Planted tanks

[teng_fred]

Hi guys, i am new here. I was thinking of putting a 2ft planted tank outside my flat and wish to have minimun care of it with fishes inside it to rid mosquitoes breeding. Do u think I can acheive that? What plants do u suggest to put? Can put floating plants? And what type of fishes that don't eat the plants? Of cos occasionally changing of water will be carried out to rid the fishes shit.

And also what do i need as base for the plants to grow well? Soil a must? Can i put pebbles instead? Will they grow?

Hope u get what i m writting abt!

[hirowen]

Hi guys, i am new here. I was thinking of putting a 2ft planted tank outside my flat and wish to have minimun care of it with fishes inside it to rid mosquitoes breeding. Do u think I can acheive that? What plants do u suggest to put? Can put floating plants? And what type of fishes that don't eat the plants? Of cos occasionally changing of water will be carried out to rid the fishes shit.

And also what do i need as base for the plants to grow well? Soil a must? Can i put pebbles instead? Will they grow?

Hope u get what i m writting abt!

Hi fred,

seriously it is not reccomended to have a planted tank outside, first of all the water will be heated up by the heat of the sun, and with the sunlight it will cause algae problem..However i have seen 1 of my neighbour done it b4, but he is using a styrofoam box to keep those pond-like floating plant and kept some fishes in it. wif that he dun not need to worry abt the algae problem.

if u r keeping those submerged plants, u will need to have gravel for the plants root to anchor themselves and take in nutrients. gravel size muz be small, around 1-2mm (if i not wrong )...u cant put pebbles cuz plant will have problem anchoring themselves. u cant put soil too, u will have a very dirty water.

[|squee|]

Unless of course the place you're intending to put the tank receives indirect sunlight.

Emergent growth will help alot here. You can have the Money plant anchored to some wood or something, along with some of the plants found commonly in vivariums. Lotuses too? Have a pump causing some water disturbance to help cool the water somewhat. Hardy and cheap fish in the waters. A layer of Aquasoil maybe? Floating plants can be included, but frankly it'll block all light below and you'll have a image of a dark depressing tank or something.

Normal common small fish that you find in LFSes mostly do not touch plants.

Just theories here