planting in an tank with fish already in it.

H

hacknet

AC Members
Feb 11, 2007
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hey guys,

i have 6 tiger barbs in 12.5 gallons of water. i have been observing the fish lately and they seem to like to hide under the filter. im thinking that they would prefer alittle bit of plants to hide under and all.

problem being, i have already added fish and water into the tank, is it by any chance possible to add soil and plants now?

can i transfer the fish to a pail of water that ive pumped out of the tank for a day or so while i add the substrate and plants, then put the fish back in to the tank. i know the plants need co2 and light. i think ive got enough light, now im thinking about the co2. im thinking of building my own reactor for the time being.

would love to hear your opinions! thanks guys!
 
You mean you don't have a substrate already?

If that's the case, adding some in isn't a problem. But if you already have gravel or sand, you really don't need anything else.
 
Depending on the plants you chose and how heavy you plant, CO2 may not be necessary.
 
oh that sounds great!

so all i have to do is pour in some substrate and dunk in a couple plants and it should be alright? the fish will not be bothered by such activity?
 
If you are putting gravel in, there should be no problems if you wash it first. Sand is a different story though. Even if you clean if very well, which you should do, it will still cloud the water up pretty good. I would be inclined to remove the fish while this is done with sand. All that stuff in the water can't be good for them. Put the sand in and then let it settle for a while. Do a major water change making sure the water does not stir up the sand too much. Let it settle for a bit and if water params are ok put the fish back in.
 
Hi
JMHO,but i would take the fish out,
then you have the whole tank to play with,and don't have
to worry about hurting the fish.
:)
 
yeah, sounds like a good idea. what would be good substrates and easy to grow beginner plants? can plants grow in gravel?
 
Most people I know of use gravel. I am a sand advocate myself. Debris stays on top of the sand and into it like gravel which makes vacuuming very easy. The roots grow amazingly well in sand. It is easy to uproot and re-root plants. I never have the need for plant weights. For heavy root feeding plants, root tabs can be put in the sand and they are not as likely the leach into the water column which can cause major algae blooms. Gravel and sand can both be used, just do a little reading on the pros and cons of each and it will make life alot easier for you and your fish.
 
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