Planted Tanks

 

     I learned something new today. Planted tanks are a lot cooler than I thought! I have friends and family who like fish tanks but want a planted tank instead. There is a big difference between fish tanks and planted tanks, in my opinion. A fish tank has fish, duh, and a planted tank has...plants. Let me break it down for the people who want either a fish tank or a planted tank and for the people who think a fish tank with some plants in it is a planted tank. A bit confusing so here goes.

 

 

(fish tank)

 

     The above picture is a "fish tank" with plants. I grabbed this photo off the internet as an example. Some people would say this is a planted tank because it has plants, alive or fake doesn't matter. The fact is that this tank is a fish tank with some plants which compliment the fish. The plants may do fine even if they have cichlids or other fish which tend to destroy plants. This tank looks good with live or fake plants but does not fit the description of a planted tank. When I think of planted tanks, I think of....

 

(planted tank)

 

     The picture above is what I call a planted tank. A "planted tank" is an ecosystem built around the plants first, not the fish. Fish in a planted tank are merely enhancers, an after thought sort of speak. I personally haven't dedicated a tank to plants only. I have tried to grow some plants with out much success. Keep in mind my tanks are mainly breeding tanks which aren't going to cater to plants. I have done some research on planted tanks and know what they need for success. The two main components of a planted tank are: light and CO2. For example, my breeding tanks are not equipped with CO2 and the lighting is very basic. My light bulbs are just bright enough to illuminate the tank water. So, if you want a tank that looks like the one above I would suggest powerful lights, probably a LED for plant growth and a CO2 setup. Basically, CO2 is held in a canister under the tank and drips small amounts into the tank water for the plants to absorb. These two sources will give you the basic components for a successful planted tank. If anyone has further information regarding planted tanks please feel free to share! Also, if you have any questions regarding planted tanks please let me know and I will address them in an upcoming post. Here is a link to amazing planted tanks. I stumbled upon this sight with the awesome photo gallery. Enjoy!

 



http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=album&album_id=82#lightbox[album]/13/

 

-YA