[MiamiAG]

How long have you been into this wonderful hobby? Remember, not when you got into aquariums, but when you started keeping LIVE plants.

 

[Sir_BlackhOle]

I just recently got back into keeping aquariums and barely started keeping live plants a couple months ago. ITS GREAT!!

 

[Moss]

I started a few months ago, September I think. I started immediately with live plants in a 60l aquarium. My first was a Java fern.
I'm crazy about java moss... don't know why... I'm obsessed with the damn thing... It's getting serious.
I love plants more than fish...

 

[Steve Hampton]

I've been a fish keeper for over 30 years, but planted tanks about 8-9 years. The last 3-4 years have become more serious and able to grow most any plant and keep tanks basically algae free. (visibly) Now I'm become more interested in aquascaping as an art and creating local biotopes.

 

[Raul-7]

Hey Steve! Welcome to APC...it's great to see you here! What biotope are you going to replicate?

 

[Phil Edwards]

I've been keeping live plants since I started back up in '97. Ever since then the ratio of plants to fish is steadily increasing in favor of the plants.

 

[jerseyjay]

I began my aquatic hobby in early 90s back in the motherland. I kept flora in all of my tanks after I was learned that plants are the best and "free" form of biological filtration.

After ~14 years in the hobby, I can't imagine having a tank without plants.

 

[guppygirly]

I just got into the aquarium hobby a few months ago. I started right in with live plants. I love gardening and this is a way to combine my fish and gardening hobby. I hope to be as successful with this as I am with my roses.

 

[Steve Hampton]

Hey Steve! Welcome to APC...it's great to see you here! What biotope are you going to replicate?

Hi Raul, thanks for the welcome, I'm very impressed with the level of talent assembled here.

I began with a desire to create a Suwannee River Biotope but I'm getting lot's more specific to a particular creek in North Central Florida. I'm still going on "field trips" and doing research, but hopefully that phase is nearing the end and the actual tank construction and aquascaping will begin in the next month. This will be my first attempt at a true biotope and keeping native plants and fish. My desires may exceed my talents for a while though. LOL!

 

[nonamethefish]

Welcome to the forums Steve!

Your little native thing sounds good(something I wish I could do). What kidn of fish do you plan to get for it?

 

[AV8TOR]

30 years into keeping aquariums but just starting my first Planted Tank. I saved the best for last.

 

[aquaverde]

Kept fish tanks at various times in the past, at the height had 10 aquariums ranging from 10 to 100gal. I had a stacked stand with a 29 over a 20L that had plants in them, but the only thing that really thrived was algae and Java moss, as I never had enough light. Got out of it entirely 18 years ago. Came back and started my first "real" planted tank last June. Seemed like the time was right...

 

[fluxcore]

ive kept fish for a little while, and had the odd plant in the tank, but didnt have the internet connected. now we have the internet, and i found this site, i am into planted and aquascaping in a big way. I still like the fish side, but the plants play an integral role. I hope to have some shots to post soon as my only picture i have posted is pretty lame. Aiming for tank of the month in 2006!!

 

[Edward]

planted aquarium for 35 years
hydroponics for 12 years

 

[HanshaSuro]

Been at this almost a full year, now.

 

[TurbineSurgeon]

I kept plants more or less alive in various tanks in the 10 to 20 gallon range for several years in the 70s and 80s, but only got "serious" with planted tanks this year.

I currently have a 75 gallon planted community tank with 2 wpg fluorescents and a 58 gallon South American tank with 3 wpg fluorescents. Both tanks have pressurized CO2. Now, all I need to do is figure out how and what and when to fertilize :?

 

[niko]

I got into planted tanks back in 1980.

The only tank that I had was a 10 gals. long and received hours of attention every day. It had no other equipment than incadescent lights + a heater. Every week I trimmed and disposed of about 2 handfulls of plants. I had never seen algae except in the pet stores and I found them to be cool looking

I remember drawing aquascaping diagrams in 6-th grade, during class, haha.

Got out of the hobby in 1984 and returned in 2002. Jay said that he can't imagine a tank without plants. I'm the same way and I even take it a bit further - now I don't imagine my house without a planted tank.

--Nikolay