Several Plant questions

[MrsGreenthumb]

I mentioned in the beginner board, I'm returning to the hobby. I'm not a really a beginner but far from an expert. I do however, want to do everything right from the beginning.
Still debating about live plants.
Some of your pics you've posted of planted tanks are just too beautiful for words.
I think I'd rather the fish be the focal point, than plants.
All this lighting business seems very complicated
I'm kind of cheap is there a setup that would work for someone on a budget?
Would it be a cardinal sin to mix artifical plants with the real thing? You can't have a bubble curtain with live plants right? could you have bright lights on one side of the tank and dim on the other, in order to have some of both requirments? I have relatively alkaline tap water, like 8, how much will this effect my choices? My experience w/ aquarium plants is limited to buying banana plants for the goldfish to eat.

Thanks so Much,

MrsGreenthumb :thm:

 

[reiverix]

I think I'd rather the fish be the focal point, than plants.

Absolutely, but plants IMO bring out the best in fish. Makes them feel safer and looks so natural seeing a group of tetras chasing each other through the plants. Best of both worlds.

All this lighting business seems very complicated
I'm kind of cheap is there a setup that would work for someone on a budget?

Lights are without a doubt where it all begins but there's no need to start out with a dazzling lighting unit. Most of the standard lights are good enough for viewing fish but don't quite cut it when it comes to good plant growth. But having said that, there is a fair number of easy plants that will tolerate less light than you would maybe expect. How big is your tank and how much lighting do you have on it?

Would it be a cardinal sin to mix artifical plants with the real thing? You can't have a bubble curtain with live plants right? could you have bright lights on one side of the tank and dim on the other, in order to have some of both requirments? I have relatively alkaline tap water, like 8, how much will this effect my choices?

Nobody will flame you for mixing artificial and live plants. It's entirely up to you on how you want to set things up. If you do try live plants, and you get into the swing of it, you will soon be taking out the artificial ones anyway.

A bubble curtain is fine unless you are going to be injecting CO2. For the moment I get the impression that's not the route you want to take.

It is also possible to have different wattage lights on either side of your tank but for me it would seem a bit odd. I would be more inclined to use large leafed plants or decor to provide shaded areas.

I'm not sure about how your pH will affect plant growth as I've never tried to grow them in water at that range but some of the hardier, less needy plants should be fine.

 

[born2lovefish]

My first plants came from Walmart. I bought a pack of bulbs and threw them in my 29 gallon. They grew like crazy and they looked decend...to me at least. I have keep plants for about 8 years, and I have not gone all out. I have a regular strip light and it keeps my plants looking great. Find some plants that do well in low to moderate light and that do not need much co2 and you should be fine. If you want you can mess with the yeast co2 which I have done in the past. It seems to help as long as you come up with a way to disolve it and keep the water surface some what still. After 8 years with live plants I would not go back. I would rather look at a tank with no plants than fake, but that is just me. Some plants I have had good luck with are:
-banana plants Easy to grow and some what neat
-some amazon swords my angel fish love them, but they need a little care
-java fern It is so easy to care for. Just let it attach itself to some drift wood and it will take care of itself and most likely reproduce for you
-water sprite I bought some from a pet stores show tank and I have had it for a couple of years. It grows like crazy. if you cut a stem off and plant it, it will start its own root system. It is great for fry cover or other small fish, since you can just let some float on top of the water.
- Usually the ones with delicate leaves are harder to care for. Over all live plants are worth it. Start small and mix live with fake plants. It might look stupid, but it will give you a chance to experiment and learn. Once you get started and have all live plants you might try doing a water change ever week or every other. It does not have to be big. Remember something is better than nothing. Hope this helped. If you have any other questions you can email me at wildcatsw@yahoo.com

 

[born2lovefish]

My tap has a ph of 8 also. Lower it to about 7.5 or 7 and you should be fine. I recently moved from Illinois to Indiana and the water is different. My cousin lives in Ohio and he can not grow plants for anything. Like I said in the last post, start small and see how some plants do.

 

[MrsGreenthumb]

Thanx ya'll this helps lots.

How big is your tank and how much lighting do you have on it?

55 gallon, i need to buy a hood and evaporation guard/s.

If you want you can mess with the yeast co2 which I have done in the past. It seems to help as long as you come up with a way to disolve it and keep the water surface some what still.

i have a power filter :huh: I have a good book about this but can't seem to find it. :read: any suggestions? something with lots of pictures would be good. is the yeast for bacteria or something?

should i go ahead and set up the tank and get a few cycle fish first? and then get plants?

Answers=more questions

 

[born2lovefish]

The yeast is an ingredient in making homemade co2. If you type in yeast co2 on google you should find some more info. on it if you decide to mess with it. Starting out I wouldn't though.

 

[Roan Art]

Instead of using Google, there's a sticky on the top of this forum for DIY CO2.

You can also search in the entire forum as well.

Roan

 

[hende]

i no what you all mean buy once you get real plants you will not like fake i used to have all my 28 tanks with fake plants a couple months ago then i bought one real plant now i have zero fake and no idea how many real plants

 

[Roan Art]

Thanx ya'll this helps lots. 55 gallon, i need to buy a hood and evaporation guard/s.
i have a power filter :huh: I have a good book about this but can't seem to find it. :read: any suggestions? something with lots of pictures would be good. is the yeast for bacteria or something?

should i go ahead and set up the tank and get a few cycle fish first? and then get plants?

Answers=more questions

Have you ever made bread? Yeast produces CO2 which is what causes our breads and pastries to rise.

So we use yeast (bread or campagne? yeast is best), along with the usual baking method of lukewarm water + sugar, to make the yeast produce CO2 to feed our plants.

The yeast, sugar, baking soda (to help stabliize the KH in the tank), and warm water are placed in a tightly lidded bottle that has a hole drilled in the top. Through the hole is threaded a CO2 resistant airline tubing (CO2 will degrade regular tubing). As the CO2 is produced by the yeast, it rises up and goes through the tubing. At the other end of the tubing is a wash bottle or bubble counter about 3/4 filled with water. The wash bottle is also lidded and has TWO holes drilled in it. The tubing goes through one of the holes, into the water and ends about ½" off the bottom. The CO2 travels down the tube and into the water where yeasty garbage and other nasty stuff heavier than water drops to the bottom. The CO2 gas, however, rises up through the water and collects in the lid. It goes through a hose that has been threaded through the SECOND hole, travels along that hose and ends up bubbling into your tank.

That's pretty much how DIY CO2 works and what the yeast is for. It calls for a LOT of sugar, 3 cups in some recipes, to keep the yeast reproducing and going as long as it can.

Roan