What do YOU know about live plants?

T

TheMainer

Large Fish
#1
Sep 3, 2005
207
2
0
#1
Debating on whether to have fake or real plants in my tank. What are the pros and cons to fake vs real? If I went with real, what kind of maintenance am I looking at? Any other info you can give me about live plants would be very helpful.

- What substrate is best for live plants?
- What kind of maintenance/care is needed?
- Are there certain fish you should/shouldn't have with live plants?
 

phOOey

phOOey

Superstar Fish
#2
Oct 31, 2003
1,741
1
38
35
Nottingham, UK
#2
Some of the pros of having live plants are:

-they provide you fish with oxygen
-they take carbon dioxide out of the water
-they take nitrates out of the water
-look good
-gives fish a nice natural place where they can feel safe

some drawbacks are:

-increased maintanence, clipping and pruning etc.
-you need good lighting to grow most plants, might involve modifying the standard lighting you have now

you dont need a special type of substrate, gravel will work just fine, but you can get special substrate which is meant to help plants grow. not much maintanence is needed as such, i normally only spend 5-10 minutes a week, pruning my plants. There are some fish such as cichlids, which will eat and destroy plants, other, like silver dollars who are herbivores will simply eat them.
 

Igor The Cat

Igor The Cat

Superstar Fish
#9
Jul 14, 2003
1,678
6
0
32
Seattle, Washington
#9
Well chazwick i have to disagree with you, most all of the plastic plants are safe, i have yet to see evidence of ANY fish hurting itself on a plastic plant. its one of those things where everybbody seems to know of someone who it happened to, but it never happened to them...I must happen but VERY rarely...
 

TLM4x4

TLM4x4

Large Fish
#10
Jul 21, 2005
706
0
0
71
southern oregon coast
#10
*crazysmil I must be the "exception" when it comes to fake plants...I have never had real plants so yea I do use fake ones...years ago I had a Marble Catfish that was over 18" long and had a huge appetite...lol yep...he ate my TALLEST fake plant and Im sure would have died had I not taken quick action...I got the needle nose plyers, grabbed him by the head while my husband pried his mouth open, reached the plyers down his thoat and pulled the plant back out!! I wonder if he had a sore throat for afew days LOL
 

dss2004

dss2004

Large Fish
#11
Oct 1, 2004
926
0
0
44
Frisco, Texas
www.freewebs.com
#11
It really depends on what you want out of your tank? What kinds of fish you will be keeping? Do you want heavily planted or just a few plants? Give us a better idea about what you want from your tank, and I am sure we can provide you with better anwsers. Personally I would use real plants or none at all. I perfer a more natural set-up using rocks, plants, driftwood etc. That being said I have seen some okay tanks set-up using fake plants.
 

Chazwick

Chazwick

Large Fish
#12
Aug 4, 2005
935
0
0
33
I currently lodge in a house with my Jack Russell
#12
They may be safe, but they look tacky (most of time)..don't seem to fit in well with tanks, and make them look like messy childrens tank IMHO (first time i've written that;)), I'm sorry - but that is my opinion, and YOU may have not heard of YOUR fishes having accidents on them.. like eye wounds or anything.. but i believe it's better to be safe than sorry:)
 

T

TheMainer

Large Fish
#13
Sep 3, 2005
207
2
0
#13
I am not sure of what kind of fish I will have in there. I will probably start out with some that have high tolerance for my mistakes and go from there. I am just trying to put together a tank that looks nice and that the fish will enjoy. I agree with Chazwick, I think using fake plants will make it look tacky. That is why I am persuing real plants. I would like to get some rocks and make a few caves and then have some plants to make it look decent. Just want to give the fish somewhere to hide and add a little character to the tank.
 

Igor The Cat

Igor The Cat

Superstar Fish
#14
Jul 14, 2003
1,678
6
0
32
Seattle, Washington
#14
Well ive never kept plastic plants, and i doudt your going to have i wounds, but its worth learning about live plants... there really useful, sorry idk know much about begginer plants... except Hygrophila difformis and Vallisneria spiralis Easyest things to grow imo
 

dss2004

dss2004

Large Fish
#15
Oct 1, 2004
926
0
0
44
Frisco, Texas
www.freewebs.com
#15
If you shot for around 2 wpg then you will be able to grow some of the basic plants. Even if you go under 2 wpg gallon (not to far) there are still some nice plants you can put in your tank. I think some swords, java ferns, java moss, and a few others would look really nice spread throughout with some well places rock formations.
 

Chazwick

Chazwick

Large Fish
#16
Aug 4, 2005
935
0
0
33
I currently lodge in a house with my Jack Russell
#16
TheMainer some fish need plenty of hiding spaces (but don't overflow your tank with stuff..), and some don't need as much, depending on what you have:)
I suggest, you get some rocks, and decorate the back quarter of your tank, then leave the front for open space for your fish! I think tanks like that are really pretty, because the fish get some time to themselves to hide, etc.. and when they're out you can see them up close at the front.. get a few rocks (make sure you throughly clean EVERYTHING, even the gravel, before putting it into your tank), and make a nice natural enviroment.
What sort of fish do *you* want? Give us a few little details, and we'll help you find what you're looking for! :), and welcome to the tank
 

tydirian

tydirian

Medium Fish
#17
Sep 3, 2005
82
0
0
50
Houston, TX
#17
My 10yr old keeps plants in her tank. Granted they are plants that are just about impossible to kill but maybe that is what you should start with. Worse case you spent $20-30 on some good low light plants and then toss them out. Generaly anything that is dark green is ok in lower light and plants with thicker leaves/stems are heartier than thinner ones. My kid has Java Ferns, hornwart, and some A. Nana in the 10g tank with 20watts of light.
 

T

TheMainer

Large Fish
#18
Sep 3, 2005
207
2
0
#18
I am going to try and stop by petsmart this week and look around at their fish. Hoping to get a good variety. Hopefully I can provide you with some more information after I do that. :) Thanks for all the tips!
 

BigDaddy420

BigDaddy420

Large Fish
#20
Aug 23, 2005
410
0
0
48
bellaire, ohio
#20
you guys had alot of helpful information on this thread. seeing as how i think i killed my anachoris<sp?> i might check into some java moss, and a few others you all mentioned. i think im gonna be a daddy too, im pretty sure my platy is pregnant, she got huge quick and her black spot is getting darking every night, so we'll see whats up, im going to have to geta breeding net on monday also!
 

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