Love the look of rel plants-afraid to jump in and get my feet wet =-{

rhfarr

rhfarr

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May 3, 2007
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Hi. Does anyone have suggestions for someone that wants to start using live plants-but hasn't any experience???

I saw the most beautiful tank in a lps that had quite a few tall, live plants, just a bit of gravel covering bottom and the fish swimming around. Looked like a window into a live stream/lake. It was absolutely breathtaking. Since seeing that, I am wanting to see if I can make a mini-version.

Currently, I have a 29 gal tank, with artificial plants and decorations. It has a beta, 3 neon danios, 2 female guppies (quite pregnant), 2 ghost shrimp and an algea eater in it.

I also have a 10 gal tank, with artificial plants and decorations. It has an albino red-tailed shark, a red-tailed black shark and a pleco.

I also have a 1 gal hexagon tank (not in use yet) and a 2 1/2 gal tank (also not in use yet).

I think I am going to use the 1 gal tank for my daughter's room and put baby guppies in it. To keep them safe from harm.

I am hoping to get a larger tank-but that will be in the future.

Thanks for any ideas.

H
 
java fern and vals are easy to grow. Make sure you have good lighting, at least 2 watts per gallon, and smaller gravel to help the plants root.

Jump right in... it's fun and you will want live plants in all your tanks
 
Thats how it all started for me. I jumped right in and never looked back. You have to have patience(which I dont) and gather as much knowledge as u can, and it will be easier. Once u start u will be hooked though. You're in the right place for info too.
 
do I need special light bulbs? Also what about the co2 stuff I have read about...do I need that too?
 
depends on what your lighting is like now. Get better bulbs or a new fixture completely. Usually on starter tanks, the entire fixture is not enough (max bulb wattage is like 15W or 25W). Do some research on compact fluorescent bulbs (those long strips); for a 20gal, I can put in 2 bulbs of 55/65W.

As for CO2, I think lighting is more crucial IME. Once I retrofitted my lights (AH supply) the plants really took off. Now its becoming a jungle and getting out of control, so I scaled back on the wattage; I dont even have CO2 in there.
 
this might be a good place to start.
http://www.rexgrigg.com/index.html

I also have a 10 gal tank, with artificial plants and decorations. It has an albino red-tailed shark, a red-tailed black shark and a pleco.
Click to expand...

that tank is going to give you problems. if its a common pleco they can get up to 24 inch or longer. red tailed sharks are also known to be very mean killers. they get to be 6 inch so and need a larger tank.
 
reply to Mgamer20o0

we trade in the pleco's when they get 6" or so for smaller ones to our lps. I have read that the sharks don't cohabit well...but so far they both seem very docile and keep to themselves.
 
what would you do?

What size of tank do you recommend...and are there other fish that they will cohabit with better?

Would I be better off with more of them in a larger tank?

I do believe that our lps owner knows extremely little about fish and their recommended habitat.

I ended up with nasty "pond" snails in my tank. I thought I had killed them all...but alas...I have noticed a couple teeny ones in my tank again. I am thinking I will have to get a loache to permanently remove them. I am afraid of getting one that is too aggressive for my docile fishes.
 
the bigger the better. mine was fine then one day he snapped he ended up in his own tank after trying to kill everything in there. there are post after post about them doing the same thing.

most lfs either have no clue or they do what they think is best for their self. telling people the fish will work so the die and you have to come back to get new stock is common. not saying this what happened with your just be for warned.
 
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