Which is less maintenance: bare bottom or planted?

[aquamist666]

I am planning on having four 10 gallon tanks as part of a species specific tank exhibit for my room. Which is less maintenance: a bare bottom tank or a heavily planted tank? I am planning on having two bettas in two tanks, a tank with bamboo shrimp, and the fourth tank with tetras or dwarf danios.

 

[StarGirl]

Planted. IMO bare bottom tanks always look dirty from Mulm and debris.

 

[A201]

Bare bottom tanks = boring.
Every particle of uneaten food, every fish turd, is clearly visible. It needs to be vacuumed up every day. Not good.

There's no vacuuming a heavily planted tank. Pruning has to be part of the maintenance routine, as is wiping the algae off the glass.

Why not split the difference. Make a 3" gravel or sand substrate. Construct a cool rock hardscape, and accent it with chunks of driftwood. No plants. Much more interesting and fun.

 

[Mudminnow]

Planted tanks can be super low maintenance, crazy high maintenance, or anything in between. Bare bottom tanks are sort of in the middle.

 

[Sewerrat]

Bare bottoms easier to maintain water quality generally but requires more frequent maintenance to have look clean. Planted tanks generally end up being alot more maintenance might be different based on your water but in my experience nitrates are highest/build up faster in planted tanks also generally get more algae due to lightning requirements. Lowest maintenance imo is a gravel bottom tank.

 

[TClare]

I find the reverse, my planted tanks have very low nitrates and very little algae on the glass compared to my unplanted ones. I find low tech planted tanks very easy to maintain, I let them get pretty jungly before I bother trimming the plants so I don’t have to do it too often. I don’t like the look of bare bottom tanks as I prefer to create a more natural looking environment, and many fish need, or at least appreciate having substrate to sift through (not Bettas though, admittedly).

 

[Noroomforshoe]

I am a plant killer, The last time I tried plants, I was cleaning out dead plants for weeks. I went back to my very thin layer of gravel. It looks good to me, Its about one peble high with some thicker and some bare areas towords the back. Debris get sucked into my prefilters.

 

[Sewerrat]

Could just be my water I know it's odd since duckweed won't grow in it only tanks I've ever had that stayed over 20 nitrates were planted and I don't get algae in my unplanted tanks.

 

[RayClem]

I am a plant killer, The last time I tried plants, I was cleaning out dead plants for weeks. I went back to my very thin layer of gravel. It looks good to me, Its about one peble high with some thicker and some bare areas towords the back. Debris get sucked into my prefilters.

Many times when purchasing plants from LFS, they will die back as they transition to the new environment. This is especially true if the plants were grown emerged (leaves in air, roots in water). They are sold in tubes. Try to buy from a source that grows their plants under water. These are less likely to die back.

Old leaves die as new ones take their place. This is the cycle of life for all species. If plants are provided with proper light and nutrients, they will thrive. Also be careful when planting new arrivals that they are planted appropriately. For example, if you plant a species that has a rhyzome in substrate, the rhyzome and the plant will die. You have to glue or otherwise secure the ryhzome to a rock or other decoration above the gravel. The rhyzome will send leaves upward and roots downward into the gravel.

 

[TClare]

Could just be my water I know it's odd since duckweed won't grow in it only tanks I've ever had that stayed over 20 nitrates were planted and I don't get algae in my unplanted tanks.

Perhaps you are using stronger light and or more fertilizer than the plants actually need?

 

[tinylostwine]

What i have found is alage can be caused by both too much light and not enough light; plants need very little nutrient - though some esp larger echinodorus do need some.

Once the tank falls into 'balance' things can be stable for several years but if sometime trigger the plants to pull back then algae will be a problem as it will feast on the decaying plants.

As to your specific question - it is a bit vague as to what you are asking; it is easier to chemically keep a bare bottom tank pure though you might have to do more work as plants will hide some issues but in terms of 'look' (this is my opinion) i prefer a well planted aquarium.
-
The thing about a bare bottom tank is you can take everything out of the tank including all the water and refill it - you might have to do it daily but it can be done; with a planted tank 'stuff' can get into the substrate and while some of this stuff might be beneficial some of it might not be beneficial but either way it is not easily removed.
-
But your question wasn't really which is easier to keep pure but which is less maintenance and quite frankly for both planted and bare bottom the least maintenace is require for an aquarium that falls into balance (though plants help here); the trick is to not over populate it and to routine (weekly?) modest water changes.

 

[aquamist666]

In bare bottom tanks, will the floating poop and leftover food be sucked into a high powered hob filter?

If I want the poop and waste to be sucked into a hob filter what size of filter gph will do this job?

 

[BigDogs]

I like a aquarium with some type of plant based substrate

 

[TClare]

In bare bottom tanks, will the floating poop and leftover food be sucked into a high powered hob filter?

If I want the poop and waste to be sucked into a hob filter what size of filter gph will do this job?

I am not sure about this, I think most stuff will fall to the bottom before it is sucked up. and remember if it does go into the filter you don't see it but it is still there in the water effectively as the water is passing through the filter, so you will need to clean the filter often.

 

[RayClem]

Over my more than 6 decades of fish keeping, I have had tanks with substrate and live plants, tanks with substrate and artificial plants, and one tank with a bare bottom. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Having substrate and live plants is more natural and the plants and animals tend to balance each other just as they do in the outside world.

Substrate provides a large surface area for beneficial bacteria and a habitat for small critters.

With a bare bottom tank, YOU are the one who will have to keep the tank clean and in balance.

The problem with a 10 gallon tank is that about the largest filter that can be used is an HOB filter rated for a 5-20 gallon tank and a flow rate of 100 gph. With anything larger, the flow rate will be excessive for the inhabitants. I would suggest having both a 100 gph HOB filter and a sponge filter in each tank if you are going bare bottom. The sponge filters have a huge internal surface area to support the growth of beneficial bacteria, If you have multiple tanks, purchase a larger size air pump to supply all of the sponge filters.

Make sure that the inlet tube of the HOB filter reaches as close as possible to the bottom of the tank. The base of the sponge filter should be on the bottom. Unfortunately, without plants, it is difficult to hide the filters in the tank.

As for brands of HOB filters, I have had good success with AquaClear filters, having used them for over forty years. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about other filters. I had one AC 110 filter in service for over 20 years before it failed. I did have to replace sponges and impeller bushings every few years, but it kept running faithfully. Although I have not owned one, I like the looks of the Seachem/Siche Tidal filters and the Fluval C series filters. They seem to be updates to the original AquaClear design.

 

[tinylostwine]

Over my more than 6 decades of fish keeping, I have had tanks with substrate and live plants, tanks with substrate and artificial plants, and one tank with a bare bottom. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Having substrate and live plants is more natural and the plants and animals tend to balance each other just as they do in the outside world.

Substrate provides a large surface area for beneficial bacteria and a habitat for small critters.

With a bare bottom tank, YOU are the one who will have to keep the tank clean and in balance.

The problem with a 10 gallon tank is that about the largest filter that can be used is an HOB filter rated for a 5-20 gallon tank and a flow rate of 100 gph. With anything larger, the flow rate will be excessive for the inhabitants. I would suggest having both a 100 gph HOB filter and a sponge filter in each tank if you are going bare bottom. The sponge filters have a huge internal surface area to support the growth of beneficial bacteria, If you have multiple tanks, purchase a larger size air pump to supply all of the sponge filters.

Make sure that the inlet tube of the HOB filter reaches as close as possible to the bottom of the tank. The base of the sponge filter should be on the bottom. Unfortunately, without plants, it is difficult to hide the filters in the tank.

As for brands of HOB filters, I have had good success with AquaClear filters, having used them for over forty years. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about other filters. I had one AC 110 filter in service for over 20 years before it failed. I did have to replace sponges and impeller bushings every few years, but it kept running faithfully. Although I have not owned one, I like the looks of the Seachem/Siche Tidal filters and the Fluval C series filters. They seem to be updates to the original AquaClear design.

I never bother with the hob and just use sponge filters. To be honest i can't see using a hob on a 10 but maybe a box filter (which is just an old fashion sponge filter )

 

[TClare]

I agree, I only have one 10 gallon tank and just use a sponge filter on that, can’t imagine using anything bigger.

 

[RayClem]

I agree, I only have one 10 gallon tank and just use a sponge filter on that, can’t imagine using anything bigger.

In a 10 gallon with gravel, a sponge filter is usually sufficient. I am not so certain about using a sponge filter as the only filtration in a bare bottom tank. There is insufficient water movement with a sponge filter driven by an air pump to keep mulm from depositing on the bottom of the tank.

 

[TClare]

In a 10 gallon with gravel, a sponge filter is usually sufficient. I am not so certain about using a sponge filter as the only filtration in a bare bottom tank. There is insufficient water movement with a sponge filter driven by an air pump to keep mulm from depositing on the bottom of the tank.

That is true, I’ve never used a bare bottom tank and only use the 10g for fry and very small fish, I think the stronger flow from a bigger filter would be too much for them.

 

[BlackOsprey]

Before I get into it, the primary function of a filter is NOT to remove all or even most solid fish waste from the viewing area. They can remove a little, but their primary function is to pass water through a concentration of beneficial bacteria to detoxify the water. The only reliable way to remove poop from the aquarium is for you to manually remove it with a gravel vac or other siphon.

Planted tanks are potentially lower maintenance depending on the setup.

At bare minimum, a bare-bottom requires work to maintain the water quality via weekly water changes. A low-tech and heavily planted tank can drastically reduce the need for water changes because the plants absorb nitrogenous waste, including nitrates. If the planted tank is dirted, it also won't require fertilizer dosing for the first year or two.

Plants also actually benefit from the accumulation of waste and mulm on the substrate, so there's no real reason to gravel vacuum.

I once left such a planted tank full of shrimp alone for 3 months during a summer break. I came back and the plants and shrimp were absolutely thriving.

Of course, if you're running CO2, dosing ferts, or going for a particular look that requires frequent trims, that's more work on top of basic maintenance, and that will probably be a lot more work overall than a barebottom. Planted tanks of any kind also require a lot more effort and attention in the setup and first few weeks, but in my experience most low-tech planteds dramatically decrease in need over time once established and stable.

 

[KingOscar]

As you see here, experienced aquarists will find various set ups that work best for their needs and desires. None of this stuff is permanent. Don't be afraid to try stuff and then change things up if it doesn't work out as you had hoped.

That said, a limited gravel substrate with some artificial plants and occasional vacuuming can look great and is easiest.

 

[Sewerrat]

Perhaps you are using stronger light and or more fertilizer than the plants actually need?

Whatever cones with tank or cheap light for tanks and rarely use fertilizer. I like the way planted tanks look just don't have time for maintenance