Where Do I Start?

[marieukxx]

I was thinking of adding some plants but don't know where to start. What I do, what I need. I take it it's not just a case of bunging them in lol.

 

[Duz]

Depends on how you want to layout your tank. Normal layouts consists of 3 different areas:

1. Tall plants (to go at the back)
2. Medium height plants (mid ground)
3. Foreground plants (to go at the front)

Saying this, if you want to make your tank look good you can't just bung loads of plants in and keep them in their pots. Well you could but wouldn't look as good . Most aquascapers use focal points to catch people's attention, to do this split your tank into thirds (both height and length) and put a focal point at where the lines cross. Focal points can either be a show plant or a bit of decor such as wood or stone. Then just use all 3 different areas of plants to fill in the rest of your tank so it doesn't look empty. It's always best to have a plan of what you want it to look like at the start. Hope that helps.

 

[coldcazzie]

To be fair, some people do just bung them in and it looks fab - they're called jungle scapes and they are surprisingly effective!

Marie - why don't you have a look at some of the planted journals to give you some ideas?

 

[fluttermoth]

If you stick to easy palnts you shouldn't have any trouble. Here's what I grow with normal lights and no fertilizer or CO2; vallis (I've got straight, twisted and giant), Java fern, anubias (both those need to be tied to a rock or bogwood as the rhizome rots if it's buried), Indian fern and cryptocorynes.

That gives me nice mix of tall (vallis) and short (crypts) and leaf shapes; narrow (with the vallis and Java fern) broad (the crypts and anubias) and divided (the Indian fern).

 

[RadaR]

Have a read of the pinned topics.