What's The Most Importrant Thing For A Successful Planted Tank?

[coolie]

I know that some will say the question is flawed because you need everything in balance in a successful planted tank.
 
However, what I mean is, most beginners at growing plants think that light is the most important thing, and without doing any research,
 
you might increase the lighting.
 
I would like opinions in people's experience, what the most crucial things were to get right first (even though you need all elements to work in the end)?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Aeration of oxygen and good water flow would be my thoughts on this subject. 
 
As you already say, its not just any one thing, its a combination of all the elements needed to have a successfully planted tank.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Not oxygen, but CO2 needs to be balanced with your lighting...  those are the top two.
 
 
Lighting and CO2 need to be in balance, and then the nutrients can be matched to that.

 

[coolie]

See, I'm not going to say what I think yet, but I don't think that CO2 and lighting are the top two.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Most people either know or find out pretty fast that there needs to be a balance between light, macro/micro nutrients and then co2. But to my mind the most important decision one makes relative to plants is how central and important they are in any given tank. I tend to see it as being a decision which states their importance compared to the fish. And in this respect fish keepers are generally faced with one of three decisions in any tank they might plant.
 
1. Fish are always more important. So algae may not be a problem, some may be wanted, Water parameters will always be managed to meet the fish needs over plant needs etc.
2. Fish and plants are about equally important. Fish and plants choices are given similar weight and equal concern and hopefully time.
3, The plants and the aquascape are the driving force behind a tank and fish are always chosen in light of the plants chosen. This would cover high tech planted  tanks, Dutch aquariums or Walstad type tank.
 
One of the above three approaches is basically going to dominate in any planted tank. They often determine how many people will allocate their spending and time etc.
 
When I got my first plants it was because I discovered having some amount of live plants would let me stock more heavily. 13 years later and my co2 added high light tank came down as well as a few other planted tanks. I have always felt that I was a fish keeper first and foremost. But I had gardened outdoors for years. As MTS took hold, I gave that up and began gardening in glass boxes. Today I am removing plants because I simply want much less work. The more elaborate the plants and their needs, the more time they require. 
 
And nobody ever tells the new to live plant folks that the lovely tank that started out as an idea and which one tries to achieve in a tank will not last without a ton of work, plants grow, its as simple as that. And while some plants can be kept at size, others will outgrow tanks and need to be replaced. Maintaining a look once you have achieved it takes work. Even in the low light tanks, they grow, just more slowly.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

See, I'm not going to say what I think yet, but I don't think that CO2 and lighting are the top two.

 
I look forward to hearing your views on this... I'm not sure that I am going to agree with you, but that's ok.  That's what makes this place interesting.

 

[l_l_l]

Very interesting topic.
 
I think that the most important thing you'd need for a successful planted tank would be patience.

 

[coolie]

Where I am coming from on this; In the film "Silent Running", the guy on the space ship realises after much deliberation that his plants are dying
as they get further from the sun and artificial light is needed.
 
When someone takes up fish keeping (with aquatic plants), we tend to think in terms of non-aquatic plants when it comes to plant requirements.
 
So you have your light, a plentiful supply of water, nutrients (in the substrate) and carbon dioxide in the water. These things are pretty obvious.
 
What is not so obvious is that nutrients for many plants are taken through the leaves and, for both this and respiration, you need flow. Flow is not a consideration at all
when discussing terrestrial plants.
 
I have made this mistake myself to some extent, and have really only just got sufficient flow for my planted tank, this is why I bring this subject up.

 

[Ch4rlie]

So you're saying light and water flow is the top two requirements in your opinion. Is that about right?

 

[KirkyArcher]

What's The Most Importrant Thing For A Successful Planted Tank?

Plants

    ( root fertilizer & light )

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Flow is often discussed with plants in aquaria though.
 
Having 30ppm CO2 in one part of the tank is meaningless if its not where the plants are.  Generally, 10X turnover is considered the norm.  Also, having all the nutrients available to all the plants is important..
 
I think that you are correct though in that 'flow' often gets buried - but it is (imo) a consideration when you say "light and CO2".  Its not the mean value of CO2 in the tank, but the CO2 that's available to each individual plant.

 

[coolie]

So you're saying light and water flow is the top two requirements in your opinion. Is that about right?
 

 
No - the bit about light was me explaining how a novice thinks in terms of terrestrial plants.
 
 
 
Flow yes. If asked by a person new to aquariums what the most important thing was, I would say "Get your flow right first" - it's largely controlled
by the filter or pumps, so it needs to be a consideration when first setting the tank up, a prerequisite as it were.
 
But of course you are all correct too!

 

[Ch4rlie]

So i was right, water flow 

 
Lol only joking, yeah you do need all the elements to work together, trick is to find that balance that works for your particular tank.

 

[Chris0422]

I think the most important thing is to fall flat on your face.  Then to regroup figure out what went wrong and try again.  I am on my second planted tank, its been going for almost a year and a half and it starting to look like what I want.  Just when I think ive got it i learn more or something goes wrong and I have to learn and change what I'm doing.  Lighting, CO2, Ferts and all that stuff getting pushed around to your plants (flow) while keeping happy fish its so much trouble but so worth it.