[ruuskystar]

Hello to all the regulars on this aquarium board.

I am new to this specific hobbie, but not new to keeping an aquarium. I have had many fresh water aquariums, usually with plastic plants and decorations, then I jumped into salt water tank in which I kept many coral, fish, inverts etc...

Now I want to try my hand at keeping a live planted aquarium. I looked at some of the tanks from the AGA competition I believe its called and they look incredible.

So I go off to the LFS today and talk to the guy about starting up a small 10 gallon fresh water tank. I already have the lighting, heater, filters etc...from when I kept salt, so I assumed all I needed was a different substrate, lower K bulbs, and a way to get Co2 into the system. After talking to the guy for a while he told me that keeping a live planted tank is much harder than even keeping a salt water system. The reason being the balance between making plants thrive and keeping away algae is extremely hard.

I don't jump into anything without researching first, so I have been extensively reading on this site. What I would like to hear from the people on this board that have experience and nothing to gain from trying to sell me a $500 Ph monitor is whether or not what this guy told me is true.

What do I need to jump into keeping easy to care for live plants??? How do most people keep a small healthy tank that doesn't have an enormous amount of maintenance? Am I kidding myself to think that this is possible? One of the main reasons I didn't keep my salt water tank was because I just didn't have the time for all it required, plus the cost of coral and fish compared to that of fresh water is extremely different.

So if anyone could help me out with my questions that would be very appreciated.

thanks

R*

 

[ruuskystar]

thanks paul and error for the replies.

Glad I found the right place.

Left over from my salt water setup is a 96watt power compact light, alot of sand, heaters, powerheads, aquaclear and penguin filters, all the media that goes with them, air pumps etc...

I really want a low maintanance tank like you suggest, so I'm very intrigued by your post error. I do want to keep live plants, but was told this is going to be very difficult to achieve a successful tank without Co2, especially trying to balance plant health and algae growth.

Do you have any links of setups of people who are doing the method you suggested to me so I can read up some more?

Also, what are some of the plant species that I could try with my light and no Co2...

I have many more questions but this is a good start, don't want to bog anyone down.

Again, thanks for the reply's, looking forward to the next one.

r*

 

[ruuskystar]

thanks for the replies guys. the help is really appreciated.

first off, i'm not opposed to selling my current light to buy something smaller with less watts and getting less k bulbs.

so with that said i'll do whatever it takes to achieve an environment that my plants can thrive in...not just survive. Would like to spend as little money as possible though, as a full time student it doesn't leave that much $$$ left over, if ya know what i mean. I honestly thought by going to live planted tank instead of a marine tank I could have a little easier time maintaining, I suppose I was wrong in my thinking.

so what is the easiest and best way you guys inject co2 in your systems? I mean i've been reading alot on this site, but haven't come across a simple, not high maintanace method yet. the guy from the LFS tried to sell me a 500 dollar unit. Thanks but no thanks I told him. I'm not exactly a super DIY kinda guy either, so any suggestions would be helpful.

I'm also still interesting in this non co2 method, if all I have to do is get a less watt light that shouldn't be a problem at all.

thanks and looking forward to any response...appreciated.

r*

ps error...that tank you posted would be something that I want. I might aquascape differently, but that is pretty much what i'm going for. what size is that tank? i really like the small grass like plants in the front...the tanks that look the best to me so far have been the ones that have the entire bottom covered in short, full plants like that...and then designed with caves and rocks and larger plants around..etc...alot of the tanks on AGA Aquascaping site are great for inspiration...