Hello everyone.
I've never had live plants in any of my tanks before and I would love to try them out in my Goldie tank. The tank is bearbottom and I was thinking of putting the plants into glass bowls.
Do I need to buy any special products or substrate to keep plants?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Full Version: Wanting To Go Planted
Live plants in barebottomed Goldie tanks are gorgeous. In my only planted barebottom tank, I have a Java fern in a heavy glass mug. There are large stones on the bottom to keep the fern from floating out. Some folks have used clay pots. Probably the most important aspect of having live plants is adequate lighting in order for the plants to flourish without creating a ton of brown algae.
So if i just use normal aquatic gravel as the substrate and add food tabs to it will that be ok?
Yes regular aquatic gravel is fine. I don't "feed" my plants, so I can't tell you if that's ok. Your fish will love having plants to "play with" in their tank. Mine sometimes just lay on the java fern like a hammock.
Live plants are great! They will look good - and absorb nitrites/nitrates.
If you are planting in a bowl, I would use a substrate with some gravel, pebbles or glass beads over the substrate.
That would look good and keep the fish from digging in the substrate.
That would probably get the best results and require the least maintenance.
I'm new to using live plants myself, but I'm using an under gravel filter and gravel so I can't use a substrate - I'd probably suck it down under the filter.
Instead, I'm planting right in the gravel and then adding plant growth tablets in the gravel and adding plant nutrients to the water.
Good Luck!
If you are planting in a bowl, I would use a substrate with some gravel, pebbles or glass beads over the substrate.
That would look good and keep the fish from digging in the substrate.
That would probably get the best results and require the least maintenance.
I'm new to using live plants myself, but I'm using an under gravel filter and gravel so I can't use a substrate - I'd probably suck it down under the filter.
Instead, I'm planting right in the gravel and then adding plant growth tablets in the gravel and adding plant nutrients to the water.
Good Luck!
QUOTE(Montman @ Jun 1 2008, 04:13 AM) 
Live plants are great! They will look good - and absorb nitrites/nitrates.
If you are planting in a bowl, I would use a substrate with some gravel, pebbles or glass beads over the substrate.
That would look good and keep the fish from digging in the substrate.
That would probably get the best results and require the least maintenance.
I'm new to using live plants myself, but I'm using an under gravel filter and gravel so I can't use a substrate - I'd probably suck it down under the filter.
Instead, I'm planting right in the gravel and then adding plant growth tablets in the gravel and adding plant nutrients to the water.
Good Luck!
If you are planting in a bowl, I would use a substrate with some gravel, pebbles or glass beads over the substrate.
That would look good and keep the fish from digging in the substrate.
That would probably get the best results and require the least maintenance.
I'm new to using live plants myself, but I'm using an under gravel filter and gravel so I can't use a substrate - I'd probably suck it down under the filter.
Instead, I'm planting right in the gravel and then adding plant growth tablets in the gravel and adding plant nutrients to the water.
Good Luck!
Thank you for your advice. I'm going this weekend to get the plants so i'll let you know how it goes.
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