutrients ?

 

[RadaR]

Have you got a recomended product for the micro nutrients ?

The normal Tropica Plant Nutrition.

Or

Easylife Profito.

 

[Craig89]

Ok thank you very much for the help, I'll have a look at the plants u named and will let you know how I get on