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please post your tips on looking after a planted tank

mattyc

Member
Joined
17 Oct 2008
Messages
518
Location
Thelwall, Warrington
I have just planted my first tank (my verry first try all i grew was algie but im forgetting that :lol: ) and was after some of your tips on how to keep it healthy please post them anything is welcome!!! :D
 
JamesM said:
Pay someone else to do it for you! :p

But not James as he'll put bricks and cement in your tank. :lol: :lol: :lol: ;)


Ok, i'd try and consider the following:
1. Budget, you can always add extra equipment later.
2. Substrate, ADA aquasoil and Oliver Knott's Naturesoil are two of the best complete substrates on the market at the moment, but there are many alternatives.
3. Lighting, T8 lights are the standard you get fitted on must tanks, but you will get very good growth with T5 lights or metal halides. Some aquarium manufacturers are fitting T5's as standard now, eg..Juwel.
4. CO2, pressurized CO2 will give you more stable CO2 conditions.
5. Nutrients, either using dry ferts, or an all in one off the shelf mixture, eg. Tropica Plant Nutriention plus, TPN+.
6. On initial planting try and use a majority of fast growing stems to absorb excess nutrients.
7. Try and gain experience growing plants.
8. Don't bother with RO water, there really is no benefit for plants,
 
Have a plan before you start, i say that only because my aquascaping is a bit more complicated given i just shoved bits in ( including plants and equipment ) as i went along. Now I am planning everything rather than just ordering bits randomly for my first " proper " or planned tank ( Im going to learn on the smaller one and do my best to make my bigger one look a bit less like a jungle. There is so much information ( and marketing blech ) around that im finding myself doing a lot of research here and at the Barr Report to figure out whats really what ( Im almost there on substrata :D - Oliver Knot ). I have the distinct feeling that looking after this coming tank will be a lot easier if i execute a well thought out plan.

Edited : Oops I see you have already planted it , i hope this post helps somebody else then :D
 
Listen to CEG :lol:
Read some books
Read some journals
Take a trip to TGM
Grow plants first, aquascape after
 
JamesM said:
Pay someone else to do it for you! :p

Good one! :lol:

1. I agree with water changes. You can fix a lot of problems with water changes.
2. Learn that the plants will not always cooperate with your grand aquascaping plan.
3. Wood and rocks don't always cooperate either. :lol:
4. A little algae is okay. At least I think so.
5. Don't spend so much time on your tank that you don't get to enjoy it.
 
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