Author Topic: Help choosing plants for my fish tank (Read 46096 times) 48 replies

Richard W · « **Reply #40 on:** March 05, 2015, 05:01:29 PM »

I see the article on lighting for plants on Thinkfish suggests keeping them on for 12 - 14 hours per day ...................

Fiona · « **Reply #41 on:** March 05, 2015, 05:09:31 PM »

My lights are on for 12hrs a day usually, sometimes a bit longer over the weekend.

I must post a piccie of my 200L I'm quite proud of the planting in it. I use root tabs under some of the trickier plants but on the whole rely on whatever nutrition is in the soil substrate and fish poop.

Aquamaid · « **Reply #42 on:** March 05, 2015, 05:55:19 PM »

I guess i will have to sit the diatoms out then and hope more lighting will grow plants that will starve the diatoms is that right? i

Richard W · « **Reply #43 on:** March 05, 2015, 06:11:50 PM »

Diatoms are algae and algae essentially use the same things as other plants i.e. light, carbon dioxide and various elements. If your plants are not growing strongly they will not be using the fertilisers you are adding which means the nutrient elements are available for the diatoms which may be a contributory factor to the diatom problem. That's why, if you think fertiliser is really necessary, it is generally better to use root tabs which make the nutrients available to the plant roots rather than adding fertiliser to the water where it can also be used by the diatoms.

Diatoms are very rarely a problem in established tanks, though the same can't be said for other algae unfortunately ............

Cod_only_knows · « **Reply #44 on:** March 05, 2015, 08:33:21 PM »

Algae is most fish keepers nightmare, but only because it looks unsightly. Fish and other tank occupiers have no bother with it. As algae needs the same things to grow as plants, it is pretty much impossible to have a tank without algae. However, certain types of algae are able to out compete plants when one of the growth factors (light, carbon dioxide, nutrients) is limited. Diatoms generall thrive in new tanks with high nutrients and low lighting, so that would suggest that you need your lights on for longer. However, leave your lights on for too long and your plants will deplete the CO2 in the tanks and things like black beard algae, which can outcompete plants for nutrients when CO2 is low,will appear.

It's all about finding the balance in your tank. Adding co2 and fertilizer will allow you to leave the lights on longer without running into problems like black beard algae, however if you add them and the lighting isn't sufficient and there are excess nutrients and co2 in the tank , then you are likely to run into other algal issues.

8 to 10 hours a day of lighting should be enough to get adequate plant growth. I'd throw some nerites in the tank to munch on your diatoms. Search "neritina " on eBay and you can get 10 delivered for under a tenner.

Helen · « **Reply #45 on:** March 10, 2015, 10:34:22 AM »

Have you read the articles on this site about plant maintenance? They are a good, basic summary of all the things that you've been told. You will start to understand why different people have apparently different ideas - for example all my comments are from my experience of living in a slightly soft water area, which isn't the most common water type for planted aquariums, and means I have to put in a bit more effort. But having done lots of research I've learned how to get the best out of it for my tank. You'll get there too, but it does take some time.

I think at the beginning, I also had problems with brown diatoms coating and apparently harming my plants. But they may have just sorted themselves out and didn't actually kill any of my plants. The Amazon swords were definitely the worst affected and I've still got 3 out of the 4 I originally planted. The 4th one only went because they got too big (IMO) and I pulled it out.

Aquamaid · « **Reply #46 on:** March 10, 2015, 01:41:47 PM »

Thanks Helen, i will have a read. I'm basically just waiting to see if anything is going to thrive, somethings seem to be melting at the base, but green nearer the top of the tank, it's all a bit sparse still, but im not buying more till i know these will live.

SteveS · « **Reply #47 on:** March 10, 2015, 06:02:12 PM »

Beware! Some plants will melt away when you transplant them and then grow back. Cryptocorynes are particularly noted for this effect; It's called 'Crypt Melt'.

Helen · « **Reply #48 on:** March 10, 2015, 08:42:58 PM »

A lot of aquatic plants don't like to have their roots messed with. As Steve said, crypts are notorious for this. I have recently moved quite a few crypts in my tank and have been keeping an eye out for them melting. I have had crypts melt in my tank before, it's pretty nasty looking, but you don't even get debris to clean up. The leaves just kind of disappear. But if you leave the root base undisturbed, they will be fine.

The reason I was moving crypts in my tank is because after they melted they multiplied, but didn't settle where I wanted them to.

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Help Choosing Plants For My Fish Tank

Help Choosing Plants For My Fish Tank

Author Topic: Help choosing plants for my fish tank (Read 46096 times) 48 replies

Richard W

Re: Help choosing plants.

Fiona

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Aquamaid

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Richard W

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Cod_only_knows

Re: Help choosing plants.

Helen

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Aquamaid

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SteveS

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Helen

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