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Getting
Started with Planted Aquariums:
Filters, Heat, and Inhabitants
Cavan
Allen
Finformation,
May
2003
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Now
that we have light, nutrients, and CO2 out of the way, we're on to
a few other things that need to be addressed in regard to planted
aquariums.
Filtration. As I mentioned in a previous article,
any filters should not greatly disturb the water surface. No airstones!
They remove CO2 from the water and are not necessary. While very easy
plants like Microsorium pteropus and Java moss can grow in
aerated aquariums (much more strongly in better conditions), using
airstones when carbon dioxide is being added is counterproductive.
Good circulation and water movement are all that are needed and will
ensure that nutrients, CO2, and heat are distributed evenly throughout
the aquarium.
Canister filters, internal filters, power filters (that aren't too
splashy), and powerheads all work well for that purpose. Having the
tank water circulate four to five times per hour is enough. Adequate
mechanical filtration is important. When in doubt, go with a filter
with a larger capacity. Otherwise, dirt can accumulate all over and
in between the plants. Fine leaved plants like Myriophyllum and mosses
can be dirt magnets when filters get dirty or when tank maintenance
is neglected.
Chemical filtration is not necessary in a healthy planted aquarium.
You may save your carbon for another tank. While not completely irrelevant,
biological filtration is less important than it would be in a non-planted
tank because the plants do just as good if not better of a job of
removing waste than bacteria. Wet-dry filters can be used for large
tanks but will likely necessitate the addition of more carbon dioxide.
Heating. I feel that aquarists often neglect to maintain
a water temperature appropriate for aquarium plants. Before obtaining
a plant, do some research and find out the proper temperature range
(as you should research all its requirements). Not all species frequently
seen and kept are tropical. Plants that need lower temperatures will
survive and even grow in water that is too warm, but will stay smaller
and lack vigor. Water temperature of eighty degrees and higher is
far from ideal for many plants. Keeping the temperature in the mid-seventies
might not sound like something that would make much of a difference,
but it does. Aponogeton madagascariensis and Hottonia
palustris are good examples of species that benefit from cooler
water.
I recommend a good quality submersible heater, as in my experience,
they are more reliable and easier to hide than the kind that attach
to the back of the aquarium. During the summer, I remove mine and
place a room fan on top of some tall furniture near the tank to keep
the lights from warming the tank too much. There really isn’t
any room for built-in fans in my setup, but if you’re designing
one, consider the possibility that you may need them during hot weather.
Water changes. A water changing routine like one
on any other tank is fine as long as an eye is kept on water parameters.
I replace ten gallons of water a week in my 30-gallon setup. It is
not important to deeply vacuum the gravel. Lightly siphoning on top
of and in around the plants to remove mulm is adequate.
Appropriate aquarium inhabitants. Be careful about
what kinds of animals go into a planted tank. Many cichlids are not
suitable for the same reason that so many other fish are not. They're
too big. They will disturb and uproot plantings as well and contribute
too much waste. Large and robust plants that are strongly secured
MAY be an exception. Herbivory is obviously something to be avoided.
Silver dollars have no place in a planted tank! Neither do goldfish.
Although not all fish are such diehard plant consumers, many will
have a nibble or two here and there. I had to get rid of an ever-increasing
population of Hyphessobrycon columbiensis because of their herbivorous
tendencies. Hygrophila polysperma is a good beginner plant
but a frequent target of any fish with even the slightest inclination
to consume plant matter. They destroyed mine along with Hemianthus
and one or two other species. Other tetras, rainbows, and barbs (especially
rosy barbs) may do some nibbling, but that is never a certainty. Keeping
an eye on things and removing them if necessary is usually the best
that can be done.
Some fish introduced to help control algae will go after plants if
no algae are present and sometimes when it still is. As I will explain
in greater detail in a future article, herbivores are NOT the first
line of defense against algae. Siamese algae eaters (Crossocheilus
siamensis) are frequently recommended as good consumers of hair
algae (which is easy enough to prevent in the first place). They also
frequently eat mosses and several other fine leaved plants such as
Lagarosiphon madagascariensis, so be careful. Most Loricariid
catfish do not belong with plants. Like the cichlids mentioned
above, they simply grow too large. Those that don't may inadvertently
damage sword plants while scouring them for algae. Otocinclus
species are good for cleaning up any light fuzz and are always welcome.
If algae is lacking, supplement their diet with algae wafers or other
foods. American flag fish (Jordanella floridae) can be very
effective consumers of hair algae in new or temporarily unsettled
tanks, but there is a distinct possibility that they will devastate
the plants when the algae is gone.
As far as fish that are suitable for keeping with plants go, dwarf
cichlids like Pelvicachromis
and Apistogramma are great options. They thrive in thickly vegetated
aquariums and will
often breed in them. Gouramies, betas, rasboras, pencilfish, and Aphyosemion
bivattatum
have all done very well for me, and most small fish that can be considered
for community
aquariums and feel comfortable in planted aquarium water should as
well.
Next time, I'll cover algae in a bit more detail and talk about some
of my favorite plants that
are suitable for people just starting out.
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