Dark Blue Mark

My fish are happy little buggers, but im struggling to keep plants alive. The big leafy ones go brown reasonably quicky and the smaller one flake off and block the filter! I have a good light source, correct for the plants I have.

Guy at the fish shop suggested my water might be *too* clean?

Any tips?

MB

BOB.T

Don't change the water as often? (I'm no expert!) I'm guessing there isn't enough fish poo for the plant!

Maybe it would help if you explain more about how often you do water changes and how much out of what size tank?

Good luck

Spoon

Do you water them enough?

David Lock

I hope you get some good advice because we've never been able to keep plants in good shape for long! Even tried plant food but didn't seem to make that much difference. We've given up worrying and quite enjoy putting in new plants every few months. Good luck.

PG

planted tanks can be dificult.
When you say you have the correct lighting .....What you got ?
What filters do you use and what types of media in it ?

http://www.fishieforums.co.uk/viewfo...3145b6d28198e7

David Lock

Excellent link

papascooby

plants are really hard - to keep them well really you need a co2 source. careful about too much light as algae will always grow most

vallis will grow no matter what and so will a few others - the best idea is to buy a selection from your lfs and see which work 4 u

excellent uk (mainly) forum: http://tropicalfish.site5.com/tfc/index.php

Aroe

I didnt have much luck with plants till i invested in a CO2 system ...now the buggers grow too much!!! have to trim them weekly or the fish end up been pressed against the glass like sardines in a can

PS. the TFC link is excellent i've always had any queries answered there, some really great info and people.

PG

WARNING !!

some people on TFC have absolutely no sense of humour what so ever !
The mods and admin have chased a lot of the knowledgeable people away by banning left right and centre

logiclee

I gave up and now buy plastic.

Fish are healthy and I have a few fish over 15 years old, could never get plants to last more than a few weeks though.

Some of the new plastic plants are very realistic so not bothered about trying different lighting and C02 systems.

Cheers
Lee

Comper100

Rabbit poo poo droppings are supposed to be good.

Comper100

PG

Below are some of the plant set ups I have done in the last 10 months or so.
I have now upgraded to a larger tank and am about to order a 200 plant collection from Green Line Aquatics
I have never used them before but everyone raves about them and their prices seem very keen !

Dark Blue Mark

Apologies, forgot about this thread! I bought a gizmo which sits in the tank to help keep the plants going. Working well! You fill it with a bit of sugar, some treatment stuff, and stick it to the tank.

PG- nice setup there. I have rams too. Very peaceful except to each other!

MB

David Lock

Care to elaborate? Name and approx price etc please

Dark Blue Mark

Its a "CO2 natural plant system" by Nutrafin, and was £12.99 from local big pet shop. Doesn't need a power supply and is just a smallish cylinder.

MB

David Lock

Thanks That's within my fish budget!

mj

PG - very nice setup.

has scoobynet gone fish crazy ?

ajm

Do watch your pH with CO2 though, CO2 dissolved in water makes carbonic acid. I believe some systems automatically regulate the CO2 based on an electronic pH reading, I say this having never used a C02 system though so take what I say witha pinch of salt!

Edit: with regard to the brown algae problem, have you tried adding some algae eating fish. I had a similar problem which was fixed with the addition of a few small plecs! They literally mow the stuff off leaves and wood and leave it looking like new.

Also, they say lower light favours brown algae, higher light favours green algae. Maybe you could try experimenting with the "heat" of your bulbs? How old are the tubes? Remember over time they do go off and some wavelengths of light start to drop away even though the visible light output seems to remain the same.

PG

Thanks mj,
The tank was sold tonight so now all I have to do is figure out what to spend the money on (although iirc I think it was to help pay for the new tank I have sitting.....perhaps my memory is failing me )

Merv

iTrader: (12)

Mark,don't forget to turn your CO2 system off when the tank lights go off,as the plants reverse their role and give off CO2 in darkness,and thats when you could get a pH crash.

Gordo

I have now officially given up with plants - we haven't had any in for a while so spent £12 at the weekend when at the garden centre getting a chrimbo tree.

5 big plants, various, into the tank on Saturday. There are now none left and the buggers have dug the pots up to eat the roots.

(4 ft tank, various ciclids (3 medium, 3 tiny), two plecs, some botias, two tin foil-barbs, red-finned shark). Not sure who's eaten them, but my money's on one of the plecs......

BOB.T

Our tank at work gets lot's of light and that goes green.....

Our fish are still fine btw