Planted Tank Walkthrough v. 1.0
1. Prologue
2. Equipment
3. Substrate
4. Water
5. CO2
6. Lighting
7. Plant Nutrition
8. Care & Maintenance
9. Epilogue
Prologue
I’ve put together this nifty guide to help the average hobbyist set up a planted tank they can reasonably expect to have great results with. It’s rather straightforward and doesn’t include any topics that could lead you off path. Planted tanks are rather simple; people make them difficult. By the time you finish this article and following these guidelines, you will be able to put together a successful planted tank without much effort. Much of the time I may not explain some things for the sake of brevity, but I do say it with a good reason in mind, so just go with it. Ask questions if you want. Got a better idea? Then go with it. So without further ado…
Equipment
Grab yourself an aquarium and make sure it doesn’t leak. Rectangular and glass are best. Cubes are ok, but 5 & 6 sided ones, as well as corner tanks, can be difficult to light. Tall tanks (above 20” tall, aka ‘show tanks’) can be difficult to light, too. We must think ahead here. Nothing is impossible but this simply makes it much easier. If you’re going with a larger tank, I would try to get a tank with a depth (front to back) of 18” or more.
You’ll need a filter. Canister filters are excellent for planted tanks. There are many reasons why; don’t be cheap, just get one. Ideally, you want to get only one device that can move the proper amount of water so that you don’t have to add water pumps. Buying a filter larger than its rated capacity is a great idea, since you’ll never see that rated capacity again once the new (very quickly) wears off. Also, you’ll need to move a lot of water in a planted tank. Plants act as barriers and pushing them around a little bit won’t hurt and adds some extra ‘life’ to the tank. Dead spots in the tank are not good. Think of the water as the air you breathe. You’d likely prefer fresh air; plants would like fresh water.
Heaters are optional depending upon where you live and what fish you keep. For the most part, they don’t affect plant growth.
What about lighting? Keep reading…
Substrate
This is a topic that is commonly discussed and there’s a lot of misconception about it. A good substrate serves several purposes: A good medium to plant plants, a good harbor for beneficial bacteria, and as a source of nutrients for plants. A good substrate will be of small size, 2mm diameter granules or so, not easily compacted, and have some nutritional value to the plants. Only soil-based substrates provide direct nutrition to plants; other ‘specialty’ substrates provide indirect nutrition as a result of biological processes. Plain gravel isn’t much different from ‘specialty’ substrates. The nutrition of plain gravel comes from biological processes. Few substrates hit the mark on all three of the previous points and are usually expensive. However, you’ve likely noticed that biological processes play a large role by now. Converting an existing tank or jumpstarting a new one will give you a leg up on things. Bacteria break waste products down into the simple nutrients plants need to grow. So if starting a new tank, it would be wise to add a nice layer of mulm from an old tank below the new substrate. Over time, it will fully develop, and this is one way to do it much more quickly. Bacteria require oxygen to survive and this is why having a substrate that will not compact over time is beneficial. Plant tabs are an artificial way to speed growth, but should not be relied upon. They have their uses, generally for older tanks with rooted plants, in which certain substrates become depleted of nutrients.
Understand that I am in no way advocating not cleaning your substrate; an excessive amount of crap in the substrate is not plant food, is not beneficial, and can actually hurt the tank dynamic. It should be cleaned via a gravel vac from time to time, about 2-3 times yearly.
Water
There’s much misconception about proper water parameters. Not all water is good water but there are preferable water parameters. First of all, pH means nothing in this section. Forget about it for now. It’s the KH and GH we’ll focus on. To begin with, since it’s the most simple, is GH. GH means little. I wouldn’t worry about it. I told you it was simple. It’s the KH we need to be concerned about.
The KH will greatly affect your plants and how they grow. I’ll break it down into 3 rough classes by measurement: <4dKH, 5dKH-10dKH, and >10dKH. The lower, the better, but if you’re in the higher range (>10dKH), I would recommend doing something about it. While a KH of 10+ degrees isn’t going to ruin your chances of a nice planted tank, it will hinder many stem plants’ growth. Sword plants, java fern, and mosses don’t really care much what the KH is. I only point this out that while you can grow many plants in water with a high KH, certain plants will have trouble. Another reason and benefit of having a lower KH is that CO2 becomes far easier to dissolve. This is crucial when trying to achieve proper CO2 levels. If you don’t plan on using CO2, then you probably don’t need to worry about any of this. If you’re shooting for a planted tank that can grow anything, you’d be wise to invest in an RO unit unless you’re blessed with excellent tap water. Above all, once you decide on what KH value you’d like to grow plants in, stick with it. Varying it can cause plants to melt and you run a risk of major algae issues and even worse, complete tank failure.
CO2
With the exception of a select few, all plants are easy to grow, particularly with CO2. I’ll begin right now by saying that unless you’re going after a specific tank that does not require CO2, get CO2. If you want to see the full glory of your plants, you must use CO2. Even low light tanks can benefit from it. CO2, aside from light, is the most significant variable of a planted tank. However, there is one (HUGE) catch: It must be kept at a proper quantity and at a stable level during the photoperiod. This scratches DIY CO2 (yeast methods) as a legitimate source. DIY CO2 is primarily for experimentation, not a long-term solution. This means you’ll need to invest in a pressurized system if you want to see serious results. If not, then don’t complain about algae, unhealthy plants, and your general displeasure. I’m just sayin’ because I know your were brought up learning that CO2 is optional. It’s not. Not having CO2 is the unusual option.
Lighting
I’m sure by now you’re stressing on how to pay for a CO2 system. The good news is that lighting doesn’t have to cost so much. Given the choice over nice lighting or CO2, I’d choose the CO2 every time; sunlight is free, and you would have a far better chance at a successful planted tank using sunlight and CO2 than ‘good light’ and no CO2. CO2 compounds the effects of lighting, therefore making it more efficient in a sense.
When thinking about lighting, it would ideal to keep efficiency in mind at all times. Efficiency means getting the most lighting out of the least amount of watts/bulbs/etc. One way is with the super-bright compact fluorescent lights or T-5’s. Another way is with quality reflectors, even when used with old T-12’s or even T-8’s. You would even be wise to use pressurized CO2 with cheap shop lights. Why? Lighting primarily dictates plant growth rate. While intensity can and does affect plant health, CO2 can counter-balance low light and keep you out of algae hell. Sure, the plants will grow more slowly, but they will grow into healthier plants. Only a certain few plants require a truly high light environment, and even that can be worked around to some extent by the arrangement of plants in the tank by not shading them, allowing space between the individual plants themselves, etc.. Beginning plant enthusiasts will benefit from a setup like this so they can focus on more important factors, like nutrient demands and plant growth habits. It also counteracts laziness and busy schedules, which we all suffer at some point or another.
Nonetheless, the key to a successful planted tank is balancing light vs. CO2 demand. Too much light, regardless of CO2, more often than not causes unnecessary problems. Err on the low side of light. It’s far easier to upgrade than to downgrade.
Plant Nutrition
Plant nutrition is always a confusing and even a touchy subject, but it’s far easier than you may think. Many people blame their plant problems on nutrients, when it’s the light vs. CO2 ratio that’s causing problems. Plants simply need to have the proper nutrient available at all times. Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, trace nutrients, and iron are all that’s needed. Achieving the proper levels is very easy. Too many nutrients don’t cause problems, but too little can. I always recommend that people use macro powders for N, P, & K in the forms of KNO3 (potassium nitrate), KH2PO4 (mono potassium phosphate), and K2SO4 (potassium sulfate). They are far cheaper and extremely efficient especially with larger tanks. Trace nutrients should be dosed by using Seachem’s Flourish, Tropica’s Plant Nutrition Liquid, or CSM-B. While there are others, these are widely used and are considered the standard. They are easier to receive help with from others in the hobby than other trace ferts. Also, when using one of these trace ferts, iron is typically supplied at adequate levels, but additional benefits can be gained by dosing iron, particularly in higher light applications. Iron is the last resort when looking for greener greens and more colorful colors; it adds the extra shimmer that dull planted tanks may lack.
1. Prologue
2. Equipment
3. Substrate
4. Water
5. CO2
6. Lighting
7. Plant Nutrition
8. Care & Maintenance
9. Epilogue
Prologue
I’ve put together this nifty guide to help the average hobbyist set up a planted tank they can reasonably expect to have great results with. It’s rather straightforward and doesn’t include any topics that could lead you off path. Planted tanks are rather simple; people make them difficult. By the time you finish this article and following these guidelines, you will be able to put together a successful planted tank without much effort. Much of the time I may not explain some things for the sake of brevity, but I do say it with a good reason in mind, so just go with it. Ask questions if you want. Got a better idea? Then go with it. So without further ado…
Equipment
Grab yourself an aquarium and make sure it doesn’t leak. Rectangular and glass are best. Cubes are ok, but 5 & 6 sided ones, as well as corner tanks, can be difficult to light. Tall tanks (above 20” tall, aka ‘show tanks’) can be difficult to light, too. We must think ahead here. Nothing is impossible but this simply makes it much easier. If you’re going with a larger tank, I would try to get a tank with a depth (front to back) of 18” or more.
You’ll need a filter. Canister filters are excellent for planted tanks. There are many reasons why; don’t be cheap, just get one. Ideally, you want to get only one device that can move the proper amount of water so that you don’t have to add water pumps. Buying a filter larger than its rated capacity is a great idea, since you’ll never see that rated capacity again once the new (very quickly) wears off. Also, you’ll need to move a lot of water in a planted tank. Plants act as barriers and pushing them around a little bit won’t hurt and adds some extra ‘life’ to the tank. Dead spots in the tank are not good. Think of the water as the air you breathe. You’d likely prefer fresh air; plants would like fresh water.
Heaters are optional depending upon where you live and what fish you keep. For the most part, they don’t affect plant growth.
What about lighting? Keep reading…
Substrate
This is a topic that is commonly discussed and there’s a lot of misconception about it. A good substrate serves several purposes: A good medium to plant plants, a good harbor for beneficial bacteria, and as a source of nutrients for plants. A good substrate will be of small size, 2mm diameter granules or so, not easily compacted, and have some nutritional value to the plants. Only soil-based substrates provide direct nutrition to plants; other ‘specialty’ substrates provide indirect nutrition as a result of biological processes. Plain gravel isn’t much different from ‘specialty’ substrates. The nutrition of plain gravel comes from biological processes. Few substrates hit the mark on all three of the previous points and are usually expensive. However, you’ve likely noticed that biological processes play a large role by now. Converting an existing tank or jumpstarting a new one will give you a leg up on things. Bacteria break waste products down into the simple nutrients plants need to grow. So if starting a new tank, it would be wise to add a nice layer of mulm from an old tank below the new substrate. Over time, it will fully develop, and this is one way to do it much more quickly. Bacteria require oxygen to survive and this is why having a substrate that will not compact over time is beneficial. Plant tabs are an artificial way to speed growth, but should not be relied upon. They have their uses, generally for older tanks with rooted plants, in which certain substrates become depleted of nutrients.
Understand that I am in no way advocating not cleaning your substrate; an excessive amount of crap in the substrate is not plant food, is not beneficial, and can actually hurt the tank dynamic. It should be cleaned via a gravel vac from time to time, about 2-3 times yearly.
Water
There’s much misconception about proper water parameters. Not all water is good water but there are preferable water parameters. First of all, pH means nothing in this section. Forget about it for now. It’s the KH and GH we’ll focus on. To begin with, since it’s the most simple, is GH. GH means little. I wouldn’t worry about it. I told you it was simple. It’s the KH we need to be concerned about.
The KH will greatly affect your plants and how they grow. I’ll break it down into 3 rough classes by measurement: <4dKH, 5dKH-10dKH, and >10dKH. The lower, the better, but if you’re in the higher range (>10dKH), I would recommend doing something about it. While a KH of 10+ degrees isn’t going to ruin your chances of a nice planted tank, it will hinder many stem plants’ growth. Sword plants, java fern, and mosses don’t really care much what the KH is. I only point this out that while you can grow many plants in water with a high KH, certain plants will have trouble. Another reason and benefit of having a lower KH is that CO2 becomes far easier to dissolve. This is crucial when trying to achieve proper CO2 levels. If you don’t plan on using CO2, then you probably don’t need to worry about any of this. If you’re shooting for a planted tank that can grow anything, you’d be wise to invest in an RO unit unless you’re blessed with excellent tap water. Above all, once you decide on what KH value you’d like to grow plants in, stick with it. Varying it can cause plants to melt and you run a risk of major algae issues and even worse, complete tank failure.
CO2
With the exception of a select few, all plants are easy to grow, particularly with CO2. I’ll begin right now by saying that unless you’re going after a specific tank that does not require CO2, get CO2. If you want to see the full glory of your plants, you must use CO2. Even low light tanks can benefit from it. CO2, aside from light, is the most significant variable of a planted tank. However, there is one (HUGE) catch: It must be kept at a proper quantity and at a stable level during the photoperiod. This scratches DIY CO2 (yeast methods) as a legitimate source. DIY CO2 is primarily for experimentation, not a long-term solution. This means you’ll need to invest in a pressurized system if you want to see serious results. If not, then don’t complain about algae, unhealthy plants, and your general displeasure. I’m just sayin’ because I know your were brought up learning that CO2 is optional. It’s not. Not having CO2 is the unusual option.
Lighting
I’m sure by now you’re stressing on how to pay for a CO2 system. The good news is that lighting doesn’t have to cost so much. Given the choice over nice lighting or CO2, I’d choose the CO2 every time; sunlight is free, and you would have a far better chance at a successful planted tank using sunlight and CO2 than ‘good light’ and no CO2. CO2 compounds the effects of lighting, therefore making it more efficient in a sense.
When thinking about lighting, it would ideal to keep efficiency in mind at all times. Efficiency means getting the most lighting out of the least amount of watts/bulbs/etc. One way is with the super-bright compact fluorescent lights or T-5’s. Another way is with quality reflectors, even when used with old T-12’s or even T-8’s. You would even be wise to use pressurized CO2 with cheap shop lights. Why? Lighting primarily dictates plant growth rate. While intensity can and does affect plant health, CO2 can counter-balance low light and keep you out of algae hell. Sure, the plants will grow more slowly, but they will grow into healthier plants. Only a certain few plants require a truly high light environment, and even that can be worked around to some extent by the arrangement of plants in the tank by not shading them, allowing space between the individual plants themselves, etc.. Beginning plant enthusiasts will benefit from a setup like this so they can focus on more important factors, like nutrient demands and plant growth habits. It also counteracts laziness and busy schedules, which we all suffer at some point or another.
Nonetheless, the key to a successful planted tank is balancing light vs. CO2 demand. Too much light, regardless of CO2, more often than not causes unnecessary problems. Err on the low side of light. It’s far easier to upgrade than to downgrade.
Plant Nutrition
Plant nutrition is always a confusing and even a touchy subject, but it’s far easier than you may think. Many people blame their plant problems on nutrients, when it’s the light vs. CO2 ratio that’s causing problems. Plants simply need to have the proper nutrient available at all times. Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, trace nutrients, and iron are all that’s needed. Achieving the proper levels is very easy. Too many nutrients don’t cause problems, but too little can. I always recommend that people use macro powders for N, P, & K in the forms of KNO3 (potassium nitrate), KH2PO4 (mono potassium phosphate), and K2SO4 (potassium sulfate). They are far cheaper and extremely efficient especially with larger tanks. Trace nutrients should be dosed by using Seachem’s Flourish, Tropica’s Plant Nutrition Liquid, or CSM-B. While there are others, these are widely used and are considered the standard. They are easier to receive help with from others in the hobby than other trace ferts. Also, when using one of these trace ferts, iron is typically supplied at adequate levels, but additional benefits can be gained by dosing iron, particularly in higher light applications. Iron is the last resort when looking for greener greens and more colorful colors; it adds the extra shimmer that dull planted tanks may lack.
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