need advise on setting up existing tank with live plants

[sir kyle]

Hello all,
I've kept fish for many years now. However, my extent of keeping live plants is not. I'm now thinking of changing that but not sure how to go about it. I have a 55gal tank and at my limit with 20 fish. Currrently, I have about 1 1/2-2" of gravel.

1.Do I need a fertilizer substrate and how deep?
2.Do I need a Co2 setup for a boost with just one flourescent pink bulb?
3.With 20 fish, will 2 week water changes and 2 whisper 60 units be enough to keep "beginner plants" alive?

Obviously I will start out slow but does anyone have a link or a step by step way to show me.
I was recently inspired by a youtube video by elos and a few others.
thanks

[bignellm]

My answers in Red

.....

1.Do I need a fertilizer substrate and how deep?
An Inch is fine and no, you don't need any special substrate. Some plants need root fertilizers, but not all. A good deal of them get what they need directly from the water.

2.Do I need a Co2 setup for a boost with just one flourescent pink bulb?
Don't need any Co2 setups. It helps boost up growth by throwing the equilibrium off and will work best with high light setups.

3.With 20 fish, will 2 week water changes and 2 whisper 60 units be enough to keep "beginner plants" alive?
Yes. As long as you have 1.5 watts per gallon of lighting. 2+ watts is best and the light should be in the light spectrum of 6500k.
....

So, now some questions. What kind of lighting does your tank have? The incandescent, CFL, Tube--T12, T8, T5, or something else? Also, what kind of fish do you have? <=== Some are somewhat hostile towards plants.

[Joonkun]

Hello all,
I've kept fish for many years now. However, my extent of keeping live plants is not. I'm now thinking of changing that but not sure how to go about it. I have a 55gal tank and at my limit with 20 fish. Currrently, I have about 1 1/2-2" of gravel.

1.Do I need a fertilizer substrate and how deep?
2.Do I need a Co2 setup for a boost with just one flourescent pink bulb?
3.With 20 fish, will 2 week water changes and 2 whisper 60 units be enough to keep "beginner plants" alive?

Obviously I will start out slow but does anyone have a link or a step by step way to show me.
I was recently inspired by a youtube video by elos and a few others.
thanks

1. no you dont need substrate for plant growing, but it sure helps. you can use root tabs but in higher demanding plants that still wont be enough for heavy root feeders.

2. co2 only helps if you plan on growing harder to care for plants. additionally 1 pink flourescent wont grow plants. you need a daylight spectrum. pink helps but only in combination for that. and for a 55 gal i would recommend atleast 2wats per gallon if not more even for low light plants. 55gals are fairly deep. the deeper the tank the more light you need.

3. plants dont really rely on filtration. fish only come into a factor really if you are looking for nitrates for growth limitation, or, they eat plants.

[sir kyle]

i have a 48" t12 tube. as far as the fish i currently have, 3 zebra danios, 6 platty, 3 blind cave, 3 rosy barbs and the rest are just born platty babies.

2 questions that i have concerns the water values.

1.do plants require the water be at certain levels or qualities?
2.is a Co2 level of 0,5 too high/low?

yesterday i tested my water and the results are, 8.0ph, 18kh, 0.3 No2, 1.5 No3 and 0.0 gh b/c first drop was green not red. i didnt check the ammonia level and i'm currently adding baking soda to drop the ph. if i'm looking at the chart correctly, the ph and kh = Co2 of 0,5.

[sir kyle]

Also, i was talking with a guy yesterday about the plants. he stated that i need to use a sponge filter with plants b/c the cascading filter (whisper 60) will disrupt the waters surface.

1. is the filter producing for too much oxygen or that it wont allow for the gases to be released through a turbulent surface?

[Cermet]

You have serious issues if the nitrite (NO2) is 0,3 (or for us here, 0.3) Your filter is not cycled and that will kill your fish - you need to keep doing water changes and keep that nitrite level down (try for lower than 0,3). Your water is rather basic at 8.0 but most plants really don't care about that or the nitrites being non-zero (in fact, that is food for them - but it will harm fish gills.) The nitrate (NO3) of 1,5 is very low and good for fish but not plants.

Others have addressed your plant issues/lighting but you need to find out your ammonia levels - if nonzero, then like the nitrite levels, get them down.

Water flow/surface agitation are non-issues for plants, only for CO2 feed systems. Don't know if you have a CO2 system - if you do, then yes, agitation is an issue; otherwise, not an issue at all. Oxygen is critical for BOTH fish and plants. Plants use oxygen too. Water flow improves oxygen and this is good for fish. They are your first concern, by the way.

Also, filters have zero impact on plants but are critical for your fish. You should read some of the sections on tank cycling, and how filters work, first. Then worry about the plants.

[sir kyle]

I currently have moderate aeration in the tank and the filters arent new. As for the nitrite, how do I reduce the level?
I'm going to lfs to get ammonia lok today just in case its too high and also test strips. I've always just done biweekly water changes to control that.

[Cermet]

. As for the nitrite, how do I reduce the level?.

AS for nitrIte, the only way to remove these in a regular manner is to have the required bacteria grow in your filter media (that is why the filter media should never be replaced!) That simply means your filter hasn't cycled. In time, it will but the bacteria needs some nitrites to feed so it can grow. So do water changes (for a few weeks maybe) to keep the NO2 below 0,3 ppm but not to zero.

This level of nitrite will be hard on the fish (the reason most people do fishless cycling) but adding extra air, and if you do not have neons, maybe add some kosher salt: 1 tsp/gallon of tank water. After water changes add back only the amount of salt lost by the change. A salt build up can kill fish.

Once the bacteria in the filter grow they will consume all the nitrites build and the nitrite level will drop to zero. Then the tank is cycled.

One other possible reason - maybe your tap water already has nitrite? If so, the filter should remove it all over night. If not, then it is your filter (not being fully cycled.)

[Lady Hobbs]

In your situation, I might do things a little different. (Please note the "I might")

I think I would get some plant substrate and mix it in with the gravel so you have about 3" that is required for most plant roots. You could also take out the gravel and put it on top of the substrate you might add if you wanted but even some plant substrate will aid in plant growth.

I would stick with low light plants due to your light. With your filters, I would also make sure they are positioned where they won't bother the tallest plants. You do not need sponge filters but I have to agree that the water cascading from the filters plays havoc on those tall plants. My tall plants are in the back corners and my filters are slide over to the center area or the water flow will push the taller ones over.

OR.... You can go an easier route and get a bunch of driftwood and attach anubias to it with fishing line and have a nice full tank of plants with nothing in the substate and not have to change a thing there. That's how my cichlid tank is done. Nothing is planted but it still has plants.

No CO2 is needed with that light.

[bignellm]

....

OR.... You can go an easier route and get a bunch of driftwood and attach anubias to it with fishing line and have a nice full tank of plants with nothing in the substate and not have to change a thing there. That's how my cichlid tank is done. Nothing is planted but it still has plants.

No CO2 is needed with that light.

That would be a very nice looking option. Sometimes, less is more. A one species flora and fauna tank can look VERY natural and appealing. Plus, the driftwood could help with that Base water situation, if you ever wanted fish that like softer water.