My very first planted tank!

I finally decided to do something with my 3ft bare tank. It's had one lonely fish for far too long... On Sunday I got a few plants, pebbles and fish, then headed home and started working.


I bought a few friends for my Bronze Cory (6cm), her tank mates are 2x Panda Corys (2cm) and 3x Leopard Corys (3cm). Luckily I had been cycling my quarantine tank, so I could pop the new guys straight in there while I got to the planting.


I didn't want gravel in the bottom of the tank, so I bought a sheet of plastic mesh for the plants to root into. I secured the clumps of ground cover (New Zealand Grass, I think) to the mesh by sewing it in place, I also sewed on the fibrous material that is already in the pots when they're bought. My theory is that the roots had already taken to that material once. I'm hoping that the grass will burrow just as easily the second time... If it can root back into that material, then surely it will start sending runners out over the plastic mesh too?


I placed the mesh in the tank and weighed it down with some plastic rocks which I've attached some Java Fern to, as well as a thin layer of pebbles.

The plants are looking a little tired, but they'll come right.

Anybody got feedback or opinions?

Trying to decide on a backdrop too, but I think I'll design something myself.


Planning on adding the Corys tonight Yay!

 

Looking amazing, i like the pebbles. Is that a cascade filter sideways?

 

Yip... I had it standing up, but it would swallow all my Cory's food... And almost my Cory Hahaha! Poor girl had to work hard to keep away from the intake.

 

oH OK i see now good idea.

 

Thanks - for both comments, btw. It's nice to get positive feedback.

 

No prob, are you going to get more plants or leave it like that?

 

Lovely mate well done!

 

Please remove the fibre you got in the pots immediately. If this gets into the fishes gills it can cause serious damage. The Lilaeopsis (probably brasiliensis) requires a good substrate to spread and by having it on the mesh and fibre wont allow it to spread at all. Rather get some finer substrate and break the Lilaeopsis up and plant individual blades.

 

I agree with boebie.Just about the only plant you can attach too a mesh,and get it growing,is moss.
Probably not the positive feedback you were hoping for,but still good advice.

 

Looks Great thus far...

 

GG13 the fibre is called stone wool it’s basically a compact fibre glass substance that they use to grow aquarium plants in at the nurseries probably umatikulu, it’s an immersed hydroponics style facility so don’t be alarmed if your plants initially start to look a little sad as they just adjusting to being under water for the first time. The stone wool must be removed as much as humanly possible as it is harmful to fish. the plastic idea is good but think of aquarium plants as your average garden plant they like nutrient rich soil with a small grain texture to root well in and establish itself before sending off runners, I’m referring to your micro sword grass the java fern is an excellent position as they don’t feed form their roots they feed through their leaves. Good luck its looks great :bigsmile:

 

Tank looks good dude! the mesh is a bit of a no no, but i still like the look of your tank!!!!

i dont want to start something, but remember, its your tank, and you have to look at the tank everyday, so do with it as you want, but good advice still stays good advice

 

Well said @Vez..

I like the tank and do agree with Vez remember all of us have our own opinion, you want to create a natural look so having mesh in there would look a bit odd.

+1 boebie, this is good advice, the gravel is a bit too ruff..

 

Thanks everybody for the info and good advice...

@boebie, @Rudi and @lc3786455
I didn't realise it was fibre glass, believe me, if I'd known that I would have NEVER put it in my tank. Anyway, it's getting removed tonight, before I add any fish!

As for the substrate, I didn't actually want to add any sand/gravel at all, simply because it's easier to keep the tank clean this way. But, as you said, plants need soil... Maybe I should just bite the proverbial bullet and put some in...

Unless somebody has any ideas of what could be used instead?

Please don't take this the wrong way - I am not too lazy to clean up - but, if I can find an easier or faster way of doing something, then I'm going to do it. Also, I'm a little concerned that the gravel vacuum will suck it up or do you think it will be heavy enough to hold it's own...?

@Vez and @hein24
I get what you're saying (and thanks for not ripping me apart), but you can't actually see the mesh at all. It's completely covered by the pebbles. It was just a means of securing the plants...

 

Dude if you get the plants going at first the planted bug is going to bite you and you would like more and more. There are however some advantages to the planted tank, some do less WC others don't even do gravelfac's other just do the gravel where there are no plants. Look IMO gravel fac is a must but only scrape the gravel, don't dig in, this will kill your good bacteria colonies in the gravel (bad idea). You will struggle more keeping those pebbles clean than some gravel. With all this said you won't suck the gravel up if you just scrape the surface of it. HTH

 

Yip... I can almost feel that plant-bug chomping away at me. Before I know it, I'll be infected with MTS too

 

Thats it, if you are talking about MTS, then its too late, then your hooked!!!!!

 

I believe the plant at the back middle of the second pic is not truly aquatic, it looks like some sort of mondo grass. If someone could ID it.
Nice looking tank, just make sure that it cycles before putting any fish in.

 

Why not put a 3cm layer of pool filter sand down, then cover that with all your pebbled. All you then need to do is push a root tab (fertiliser tablet) into the PFS near the roots of the plants, and possibly add a little bit of column dosing. That way your plants get the benefit of the PFS and nutrients, and YOU get the benefit of the gravel YOU like!

 

Good idea zoom. why not just put a little layer of pool filter sand and then cover that with the pebbles?