to get hooked on plants or not?

[OneSickPuppy]

I have much more available cash than I have time. I simply never thought about a point of going to live plants before with such excellent growing plastic ones until last year. Now im thinking about what fun its gonna be to pull everything out and remove the pool sand and get some better substrate in as a first step. Im wondering how my plants are thriving as it is.

[digitallinh]

no Co2 linh? you darn nonco2 scaper snobs are all alike lol

that was an interesting comment, mainly because it is true -- we lack patience.

I've done all 3 approaches, and a medium/low light excel setup is easily the best compromise for me. I still do weekly water changes, but spend very little time tinkering/aquascaping. At the end of the day, just be honest with how much work you're willing to put into it, and go with an approach that aligns.

I can't imagine keeping a non planted tank, probably because I've never kept one. The fish love it (better coloration), theres something else to watch progress besides fish, and it keeps the water clean!

[Totenkampf]

leslies pool sand is a good base if u enrich it, reuse some and mix it with flourite or add root tabs

[Complexity]

I have several planted tanks, ranging from the so-called "high tech" to the lowest of "low tech", and the best advice I can offer is that you can do whatever you want. There is no right or wrong way. it's all a matter of options.

Of course, if you want to run CO2, it's more expensive, requires more effort, and the plants will grow much faster. You can also grow a wider variety of plants simply because there are plants that must have injected CO2 in order to survive. It can be a very satisfying experience. Another advantage is that you will generally have fewer problems with algae because the plants are growing like mad. On the other hand, if you don't keep the plants trimmed, they will begin to take over the entire tank, and it won't be long before your fish won't have any room left to swim while your plants have taken every square inch of space inside the tank, as well as growing up and over the top of the tank. When that happens, you just do a major pruning and all is good again (and you can sell/give away the extra plants if you want).

If you don't want to run CO2, your costs will be much less because you don't have to buy any of the CO2 equipment (obviously). However, your plant selection will be more limited and the plants you do grow will grow more slowly. This is actually ideal for a very busy person because there is much less maintenance for the tank overall—even less than a tank with plastic plants. That's because the plants will help use up the nitrates (also nitrites and ammonia) in the tank which helps maintain good water conditions which means you can get away with fewer water changes. I have easily gone well over a month without doing water changes in my "low tech" tanks while the fish, shrimp, and plants all did great and the water remained wonderfully clear.

When people think of "low tech" tanks, they immediately think of moss, java ferns, and anubias, but to be honest, I find them to be more difficult to grow in a low tech tank as compared to many other plants. While the plant choices may be more limited in a low tech setup, there are still a nice variety of plants you can grow that will give you a very pleasing appearance. Many times people are surprised to discover that my low tech tanks are just that—low tech—with no added CO2 or ferts, and with only low to medium lighting.

I also enjoy a very loooong 12 hour photoperiod with ALL my tanks so you don't have to give up enjoying having your tanks lit up just because you're not doing CO2.

There are 3 main "secrets" I can offer that makes any planted tank successful, regardless of how you do it:

1. Use a good quality planted substrate. I prefer Eco Complete, but there are other options. Just don't use plain gravel or sand. Use a substrate intended for planted tanks.
   
   
2. New setups are not the same as mature setups. It's not just a matter of cycling the tank. It's a matter of the tank developing a balanced eco-system. So at first, you may run into problems with algae or poor plant growth that you won't have once the tank matures. As long as you know this, you can keep watch on the tank, and catch problems when they first begin without things getting too far out of control. It can also help to keep this in mind when problems do develop so you will know that this is not how it will be forever. It's just the tank's maturation process.
   
   
3. Let the plants tell you what to plant. By all means, use advice, suggestions, and available information to help you select which plants to try in your tank, but in the end, let the plants tell you if they like your tank or not. It's interesting how the very same plant will grow wonderfully in one tank, but die off in another tank that seems to have the very same parameters. There is generally something different enough between the two tanks that determined the plant's success or failure, and it's not always possible to pinpoint the precise reason. So to that end... plant a variety of plants. What grows well—keep! What dies—throw out! Don't try to fight it. There is no reason to turn your tank into a pretzel, trying to grow any specific plant. Set up your tank the way you want it and let the plants tell you which ones like that environment and which ones do not, and to hell with what the plants are "supposed" to do. The plants can't read the care instructions on the internet so they don't follow those rules. Put a bunch of plants in, see what works and see what doesn't work. In the end, you'll have a tank full of happy plants which is the ultimate goal.

I've heard people say for years that planted tanks are difficult, but I honestly think they are one of the easiest, most forgiving types of tanks you can have. They are excellent for busy people because the plants help with tank maintenance. And if you ever feel the urge to expand on the hobby, you can always add CO2 and ferts without having to make any radical changes. The options are endless which makes it possible for you to adjust the tank to whatever fits your preferences and schedule.

[OneSickPuppy]

Im not looking to completely crash my tank, just take out an amount of sand out and mix in good substrate. The focus of the tank will still be the wifes angels and I really dont want to put them through too much hell in the process. We have yet to lose one and they are starting to pair off ... which reminds me I need to set up another tank for a pair of angels and I still dont have any time!!!

[Complexity]

One other thing to add... If you ever do decide to add injected CO2, it's not as hard as it first appears. It's like most things, there is a learning curve which makes it appear complex and difficult. However, once you get into it, it's actually quite simple. What's difficult is deciding on which options you want to select when you're new to the whole thing, but that won't last long.

For this combination:
large tank, has the money, time is limited

I'd suggest this option:
Injected CO2 with a pH meter controlling it.

Basically, you'd buy:
1. Regulator (a simple milwaukee with the necessary parts already attached works just fine)
2. CO2 cylinder
3. pH meter (milwaukee with the probe works well)
4. Reactor (I like the Rex Grigg PVC type best http://www.rexgrigg.com/diy-reactor.htm)
5. CO2 tubing
6. Check Valve (prevents water from going back down the tubing)
7. Drop checker and Indicator solution (indicates how much CO2 you're putting in the water)

When you consider that the list includes small things, such as tubing and check valves, that list is really not very long. You can duplicate my setup as a start, and if you ever wanted to change to something else later, you can always sell the used parts to the next guy. Or if you really have the money, you can buy a fancy setup at one of the specialty shops (online), but it's honestly not necessary.

[Complexity]

Im not looking to completely crash my tank, just take out an amount of sand out and mix in good substrate. The focus of the tank will still be the wifes angels and I really dont want to put them through too much hell in the process. We have yet to lose one and they are starting to pair off ... which reminds me I need to set up another tank for a pair of angels and I still dont have any time!!!

Then take out the sand (all of it) and put in a substrate for planted tanks. I'd still suggest Eco Complete. It doesn't alter your pH so you can make the switch and put your angels right back in.

Just remove your angels to a safe place. Remove all the sand. With the tank empty, add the Eco Complete. Fill the tank. It will look a bit dirty at this point. Drain all the water back out. Now refill again. This time, the water will look really good. Run your filters, add your original decor, and put your angels back in.

You can leave it like that until you're ready to add plants. At that point, you have a number of options available, depending on what you want to do.

I would not recommend mixing sand with a planted substrate. The sand particles are very small and will simply migrate to form a bottom layer under the planted substrate which can become an issue with anaerobic bacteria over time.

OR

You can add plants that do not actually grow roots in the substrate, such as moss, anubias, and java fern. I honestly find these plants to not do all that well, but there are many others who swear by them. You can always give them a try and see if they like your tank.

[Complexity]

Let me also clarify... What I am suggesting will not crash your tank. While you will have beneficial bacteria on/in the sand, the bulk of it is in your filters. Do not clean your filters when you change out your substrate. Unless you have a tank that is so overloaded that the slightest disturbance to the bacteria will cause the whole thing to come crashing down, the tank should do just fine with a substrate change-out as long as you don't mess with the bacteria in the filters.

IF, by chance, you do have a tank that's truly on the edge, then you can easily compensate for the small amount of bacteria you'll lose when you change the substrate by adding a weedy plant, such as hornwort. The plant will suck out the nitrates (or nitrites or ammonia) that the loss of bacteria can't handle. Once your new substrate is established, you just throw the hornwort away. It is a plant that does not need to be planted so you simply toss it in the tank. You can get a huge amount of it off of eBay for about $10.

[OneSickPuppy]

i see a project in my future for april.

[Complexity]

When you decide to start planting your tank, let me know, and I can give you some plants that have grown well in my low tech tanks for you to try out.

In fact, I have a zillion crypts I need to rehome right now (Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Bronze'). They're so hardy, they should do fine in your sand until you switch over to a planted substrate. These crypts have grown like gangbusters in every tank I've ever put them in. Let me know if you want some.

[Totenkampf]

that was an interesting comment, mainly because it is true -- we lack patience.!

lol i was copying a comment that Barr made in the link that you gave. it is true about patience tho, i consider keeping planted aquaria an exercize in expanding my patience since i am very 'instant gratification'

[Totenkampf]

also to clarify, leslies pool filter sand is not fine play sand and has a texture similar to flourite...maybe slightly smaller. i feel it is an excellent balance in size but it needs to be enriched with a clay based "made for aquariums" soil. i favor eco-complete and flourite red