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 L# Planted Aquaria
  L# can too many plants pose a threat?
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Subscribecan too many plants pose a threat?
pmdaggett
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male usa
Just thought I'd ask.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile PM Edit Report 
MDB
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not as long as you've left enough free swimming space for the occupants of the tank
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile PM Edit Report 
Shannen
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male usa
They can also reduce your nitrates so much that it leaves you open to BGA. Other members here have also felt that if you never cycled your tank and just slam filled it with plants from the get-go, you might have cycle issues if you remove them.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile PM Edit Report 
sirbooks
 
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Too many plants can make it difficult to find your fish, and the roots make it tough to vacuum your gravel. The plants don't pose much of a biological threat though, at least while they're there.



And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile MSN PM Edit Report 
Babelfish
 
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female australia us-maryland
IME the biggest threat is one that was already mentioned. BGA or cynobacteria is refered to as blue green algae, but it's not exactly harmless. It's not just algae, it's also a bacteria. It's not reduced by more water changes, begins to develop after the plants have consumed most all of the nitrAtes, and is eaten by no animal (being a bacteria you wouldn't want to eat it either). Knowing about cynobacteria and how it comes about it's a little easier to deal with a tank full of plants, even if it does require adding supplimental nitrAtes to combat against that threat.

^_^



Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Report 
pmdaggett
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Okay, so now this question has to be asked. How much is too much? This is what I have in my 35g hex.
1 giant amazon sword thats getting to be at least 15"
1 regular amazon sword about 5" now
4 java ferns attached on driftwood. All pieces have been seperated so they can grow into a full plant.
1 other plant that I don't know what it is. It grows upward and doesn't have broad leaves. Its also a low light plant thats about 7" now.

Is this too much for my tank? The fish are able to swim around without any problems.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile PM Edit Report 
Babelfish
 
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What do your nitrAte readings say
If the reading is low (10ppm or under), then increase the nitrAtes, either thru more stock, or by adding directly.

Since all the fish are able to swim okay, that's not a problem. If it takes too long to find everyone in the mornings you might want to consider rescaping the tank....unless of course you don't do head counts each morning.

^_^



Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Report 
poisonwaffle
 
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When my nitrAtes started dropping too low, I just started finishing out my schools of cories, and getting more algae eating/ plant grooming fish (ottos and hillstream loaches). At one time I had 60 inches of fish in a 29g tank (that's more than double the reccomended stocking limit), but my nitrates still kept bottoming out. I ended up getting rid of my cabomba and 3 aponos. I moved a bunch of hornwort and anachris to other tanks too. Now I do more frequent waterchanges (atleast once a week), and have less plants...but atleast I can keep my nitrates at around 15-20 ppm

I have my 2.5g literally packed with hornwort and anachris...I'm going to take some out because my female bettas keep getting trapped and they might drown The plants aren't growing well because I have no nitrates in the tank...I have to keep dosing them and ferts to keep the plants alive

Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile PM Edit Report 
pmdaggett
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Okay, just did a nitrate test and it read 0 ppm, the same with my nitrites. My water isn't cloudy anymore (I think it might have been cloudy cause I changed most of my substrate to sand). I also went and bought a blue guorami to go with my 2 golds. One thing though is I miss judged the size of this thing, he's about 3". Thats 1" bigger than my other guoramis. I hope thats okay. One of my biggest questions is the total amount of fish I can have in my tank. One confusing thing is its a hex tank, which most people tell me I can't put as many fish because of the surface area of the tank. So far I have 3 guoramis, 4 med. tiger barbs, 3 syno. petricolas and one sultan pleco (L-264) Should I have more fish in my tank? I figure that if my fish were fully grown I would have about 35" of fish. But I also have double the filteration too. Any pointers or fish to add?
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile PM Edit Report 
HazyWater
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Plants combat cynobacteria through allelopathy. If everything is stable and your plants are doing well, you shouldn't have problems. Algae will do the same. Also remember that there are more nutrients than nitrogen. Plants will take these up even if they can't use them and store them for later. Nitrates do not inhibit cynobacteria. See the Skeptical Aquarist for a more detailed discussion about cynobacteria.
Algaes and cynobacteria will also attack plants through allelopathy. Thats one reason why it can be difficult to dislodge algae and cynobacteria once they have a foothold.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:43Profile PM Edit Report 
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