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Have you ever wondered how people get the time for such lush and "gardenisque" aquariums? Ever thought you didn't have the time or expertise to create and keep one yourself? Well, I'm about to show you how anyone can have a lush aquarium that will basically take care of itself (in time).
The Backbone of the Aquarium. (Things you need.)
Aquarium. That holds water ha!
Filter. Any filter that pumps enough water for your sized tank. Keep in mind that undergravel filters probably aren't a good idea with sand substrates.
Substrate. To plant in and give a good surface area for the bacteria necessary for good fish husbandry.
Live Plants. To assist in naturally cleaning, feeding and beautifying the aquarium and inhabitants.
Good -Flourescent- lighting. Do not use Incandescent as it does nothing for your plants.
A good basic rule to follow is to provide 1 to 2 watts of lighting per gallon for fish-only aquariums,
2 to 5 watts per gallon for freshwater planted aquariums, and 4 to 8 watts per gallon for reef aquariums.*
A stand that can withhold the weight of a full aquarium. Water weighs around 8 Lbs. per gallon so it gets heavy pretty fast.
Things you should probably have on hand.
Cups/Containers of varying sizes.
Scissors.
CLEAN sponge/s.
Tape. - For taping off the tank if you paint the background. "Paint on the outside of the glass!"
Phone. - Someone's bound to call.
Babysitter. - Trust meeee.
Spoons/Forks/Butter Knife. - For planting and digging and eating your yogurt.
Towels. - You WILL spill water!
Fishing line. - For tying Java Ferns and Mosses to rocks/logs.
Planning.
This first picture is of my demonstration tank.
Note the black background and sides,
this helps pull the finished product together.
Research all sorts of aquarium photographs. Look at your garden, friends' gardens...anything that might inspire your Aquascape.
A very good Aquarist is Takashi Amano, his work has helped lead to my utter addiction to all things fishy. Remember, a Planted Tank is just a garden underwater.
Lay out all your supplies within easy reach. Sounds simple to remember, but you'll always forget something and have to stop what you're doing to go play fetch.
Once you decide on what look you're going for we'll take a look at...
Substrate!
Note the substrate higher in back than front.
Sloping the substrate from the back to the front helps aid in vacuuming the aquarium during routine water changes. I must admitt I don't always follow this rule, I just add the sand in varying levels, creating mountains and valleys as I see fit. A heavilly planted aquarium means a lot less overall cleaning. The plants will happily feed off of the fish waste and some leftover food particles.
I've always used a mixture of sand and clay as the majority of my substrate. Both give a more natural feel and have major advantages over plain gravel.
1. Sand is cheaper.
2. It holds plants better keeping them from floating and aids in root development.
3.Good clay provides a rich base for plants to develope a fantastic root system.
4.Good substrate means less upkeep and fertilization costs.
5. Some fish species will DIE with gravel as a substrate. (Peacock Eels...And some other scaleless species especially.)
After you add at least 1-4 inches of substrate to your liking it's time to think about HardScaping.
From time to time gases may build up beneath your sand, just gently stir the substrate with a chopstick or some other such thing.
When using Silica (playbox sand) Sand do NOT breathe in the dust.
Sand/Clay probably won't work with an undergravel filtration system.
Hint: Topping the clay with sand helps keep your water from turning muddy.
Hint: Use an old pillowcase and waterhose to wash large amounts of sand, as this removes the dust that can cloud your water.
Here's where a lot of people get into trouble. They've read and looked at pictures and been told exactly what not to do when decorating their tanks. Well, here's my advice, all two cents worth of it.
Forget what you've been told. Go on FORGETit. As long as your set-up is suitable for the species of fish you plan on keeping, the rest is up to you. If you want to put that gaudy plastic Elvis in with your tetras, go ahead and do it.
YOU have to look at this tank, not those other people.
Check your layout.
A few minor adjustments to the layout.
Arranging things before the water is added makes things a lot simpler. Trust Me. When the time comes to fill the tank, place a saucer or some such thing over where you're pouring the water.
This helps keep the substrate from clouding the aquarium too much. It also keeps your plants/decorations from mucking up.
Finally, time to Garden!
Adding the plants!
Choose plants well suited to your lighting and aquarium size. Most plants are graded as either "High" "Medium" or "Low Light". If you place a high light plant in a tank with low light, it will eventually die. I've even heard some low light plants will die "burn up" with too many WattsPerGallon "WPG".
This makes perfect sense if you think about it. Another good tid-bit to keep in mind, certain plants do best with plenty of food, know your plants.
That's one thing I can't stress enough.
Aquarium plants are expensive and no one wants to toss $10-100.00 out the door! A good thing to use as a guideline for arranging your plants is " tallest towards the back, shorter as you move forward."
This is entirely up to you though. If your tank is happy, soon you'll need to trim your plants. I usually pinch with my fingernails as well as use scissors (like giving my java moss a haircut) to help ensure bushy controlled/healthy growth. Most plants can be rooted, so save those cuttings in an extra tank/bucket!
A note on fertilizing:
I use Jobes Plant Sticks by breaking them in half and burying the pieces completely beneath each plant's roots. Some people claim these aren't safe for fish...but I've never had a problem using them. Maybe avoid this type of application if you have burrowing species. There are fertilizers epecially suited for aquariums, but I'm cheap, so there.
Keep an eye out for one of my next Aquarium Tutorials on creating your own fertilizers.
The Bio-Crew!
Perhaps the most important inhabitants in any aquarium. These are the "mostly" no-see'ums of the Aqua Pit Crew. They're responsible for taking care of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates as well as all other sorts of nasties.
After your aquarium is set-up it starts to go to work. Most of the time you can't see the mysterious ways of this enchanting world, but trust me, it's there. The fastest way to get your Bio-Crew going is to "seed" your tank and filter with aged aquarium media. Your local fish store or a friend's aquarium is a good place to start. Get the goo from their filter and put it in yours. Ask for a cup or two of their substrate and place it on the top of yours. Sprinkle a bit of fish food in for good measure. Make sure your filter stays running the entire time you're cycling your aquarium.
I would wait a good 2 weeks before starting to add fish. Let the tank age and establish a good amount of bacteria to help with the upcoming bio-load. Add your fish 1-2 at a time and wait a week or more before adding more fish. The aquarium has to adjust to meet the higher bio-load of new fish.
In a later article I will write exclusively about these critters and how to put them to work overtime for you.
There are many more plants that pet stores will try and pass off as aquatic. Do your research and bring a detailed list with you when you go plant shopping.
If they sell you a misidentified plant, MAKE them refund your money or give store credit.
"Where's the fish?" you're probably asking.
This article is about setting up an aquarium, not about stocking. These are guidelines for you to follow and make your own.
I will later post an in depth article on proper stocking and fish species.
Here's some shots of my planted community tank. Hope you enjoy!
* Thanks to www.liveaquaria.com for the WPG info!
Until we meet again,
-Jocie.
About Jocelyn Wyatt
Mother and wife, (in no particular order) Jocelyn Wyatt was born Northwest Florida right smack-dab in the middle of swampland where she gained her love for nature the hard way.
"Make it a pet or let it make you lunch!"
Her love for all wild things living as well as for art and writing was nurtured by her wonderful family.
"To them and God I owe everything. "
Posted by yaddie (from Jonesboro, GA) on May 26, 2008 at 10:57 AM:
your article has inspired me to try again!
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 26, 2008 at 3:40 PM:
Well, you can use clay/soil packaged especially for aquarium use (really expensive) or you can use yard clay. I use yard clay from my yard. The thing is you have to make sure your clay doesn't have pesticides and other nasties in it.
I'd say living in GA you probably have clay huh? lol
I'd set my tank up and then use a cheap fish to make sure the clay is safe.
There are probably other sources for clay, try looking at Lowes maybe waterlily soil? 'm not sure what's in that though.
It's soooooooo much fun setting up a tank, lol.
tortisekeeper sent me some awesome plants for mine and it really helps make it look nicer.
I do recommend topping the clay with sand to help keep the water from clouding, but you don't have to. After your plants fill in really lush then it really helps keep the cloudiness down nearly all the way.
If you use Jobes fertilizer sticks make sure you don't have fish or eels that will dig them up. I'm pretty sure that's what killed my Elvis. (peacock eel) As long as the fish can't get to them they're fine. Bury them deeply beneath the roots/substrate.
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Subject: Here's mine!
Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on May 20, 2008 at 8:13 PM:
What a pleasant surprise to see an article on underwater gardens! I wish I had room for a giant tank, but here's my 4-gallon hex tank on my dresser. It's a fun hobby. I used gravel, but the sand looks nice in yours. I have so many that they take the place of a filter, and I do 25% water changes once a month (or so...). My fish are healthy and reproducing like mad, like guppies will do, lol.
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 9:06 PM:
That is some GREAT java fern you have there. Look at how neat and tidy your set-up is. Now I'm ashamed, hehe. "goes to clean around her messy table".
Your guppies are beautiful too.
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Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on May 20, 2008 at 9:16 PM:
LOL, it's only neat and tidy because I just removed two logs with more java fern on them, and changed the water--thanks to the article! I do have too many ramshorn snails. The guppies are just common "feeders". It's amazing how colorful they become when not in the crowded, dirty, unplanted tanks in the stores.
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 9:17 PM:
Yup it is. That's how I always stocked my ponds, with feeder comets,lol. You can find some with the longest butterfly like tails. So nice for 12 for a 1.00!!
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Subject: Great Article
Posted by tortoisekeeper (from Cookeville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 7:56 PM:
Very nice information Jocie. You will have others trying planted tanks before you know it.
Betty
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 9:02 PM:
I sure hope so betty, its so much fun and something you can do in the winter time to beat the blues. Ohh my next article! LOL
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Subject: Lovely...
Posted by Sharran (from Calvert City, KY) on May 20, 2008 at 3:31 PM:
Nice article, good info, and lovely photos of your aquarium.
Thank you for sharing, makes me want one of my own.
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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on May 20, 2008 at 3:46 PM:
Oh, no, I was REALLY sure my aquarium days were in my youth, but you make it look so fun! Great article, and I'm looking forward to more. . . .
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 9:04 PM:
Thank you so much carrie!
You really need to start another tank, they're sooooooooo relaxing lol.
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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on May 21, 2008 at 11:35 AM:
Noo-oo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o! I do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on't! I think...
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 21, 2008 at 8:29 PM:
Posted by CaptMicha (from Brookeville, MD) on May 20, 2008 at 11:35 AM:
How do you clean the sand substrate? I know they say to hover the siphon vacuum over it but I know the gunk gets underneath the top layer.
I have clay pellets in mine which the plants love but I'm thinking of switching to sand.
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 12:49 PM:
When the plants really fill in well they eat most of the gunk that builds up.
If too much gunk builds up beneath the top layer and it bothers you, just gently stir it with something then suck it up.
Since my tank is so heavily planted I can't use a regular vacuum so I just use aquarium tubing and suck up anything that wont break down fast. The tubing is small enough to fit between plants and decorations. It is flimsy though so I need to stiffen it it up somehow. Maybe I'll attach chopsticks to it with aquarium sealant. lol
You can always top your pellets off with sand, that way the plants love it and it's easier for you to clean.
The main key is not to overfeed your fish, the plants can handle quite a it of waste on their own.
How bigs your tank?
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Posted by windbalm (from Philipsburg, PA) on May 20, 2008 at 5:07 PM:
In each of my tanks I have a homemade soil substrate made up of 1/2" to 1" red shale clay plus fluorite tablets, then covered with 1-2" of sand. I have had excellent success with this type of substrate over time, as it really feeds the plant roots, and it's cheap, too.
I really like the compact fluorescent Coralife light fixtures - they're expensive but worth it. They're much higher light than some of the other options, yet not so bank-breaking as some of the metal halide types of lamps. With the Coralife lights I've been able to grow great tanks full of plants without the addition of CO2 - which can be expensive and fiddly.
I use sponge filters in my small tanks and waterfall-type power filters in my larger tanks.
The other secret to my success is several Amano shrimp in every tank. They really keep the gunk and algae from getting overwhelming. Of course, you can't keep them with fish that are too large or aggressive, but luckily I'm in love with anabantids, plecos and loaches so it works out well. I rarely need to vacuum at all, and I also rarely have to do big water changes; usually I can just top off what evaporates.
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 9:01 PM:
Thats what I do here too wind! Minus the shrimp, can't afford them LOL. Man I want some cherries though, I checked out that shrimp forum and went gaga! lol
The plants do such a great job at cleaning it really keeps your upkeep down.
I do use co2 though, just set up a DIY system, I'll write another article for that. It's cheap and so far it works great.
Your soil sounds great, ive been toying with the idea of making some homemade soil, maybe Ill get the time this year.
Thanks for yalls comments, it really is encouraging.
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Posted by windbalm (from Philipsburg, PA) on May 21, 2008 at 9:15 AM:
I got lucky on the shrimp. My best friend has planted aquariums too and she gave me a bunch of cherry shrimp that bred in her tanks. They do a decent job but they're so tiny... I think the Amano shrimp do a better job of keeping the tanks clean. The Amanos came from my local pet shop at $4 each, and that was a steal since getting them online and paying for shipping would have been a huge ouch to the wallet. There are only a few in each tank, but they've been in there for 3 years and they're thriving. My fish guy only gets them in once in a blue moon but when he has them I always get some more. They really do the trick. They do breed and have eggs but the fry don't survive. I tried a couple of times to actually raise the fry but they need brackish water and it has to be pretty exact - I've never been successful to date. Now the cherry shrimp do just fine breeding away all on their own - so long as they aren't in a tank with something that eats baby shrimp!
I tried DIY CO2 and it was okay, but seemed like every time I turned around I needed to fuss with it. I finally got rid of it and the plants really seemed to do just as well with just the high light compact fluorescents. I don't try to grow any really demanding plants, though. If I were trying to get CO2 to pearl on a bed of riccia or something, I guess then I'd have to break down and do CO2 again.
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 21, 2008 at 8:27 PM:
Yeah, I'd probably avoid co2 in your shoes too.
I was worried about mine at first but got off well with it.
Wish I could find some free cherries, lol.
It's pretty easy to set up a brackish tank. Maybe I'll do an article on that too. Hmm.
I made the mistake of yanking my bladderwort out too fast and had an algae outbreak lol.
Pearling was a really nice surprise for me. It's so pretty!
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Subject: Planted Aquariums
Posted by windbalm (from Philipsburg, PA) on May 20, 2008 at 11:26 AM:
Awesome! I'm so glad that someone else out there in DG-land is planting aquarium gardens too! I've been doing planted aquariums for several years. It's my year-round gardening adventure. Please keep the planted aquarium articles coming... and I'll post some pics of my tanks sometime soon, too.
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 12:50 PM:
Awesome! I can't wait to see them.
Thanks for the encouragement!
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Posted by summerkid (from Kankakee, IL) on May 20, 2008 at 7:12 PM:
I've always thought aquariums looked like such boring, sterile environments. Nice to see that they can look so natural. I swear the fish look happier too!
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Posted by crimsontsavo (from Crossville, TN) on May 20, 2008 at 8:56 PM:
The fish love it. It was so funny, this one time I let the bladderwort get over grown and the male orange glowlight tetra trimmed it until he got a good swimming space cleared, then started a mating dance with the female, it was awesome!
Cheeky lil thing lol.
