Finally Jumped Into Live Plants!

After over 27 years of keeping my fish with fake plants I was persuaded to make the switch to live plants by all the pictures and comments I see on this forum. Over the past month I have been replacing fake plants with live plants and replaced the last of the fake ones this weekend.

I now have 4 Java Ferns, 3 Anubias, 3 Crypts, 1 Aponogeton and a Banana Plant in my 55 and 2 Java Ferns, 3 Crypts, 1 Anubias, 1 Banana Plant and an Amazon Sword in my 36 bowfront. I've been using Seachem Flourish and Root Tabs. So far everything seems to be going well with a few of the plants having some new growth. Although most of the plants are still very small I already like the look of the real plants much better than the fake ones. I can't wait to see what it will look like six months or a year from now.

 

Live plants are great

 

Live plants are great

Yeah, I just hope I can keep them alive.

 

One you go to live plants there is no turning back! They are addicting!

 

Ive got an infestation of cadisfly larvae in my tank at the moment that's wiping out my live plants so my advice is if you kill any cadisflys you find around your tank they are pure evil but hopefully you will never have tI deal with them.

 

Welcome to the world of live plants. You will find your aquarium will be healthier and look better.

 

One you go to live plants there is no turning back! They are addicting!

I'm finding that the plants are getting as interesting and fun as the fish.

 

I felt the same way about sand substrate. I started with gravel many years ago. Eventually, I thought I'd give sand a try, made the switch, and never looked back. I'll never use gravel again. Then I finally decided to try live plants (easy ones!). So glad I made that switch as well (I'm actually still in the process of completely changing over, but I'm well on my way!)

 

I'm finding that the plants are getting as interesting and fun as the fish.

I hate to admit this but I actually find the plants more interesting than the fish now.
I mean, I still want my fish to be as happy and healthy as possible but I no longer spend my time pouring over info about rare and exotic fish. Instead, I spend hours and hours researching plants and dreaming up aquascapes (I am horrible at aquascaping though.)
Be careful, $5 dollars spent here and there on stems can build up suprisingly quick!

 

I felt the same way about sand substrate. I started with gravel many years ago. Eventually, I thought I'd give sand a try, made the switch, and never looked back. I'll never use gravel again. Then I finally decided to try live plants (easy ones!). So glad I made that switch as well (I'm actually still in the process of completely changing over, but I'm well on my way!)

I still have gravel, but will be using sand in any new tanks or tanks that I redo.