Turning 20g Into Planted Tank

Hello, I have a 20 gallon long aquarium that currently only has fake plants and driftwood. I want to remove the fake plants and add live plants. There are already fish in the tank, so how would I put them in, how would I quarantine, what types should I get, and will a regular white sand substrate be fine for those types of plants?

 

Well, It would depend on if you’re going with high tech or low tech. I would recommend doing research on the plants you want.

You can place the current inhabitants in a critter keeper or a small tub while you do what you want to do with the tank. How would you quarantine what, The plants? You can have them in a bucket for a week or so to make sure they don’t have snails, if that’s what you mean.

With regular sand, you are limited to the plants you can use. Fortunately, the list goes up if you use ferts. With inert sand you can probably have anubias, java fern. Common beginner plants. With ferts and roots tabs in the substrate(if you don’t plan to switch to a nutrient full substrate.) then you have a bunch of stem plants that you can pick from.

Edit: it would also depend on the lighting you have.

 

Well, It would depend on if you’re going with high tech or low tech. I would recommend doing research on the plants you want.

You can place the current inhabitants in a critter keeper or a small tub while you do what you want to do with the tank. How would you quarantine what, The plants? You can have them in a bucket for a week or so to make sure they don’t have snails, if that’s what you mean.

With regular sand, you are limited to the plants you can use. Fortunately, the list goes up if you use ferts. With inert sand you can probably have anubias, java fern. Common beginner plants. With ferts and roots tabs in the substrate(if you don’t plan to switch to a nutrient full substrate.) then you have a bunch of stem plants that you can pick from.

Edit: it would also depend on the lighting you have.

If I were to change the substrate, what would I do to change it and what brands of sand are good for plants?

 

If I were to change the substrate, what would I do to change it and what brands of sand are good for plants?

Sand isn’t really good for plant. They can grow in it but I personally think most sand is too small for plants to root. If you want some made for planted tank and is small grained, check out flourite sand. You’ll still need to dose ferts too so either easy green, Thrive or flourish comp would work.

 

Sand isn’t really good for plant. They can grow in it but I personally think most sand is too small for plants to root. If you want some made for planted tank and is small grained, check out flourite sand. You’ll still need to dose ferts too so either easy green, Thrive or flourish comp would work.

Ok thanks