# Plant question for Discus tank?



## Beerleader (May 31, 2005)

Hey guys I am moving in a week, and I have considered when I set my tank back up at the new house of getting some plants. Someone told me Discus like Java Fern, not sure if this is correct. But will I need to switch from gravel to sand first? Also since I have to clean/vacuum them more often than most fish will the plants make it harder to clean, or do they help in this process? And will I need to get CO2, new lights etc? I know nothing about plants in aquariums and how to maintain them, so it'll all be new to me! Thanks very much for any suggestions. Just not sure if it will be worth it due to cleaning? But I was also told that it makes you have to clean it less? Is this correct? THANKS!


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

What size tank?


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## Beerleader (May 31, 2005)

I'm wanting to do this in the 75 or the 55 gallon..not sure but not really too much difference in those sizes.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

For Java fern, substrate won't matter, as you grow it tied to rocks or wood. Also fairly low light works, but it won't grow very fast. Also you won't need CO2 for Java fern.

As for cleaning, you just move around the rocks or wood the JF is tied to to vacuum underneath it. At least that's what I do! If you have your rocks or wood stuck in the gravel rather than sitting on top of it I guess you can't do it and will have to vacuum around it. 

As for meaning less cleaning, well, happily growing plants will consume some of the bad chemicals (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) but a little Java fern isn't going to do much as it grows too slowly.


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## Beerleader (May 31, 2005)

Oh thanks so much wasn't aware of that! very interesting!

Also do you suggest anything else that is low maintenence as far as lights/co2 etc. But will also help out on consuming more of the wastes(ammonias, nitrates-ites etc), and anything else you know discus really like? Thanks a lot for your help!


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Generally the plants that grow best with low light (like java fern, java moss, anubias) are the slowest growing plants, and thus don't help out much with the wastes. All of these ones I mentioned are the tie-to-rock/wood type.

If you want help with cleaning up the water, without investing in good lighting, floating plants are a good idea. They get the most out of the light you have, and they can access atmospheric CO2, but all they have for ferts are the chemicals in your water that you want to get rid of! I have duckweed, salvinia, and water lettuce in various tanks. If you get too much of them you just take out a few handfuls. 

Plants like elodea and hornwort can also be floated, and there's the classic water sprite. I tend not to like these as much as floaters as they are larger and don't look as nice to my eye. Er, since your discus tank probably has a low pH, I don't think elodea or hornwort will grow well (they like the minerals in hardwater) but water sprite ought to do well.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

You will want the 75 gallon tank with the discus vs the 55. More room to turn around when they mature. Its possible but you really should go high tech if you want a planted discus tank. They perfer higher temps for one and while some low tech plants do well in increased temps, many will not. Add the fact that discus feel more at home in a their biotype, low tech plants won't cut it. Either go bare bottom (like in spawning) or a full out plant tank with onyx sand.


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## Cosmic Charlie (Jun 14, 2005)

How do you add onyx sand if you've already got an established tank? Do you just have to start all over, or is there a way to do it without starting all over. Seems like a hastle and a half.

I have a gravel substrate and would like to add plants. Is there something that I add to the already present gravel that will make it work? I, too would like to add discus.


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

A lot of people say you can have regular gravel in planted tanks, if you have an established tank then just leave it or add some flourite gravel ( ithink thats what it's called). Otherwise you could just go for 100 percent flourite.

And like I said in the other topic of yours, discus won't work in your 75 with all your fish.


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## Cosmic Charlie (Jun 14, 2005)

We're planning a revolution. Doing a little research. I told you that we're going to make whatever change necessary.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Some undemanding plants can grow fine in plain gravel. Some plants don't need a substrate at all, like floating plants or ones that are tied to rocks/wood. 

This is my own experience: I started off last November with a plain gravel bottom and wanted to add plants. Knowing that gravel isn't a very good substrate for growing plants, I got some of those perforated pots that aquatic plants come in, put some Flourite in them, and put these pots on my gravel. It looked lovely for about 2 weeks. Then I got reddish/brown algae. It never went away, but slowly turned into yukky black algae that covered everything and made the tank look dark and horrible.

We moved house in September and so I took advantage of that to change the substrate. I threw away most of the old gravel (just keeping a small amount to put in a stocking in hopes of keeping some of the bacteria). When I set up the tank in the new house I put in a substrate of 1" soil and 1" small grain, rough gravel. This substrate combination is very cheap and grows plants very well. I simply rinsed all the remaining plants in tap water and replanted them in the new tank. Still lots of the yukky black stuff clung to the leaves. Within a week I noticed some of the black stuff going away. Now, after a couple of months, the tank has very very little algae and the plants are growing well. 

And all I did was change the substrate. With the better substrate the plant s grew better and outcompeted the algae.

So yes, changing the substrate is a hassle. But if you really want a planted tank with a decent variety of plants, it is as important as getting some better lighting.


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