Low Tech Planted Tanks
Planted aquariums look so beautiful but we always thought they looked like a lot of work so never ventured in to trying them. That was until about 9 months ago. We did some research for plants that need as little care as possible but that would grow quickly and provided the heavily planted look. The plants we chose were Amazon Sword, Bacopa, Anubias and Water Wisteria.
This is our tank when we first put the plants in. We used white sand at one end with pieces of slate to divide the sand and gravel. We used a black gravel at the other end. We added Fluval Stratum to the gravel. This helps to provide the vital nutrients for the plants. We added Flourish root tabs to the tank to help promote plant growth. The tabs push into the gravel an inch or two away from the roots. In this tank we added 5 root tabs evenly through the tank. This was all we did. We did weekly water changes of 25-30% and didn't vacuum the gravel. The breakdown of fish waste and left over food also helps to fertilize the plants. This truly is about a low tech as a tank can get. We don't add anything else to the tank like Co2 or Leaf zone.
This is the tank 3 months later. This is truly a very low tech tank. We've seen amazing growth in just a few months. we attribute that to the Stratum, root tabs and regular water changes. The lighting is Aqueon LED lighting and although not very bright it is good enough to give good plant growth. In the first month we had an algae bloom but several larger 40-50% water changes took care of that. The tank requires very little maintenance. We trim the Amazon sword every 3-4 weeks and that helps to encourage growth. The Amazon sword, Bacopa and Water Wisteria will all get very large. The Bacopa and Water Wisteria get very tall. The Amazon sword get big and bushy. They will need trimming as they grow in the tank. We provide 6-8 hours of light per day sometimes a little longer.
If you are looking for easy to grow and fast growing plants we would definitely recommend the ones we have used. They have made transitioning from fake plants to live plants easy and a joy. We love the look of the tank and the fish enjoy the dense planting.
If you are looking for easy to grow and fast growing plants we would definitely recommend the ones we have used. They have made transitioning from fake plants to live plants easy and a joy. We love the look of the tank and the fish enjoy the dense planting.
6 Months later this was how the tank looked. Its looking a little overgrown! We continued to trim the plants, add root tabs and do regular water changes. The plants needed very little care. Since the initial algae bloom when we set the tank up we haven't had any more issues. The Bacopa, the tall plant at the back continued to spread via a runner system. This plant is extremely easy to grow and is good for aquariums that need plant cover all the way up to the water line. It also is a good floating plant. You can cut the stems and float them along the top of the tank and it will continue to grow.
These are all the same plants we started with 9 months ago. We decided it was time for a design change and this was the out come. We still continue with regular water change and adding the root tabs. We now add them every 8 weeks. The plants need more food as they get bigger. The Bacopa has grown very tall and trails along the top of the tank. We have taken many cuttings off it and put it in some of our other tanks. If you'd like to see the full process setting up this tank and what we used for substrate etc, click the link to go to our videos page Videos .
How to use Fluval Stratum.
The Fluval Stratum can be used one of two ways. It can be a complete substrate adding nothing else to it. Once you open the Stratum carefully rinse it before adding it to your tank. When rinsing use a very light flow of water otherwise the Stratum will break apart and get rinsed away. Once it has been added to your tank carefully add your water. Place a plate over the top of the Stratum and poor the water onto that. This will help to keep the Stratum in place and help prevent to much clouding of the water. The tank may become cloudy and take several days to settle.
You can also just add Stratum in with your gravel. This is what we did. We added a layer of Stratum to the bottom of the tank and then placed gravel over the top of it. The tank didn't get cloudy at all and the Stratum helps give the plants what they need.
How to use Root Tabs
The root tabs are a fertilizer for your plants. Push the tabs into the gravel a few inches away from the roots of your plants. Put them throughout the aquarium at an even distance. They need to be replaced every 1-3 months depending on how heavily your tank is planted. We replace them approximately every 3 months. The plants need this food to thrive. Plants can survive in your tank without the Root tabs but they won't be as healthy. There is not usually enough fish waste produced in a tank for the plants to feed on just that alone. Without the proper fertilization the plants will start to turn yellow and eventually die.
In conclusion, a balanced tank is easy to take care of. As long as you do your regular water changes, trim the plants and feed them as needed and your tank will look beautiful!
The Fluval Stratum can be used one of two ways. It can be a complete substrate adding nothing else to it. Once you open the Stratum carefully rinse it before adding it to your tank. When rinsing use a very light flow of water otherwise the Stratum will break apart and get rinsed away. Once it has been added to your tank carefully add your water. Place a plate over the top of the Stratum and poor the water onto that. This will help to keep the Stratum in place and help prevent to much clouding of the water. The tank may become cloudy and take several days to settle.
You can also just add Stratum in with your gravel. This is what we did. We added a layer of Stratum to the bottom of the tank and then placed gravel over the top of it. The tank didn't get cloudy at all and the Stratum helps give the plants what they need.
How to use Root Tabs
The root tabs are a fertilizer for your plants. Push the tabs into the gravel a few inches away from the roots of your plants. Put them throughout the aquarium at an even distance. They need to be replaced every 1-3 months depending on how heavily your tank is planted. We replace them approximately every 3 months. The plants need this food to thrive. Plants can survive in your tank without the Root tabs but they won't be as healthy. There is not usually enough fish waste produced in a tank for the plants to feed on just that alone. Without the proper fertilization the plants will start to turn yellow and eventually die.
In conclusion, a balanced tank is easy to take care of. As long as you do your regular water changes, trim the plants and feed them as needed and your tank will look beautiful!
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