How to maintain aquarium plants?

[Jojo]

Hi guys,
Come across your site from today's paper. I have been interested in aquarium plant decoration all along. I have a 4' by 2' tank with mostly tetras with artificial plants. I have tried live plants but without success.
I hope to learn about how to keep and maintain live aquarium plants from experience members.

[barmby]

Hi Jojo, please click David's link HERE

This might be a good start

[wongce]

Hi Jojo,

Alternatively, you can read my blog
http://adf.ly/4253880/starting-new-tank

[David Moses Heng]

HI. Welcome to AQ.

We may have a series of workshops coming up for the last quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, continue to post and share with all the experts here and I believe most if not all would be more than glad to help.

Enjoy your hobby!

[Shadow]

For planted tank, you need to get the right equipment and material. Roughly below is what you need.
1. Light, not too much and not too little. It will be slightly tough since your tank is 2ft deep. Too much (too bright) light and you will invite algae, too little and it wont reach the bottom.
2. CO2, get pressurize CO2 with solenoid regulator even if your plant is not demanding or low tech tank. Plant will benefit from CO2 regardless species and light setup.
3. Water flow, plant do not have hand and leg to capture nutrient, you need to bring the nutrient to them by water flow. Typically 8-10 time your tank water volume will provide enough flow to the tank. Otherwise you can also add wavemaker or powerhead to improve the flow
4. Substrate/Soil, get fertile soil with high CEC (cation exchange capacity) this will allow you some slack in fertilizer dosing. ADA soil is one good soil, there are other soil but never try cannot comment.
5. Fertilizer dosing depending on your light intensity.
6. Temperature, plant are more difficult to handle at higher temperature.