Adding Plants

**catfishcity** · 01-02-2009, 01:20 AM

I am going to re-do my tank soon and was wondering if i should put in ALL the plants that i want or add a couple plants at a time. and should i put the plants in when it is set up or should i let it sit for a week or two.

**Adrian** · 01-02-2009, 02:00 AM

By "redo" your tank, are you implying completely tearing it down and rebuilding it from scratch, or are you just emptying the water, and cleaning the gravel/substrate?

If you completely tear it down, I would wait until the tank is well established again before putting in plants. Remember, many plants take their nutrients out of the water column, and some are root feeders. At any case, a clean tank will not have the nutrients to support plants at first.

When I had to wash my substrate, I just rinsed it out a couple of times, and put it back in. That way, I didn't destroy the bacteria colony that was in the substrate.

**catfishcity** · 01-02-2009, 02:57 AM

i mean completely re-do, new lighting, new gravel, half old, half new water, plants, new fish, etc. i am going to seed the new gravel with some of the old gravel and old water.

**AABatteries** · 01-02-2009, 04:42 AM

I've heard plants actually help in cycling.

**catfishcity** · 01-02-2009, 05:09 PM

ok thanks for the info

**Sharon** · 01-02-2009, 05:30 PM

Are you going to use the old filter, or at least the media. Doing so will make things much easier. Plants can be added all at once. Plants aid in water quality. I assume, you'll be fertilizing them...

**catfishcity** · 01-02-2009, 06:47 PM

yea i am using same filter, half of the water that is currently in there, and some of the old gravel.

**Sharon** · 01-02-2009, 07:28 PM

Then, you should have no problems! Have fun...

**korith** · 01-02-2009, 08:12 PM

Could add in some seachem fertilizer root tabs or a different type to help the plants get started right in the tank.

**machineman** · 01-02-2009, 08:13 PM

I just set up my 2.8 gallon planted. It has Laterite with gravel over it. I planted 3 kinds of plants, A. Nana, Rotala, and a few small Cryptos. I used some liquid fertilizer and a couple cups of water from my other tank. After 2 weeks the A. Nana shows no change. The Rotala has grown almost 2" and about half the leaves on the cryptos are still there the leaves that died I removed. I also have a home made co2 setup that I have been running.