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i'm slowly trying to fill my tank up with plants, so that i've got a nice heavily planted tank.
My Tank

i already been told, by helpfull FP members, that my lighting is to low. it's around 0.5wpg. i'm intending to increase this to at least 1wpg by adding a daylight bulb.
so because of this i'm only going to go low light plants.
i have about 2-3 inches of gravel as substrate.

i need to know now is feeding the plants??
i've read many articles this morning, but i've just got more confused with all the different types and ways available.

From your experience
What is the best way to feed the plants? in substrate or water or both?????????????????????????????
Which is the best make of fertilizer?
And what are the best low light plants? i have jave fern, anubias.

thanks for anything you can offer.


[span class="edited"][Edited by shekoi 2004-07-22 04:04][/span]

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

increase your light by 1wpg would be perfect for low lights at 1.5wpg.

i assume that you dont have special substrate like me so what you can do is get some tablets available at any lfs, just push them deep into the gravel around your plants. anubias and java fern probably dont need these type of fertilizer.

liquid fertilizer in the other hand is useful with plants that take nutrients in from water (most bunch plants, anubias, javafern...) i heard master grow is good, i never tried it. i just got a bottle of seachem's flourish. and i read the instruction on this thing, i only need 2-3ml of fertilizer a week or two, so this bottle will last me a whole year.

so depending on the type of plants you have, go with the fertilizer that is more efficient for you, because you have java fern and anubias, i would suggest you to get the liquid since you will have nowhere to insert the tabs into if you get them.

crpts are good low light plants too, adds some color to your tank.

Hi,
Actually, your tank looks great. You could put a "carpet"
plant in the front, but then the fish will need swimming
room.

Good advice on the ferts. But, I don't see, in looking
at the tank, that your plants are in need of any. They
will tell you when/if you need to add fert by turning
pale, or yellow, or developing spots or holes on their
leaves. Until then, I would not add ferts. It is a
fine line that we tread. Too much, and algae will
develop and consume the excess nutrients, too little
and the plants suffer.

I probably would not add any more plants to that tank.
Let what you have grow and multiply, and I suspect
your "jungle" is just months away.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Shekoi I love your tank, it has a good balance.
Wish to heck I could scape like that !
I would leave it as it is. Possibly a couple groupings of anacharis so you get more light green - dark green contrasts. But the crypt and anubias did that pretty well.

I have pretty much the same plants, plus others but there's too much and it's not scaped properly. I did stumble into some wild jungle val recently and I want it to take over my tank it's doing really well. Learn from me, don't get that 'busy' look going in the tank like mine.. I have too much going on in there and will be pulling plants out.. Then just letting certain ones grow in. Under your river gravel are you using flourite ?

The Amazon Nut...

Actually, your tank looks great

Thanks alot i'm glad people like it.

Wish to heck I could scape like that !

it's years of changing tanks around and setting up new tanks for friends and family, i've started getting good at placing things, but i'm still learning.

Under your river gravel are you using flourite

No i have nothing.

Good advice on the ferts. But, I don't see, in looking that yor plants need any!

yes, but i've just change the tank around and added new substrate, so i don't want to get to stage where plants are going yellow.

cheers for all help and ideas people, i'll post picture of what might be finished look soon.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Looking forward to it. I saved a pic of your tank to my computer. Don't do that much.

A grouping of 3 anacharis strands in each rear corner would blend nice with the Vals. No ?

The Amazon Nut...

I use Tropica Master Grow, plants love it.

As for low light plants, hornwort's the easiest thing in the world to grow. Other than that, there are many very attractive crypts around, water wisteria, hygro polysperma...
Whatever you decide, keep the pics coming.