Convince Me Why I Should Have Live Plants

I'm actually serious, I really want to know the pros and cons of live plants. I have always steered away from them because in my mind, I'm thinking "water changes on top of having to move the plants around so I can vacuum and most likely killing them, why would I want to do that??"

Now I know a bit more than I did before, and that you don't have to vacuum the entire aquarium if you have plants, but I'm still hanging on the fence, here. I am considering planting my 10 gal. hospital tank to experiment with, and the substrate I have is a semi-course sand. I also am setting up my first shrimp tank and I know I want to plant that one. So, you experienced aquarium plant owners, what do you recommend? I am looking at easy keepers that make fishies and shrimpies happy but aren't easy to kill since my husband and I are notorious for killing plants. (We killed an aloe vera, which supposedly are impossible to kill. Accidentally left it in the snow...)

Also, info on moss balls, as well as fertilizers, how you even keep plants growing in water, what they need, etc.

I am kinda wanting to know all.

Thank you!

 

Pros:
-Makes the aquarium look natural.
-Absorbs toxic chemicals such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
-Provides extra hiding places for fish.

Cons:
-Can leach ammonia if the plant is dead.
-Some plants require CO2, soil, and good lighting.

 

I love plants.... indoors, outdoors, in tanks and even grow flowers from seed indoors (usually unsuccessfully) in the spring. I kill constantly though. Despite success or failure and frustration, I feel that real is usually better than virtual and failure isn't always bad, because you learn.

The few plants that I haven't killed in my tanks, are secured with suction cups and fishing line. That way, you can bash around them and they stay put when cleaning the gravel! It's a real garden, in water, next to your armchair! I'd say get some moss balls and Amazon sword. They're quite tough and pretty. Also, moss balls are quite good at cleaning bio-film and you can re-shape them like a meatball!

 

I made the transition from artificial to live a few months ago. Most of my tanks have a combination right now as I slowly get more live plants. One does have entirely live though.

For me, it’s been absolutely wonderful. They have kept my water quality up so well. They self-propagate and I propagate them and I get “free” plants. It’s fun to grow another life form and it adds even more to the hobby. I exclusively use easy to grow plants that don’t need CO2 and do fine with low or medium lighting. It’s been awesome. Currently I have java fern, amazon sword, moneywort, anarchis (my favorite!), microsword, anubias, crypts, and Java Moss. I highly recommend at least trying a couple of plants and see how you like it! You don’t have to go full out right away.

 

You can divide or take cuttings from live plants to make more, so a relatively small investment can provide a lot of plants. Can't do that with silk or plastic.

 

All my 4 tanks are Planted, I would never use fake

Live plants
Pros:

• They are always the most natural choice for every ecosystem, which would help fish feel more at home in their tank. The vitality of live plants also brings an authentic encounter to your tank.
• Live plants take in carbon dioxide and help keep nitrate levels low, while releasing oxygen into the water, thus helping with the natural nutrient cycle. They can be considered a natural symbiotic.
• They filtrate other harmful substances and impede algae growth.
• They are continuously changing and growing, so you can have a new and fascinating every day.
• Live aquarium plants provide an extra snack for fish that like to eat vegetables from time to time.

Cons:

• Live plants require specific substrates and fertilizers ( Not a big deal )
• Live plants are also prone to decaying if living conditions are not suitable, so they can take up the oxygen in the water in the process of rotting.
• They require lighting, so choices are limited when placing your aquarium. Dark corners are not a suitable place for a planted aquarium.

 

If you take easy plants that don't need much light (not meaning those that need generally low light conditions) and no fertilizers and that can manage with most water parameters you should be fine actually. I'm also transitioning from 50:50 live:fake to 100% live plants and I really love it.

 

Fast growing plants consume ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate ..less water changes and more stable tank

 

As mentioned plants take in co2 and give out oxygen but the other way round at night, if you have some snails they will eat the dead parts of p6lants, leaves etc. before they cause problems.
Very decorative and make things look natural, how would you like to live in a room without furniture. sterile tanks as I call them, ie. no substrate, no plants and only a few hiding places are for breeder convenience to be able to catch fry easier.
You can also leave plants in the small baskets they come in, that way you can move them about to find the best spot for them and for you before planting them in the substrate even replant them in small pots with some substrate and keep them movable for cleaning.

 

Plants definitely don't all need fertilizers. A moderately planted tank can take your weekly nitrate production to near zero without fertilizers. You *should* change water anyhow, but it ends up being change enough water you could do your vacuuming, and not change half the water so you can break even in the dilution of nitrate weekly.

Honestly, if you do the math with no plants to remove nitrate you need to take out more than half the water weekly to keep you nitrates close to level.

Example tank makes 5 ppm a week with 50% water change:
5/2=2.5
Next week
(2.5+5)/2=3.75
Next week
(3.75+5)/2=4.375
And so on.

This is why I keep plants.

In gravel crypts and swords can do ok without root tabs. In sand, you will need planter bowls full of gravel for a root feeder to do well without fertilizers. If planter bowls or gravel don't seem attractive to you go with column feeding plants, stuff you can glue to a rock, or floaters.

Here are some pictures of tanks running no fertilizers using root feeding plants in gravel or rock to null nitrate nearly completely:







These aren't as pretty as the people that run fertilizers and co2, but they give the fish something to run against and hide in, and are really there for the good of the fish in nulling nitrates etc and making water changes less stressful

 

Plants are a water garden. They can be as simple or as complex as you want. There are plants that will grow with virtually no care and there are plants that require the same level of care as roses.

Anubis, wisteria and some crypts just need water and any light.

These aquariums have remineralized RO/DI water, 7 of the Seachem line everyday, and plant lights.

1.



2.



3.



4.

 

Couple shots of my planted tank

 

Plants definitely don't all need fertilizers. A moderately planted tank can take your weekly nitrate production to near zero without fertilizers. You *should* change water anyhow, but it ends up being change enough water you could do your vacuuming, and not change half the water so you can break even in the dilution of nitrate weekly.

Honestly, if you do the math with no plants to remove nitrate you need to take out more than half the water weekly to keep you nitrates close to level.

Example tank makes 5 ppm a week with 50% water change:
5/2=2.5
Next week
(2.5+5)/2=3.75
Next week
(3.75+5)/2=4.375
And so on.

This is why I keep plants.

In gravel crypts and swords can do ok without root tabs. In sand, you will need planter bowls full of gravel for a root feeder to do well without fertilizers. If planter bowls or gravel don't seem attractive to you go with column feeding plants, stuff you can glue to a rock, or floaters.

Here are some pictures of tanks running no fertilizers using root feeding plants in gravel or rock to null nitrate nearly completely:
View attachment 654025View attachment 654026View attachment 654028View attachment 654030
View attachment 654032
These aren't as pretty as the people that run fertilizers and co2, but they give the fish something to run against and hide in, and are really there for the good of the fish in nulling nitrates etc and making water changes less stressful

Great examples! John58ford

 

Plants definitely don't all need fertilizers. A moderately planted tank can take your weekly nitrate production to near zero without fertilizers. You *should* change water anyhow, but it ends up being change enough water you could do your vacuuming, and not change half the water so you can break even in the dilution of nitrate weekly.

Honestly, if you do the math with no plants to remove nitrate you need to take out more than half the water weekly to keep you nitrates close to level.

Example tank makes 5 ppm a week with 50% water change:
5/2=2.5
Next week
(2.5+5)/2=3.75
Next week
(3.75+5)/2=4.375
And so on.

This is why I keep plants.

In gravel crypts and swords can do ok without root tabs. In sand, you will need planter bowls full of gravel for a root feeder to do well without fertilizers. If planter bowls or gravel don't seem attractive to you go with column feeding plants, stuff you can glue to a rock, or floaters.

Here are some pictures of tanks running no fertilizers using root feeding plants in gravel or rock to null nitrate nearly completely:
View attachment 654025View attachment 654026View attachment 654028View attachment 654030
View attachment 654032
These aren't as pretty as the people that run fertilizers and co2, but they give the fish something to run against and hide in, and are really there for the good of the fish in nulling nitrates etc and making water changes less stressful

I actually love that look! I'll look into that!

 

Thanks so much everyone for your advice! I super appreciate it! I'm gonna make a list of the plants that are the easiest you mentioned, I have Anubis, wisteria, java moss? Java fern, moss balls, Amazon swords? Any others?

 

Thanks so much everyone for your advice! I super appreciate it! I'm gonna make a list of the plants that are the easiest you mentioned, I have Anubis, wisteria, java moss? Java fern, moss balls, Amazon swords? Any others?

Cryptocern wendtiI (mine are "tropica") are pretty easy too. Those are the reddish green ones in my 3D background tank and all around the outside of my others.

Thanks for digging my style, I just like to make sure people know there can be a balance with plants, not just all in, high tech, fertilizer and magic substrate. Though I do dig those tanks, it's a totally different discipline than fish keeping, and takes a keen eye for gardening that I don't have lol.

Good luck with it! Post pictures.

 

One pro/con not mentioned is the effort involved. May take some time to get everything dialed in for good growth. It is rewarding it is to watch them grow but can be just as disappointing if they fail. It will not happen overnight either can take a while to see results especially with slower growing species.
Duckweed and Banana plants are a couple other beginner choices although duckweed has been know to get out of hand for some

 

Don't forget floating plants frogbit and dwarf water lettuce are big nitrogen sinks

 

Biggest pro in my experience and opinion is live plants are flexible and soft--they allow swimming space within the plant. Artificial plants dont, not even silk, so they take up usable swim space.

 

Biggest pro in my experience and opinion is live plants are flexible and soft--they allow swimming space within the plant. Artificial plants dont, not even silk, so they take up usable swim space.

Yes I think fish enjoy plants the most . Mine hide in them, rest in them swim through them. My cherry shrimp crawl all through them and eat any algae on them. I’ve been keeping plants for 20 yrs now. I have 20 yr old anubias. Plants live long lives when takin care of. You may get away without ferts but for me they are needed. Much better growth with ferts.
Nitrates I never worry about or check. Over 40ppm is high. For 2 months straight 40ppm may be bad Or may have no effect at all.
Plants do require care and do best in clean water. I do 50% water changes weekly in all my tanks. Discus twice weekly.
this is my 30 gallon shrimp tank. Fert I use here is thrive. 3 squirts a week. Plain gravel. No co2 but I do use liquid apI co2 booster. Lighting is a vivagrow 24/7.
this is my 90g community tank. This tank I use 3 flourish ferts. A doctors 3in1 and a uv steralizer. The substrate is eco-complete but wish I went with regular gravel. Lighting is a vivagrow 24/7 and a current satellite plus on a timer for hrs a day.
this is my 125 discus tank. This tank also gets all the ferts as the 90. This tank has regular gravel and no co2. Does have a doctors 3in1 and a uv steralizer. Lighting on this tank is a finnex planted plus and a finnex HCL . Both are 24/7

 

I use sand over a little bit of gravel, nothing special for substrate.
Current plus pro light.
Niloc g ferts and I have co2 going too.
Twice a week water changes.

Plants make a wonderland for tanks.
Natural and non harmful for all inhabitants of the tank.

The biggest factor for plants ime has been a good light and ferts.

 

I spent $5 on moss in November, and have since sold ~$30 worth of the same moss. I'll let you do the math.

 

Get way better moss than java it just shoots everywhere and ends up in everything. I'd go minI Christmas moss and taiwan moss with anubius nana and buce that way you.attach to rock or wood and can move easily.

 

pros:
looks natural
provides "hides" for tank inhabitants
breaks up line of sight
adds layers to make your aquarium a bit more "aesthetically pleasing"
great for water quality
home to micro-organisms which are beneficial for your aquarium

cons:
when they die they can create ammonia
SOME have special care requirements and need more upkeep or specific conditions
fish who like uprooting them

When I was younger I was terrified of live plants and always had plastic decor but now I'm obsessed with them! don't be afraid to give it a try

 

pros:
looks natural
provides "hides" for tank inhabitants
breaks up line of sight
adds layers to make your aquarium a bit more "aesthetically pleasing"
great for water quality
home to micro-organisms which are beneficial for your aquarium

cons:
when they die they can create ammonia
SOME have special care requirements and need more upkeep or specific conditions
fish who like uprooting them

When I was younger I was terrified of live plants and always had plastic decor but now I'm obsessed with them! don't be afraid to give it a try

Thanks so much for your input! I made the jump!

 

I'll just say this, I bought fake plants initially fish didn't seem to interested in the fake plants. I then bought real plants and my fish started becoming more active. They do enjoy pulling them out of the substrate... If you want to buy some fake plants I got plenty I can sell you.

 

I'll just say this, I bought fake plants initially fish didn't seem to interested in the fake plants. I then bought real plants and my fish started becoming more active. They do enjoy pulling them out of the substrate... If you want to buy some fake plants I got plenty I can sell you.

No thank you LOL, this is an old thread and I made the jump a couple months ago to life plants. I've actually been selling my fake ones

 

No thank you LOL, this is an old thread and I made the jump a couple months ago to life plants. I've actually been selling my fake ones

I just noticed this was an old thread. My coffee isn't working but that's a typical Monday for me.

 

They make a tank look natural they help with water parameters they help feed your fish biofilm n such they won’t hurt your fish like plastic plants can and they look great. Here r a couple pics of my 10 and two 5.5’s!!

 

Thanks so much everyone for your advice! I super appreciate it! I'm gonna make a list of the plants that are the easiest you mentioned, I have Anubis, wisteria, java moss? Java fern, moss balls, Amazon swords? Any others?

Hygropghila species, they are considered a noxious weed in many places because they grow so fast

 

The hardest plant to kill in my opinion is duckweed. it is a weed tho so most people don't like it. it often takes the nutrients away from other plants so it would be your only plant but its also really great goldfish food.

 

thanks again everyone for your advice, I just wanted to let the new posters know that I made this thread quite a while ago and I bought live plants months ago and I have only been using life plants. Thanks again for your advice though!

 

And your tank looks great!! I would remove some of the top leaves the let more light get to those lower plants.

 

Pros:
-aesthetically more pleasing than fake plants
-break down waste and excess nutrients
-produce oxygen
-allelopathic properties help prevent algal growth
-won't leach toxins into the water
-dynamic and alive; your tank looks different from week to week
-provides shelter for fish and invertebrates
-rewarding to cultivate and care for
-can be a great gateway to gardening and horticulture
-fish seem to be healthier in planted tanks

Cons:
-can have high startup costs; some plants like bucephalandra are particularly expensive
-need routine pruning and trimming to maintain healthy leaves
-cannot live long-term without fertilizers
-most plants cannot grow with stock lighting from kits
-if infested with algae, difficult to remove and can be unsightly
-require regular fertilizer dosing to maintain health