*Take the conversation to our Facebook Group! Many Aquarium Co-Op team members are active there during their work days and can answer questions. Plus, you can talk with other hobbyists in our community. Post pictures and videos to show us what you've been up to. 🙂* facebook.com/groups/AquariumGroupSupport/
I'm always a little surprised when people claim that natural sunlight is bad for aquariums, I've been strategically placing my tanks to get natural light for years and I've never had it cause anything but explosive plant growth!
That is so different from my results... over the years my aquariums would get varying degrees of sunlight, and all it ever did was cause algae overgrowth.
@@DeeGee-mv6eq There are a couple of factors that could cause that. Artificial light in addition to sunlight could potentially be too much, and if you have a ton of excess nutrients that could also cause algae growth. My tanks are so stuffed with plants, the little algae I do get is usually pretty easy to manage, even when a tank is getting natural sunlight. One of my main display tanks gets 9 hours of indirect sunlight and it only has a few minor patches of hair algae that never get bigger than a quarter, I just leave them alone because my shrimp like it.
I saw a great tip for easier planting in another Aquarium Co Op video. Instead of pushing the plant straight down it can be easier to get it to stay planted if you insert the plant at an angle, settle the substrate around it and then use your tweezers to push/lift the stem so its vertical. Since I learned that I've had way fewer plants end up floating and/or coming out with the tweezers.
One of the biggest boosts to a planted aquarium that you don’t realize until you aren’t doing it is consistent water changes. Makes a world of a difference.
@@brianthiel1488 no, it’s not always the point. I do it for the benefit of color. The added bonus’s are nice. I hardly fertilize as I use planted substrate and it does the job well.
@theangleraquarist the only reason to do a water change is to remove unwanted components from the tank as it's a glass box. Both bacteria and the plants complete the nitrogen cycle thus reducing the need for water changes unless overstocked with fish. Removing water and then adding new will deplete the tank of nutrients. New added water will add nothing beneficial besides possible trace elements, yet will take away more with the change. I see it as a blind practice.
Great tips, but you know what would be very helpful? An explanation of how much light plants need, and how to provide it. A brief discussion of brands and types of bulbs would be great. Without proper lighting, plants die.
Put soil mixed with light amounts of gravel on the bottom 1" deep, then cover with 5 inches of sand. Plant the plants towards the dirt, but don't disturb the layer of dirt at all. The roots will find their way into the soil. Use 10 varieties of plants. Some floating or non rooted. You need fish and a good amount of leaves on top of the sand. As long as you have fish you can go for years this way without water changes or even having to feed for long periods of time as your ecosystem develops. It's not just a glass box. A small jar of dirt can harbor life for decades without taking the lid off. A fishtank can be an incredibly diverse. Fill it with water that already has bugs and stuff living in it and let nature do its thing without chemicals and water changes. You do have to trim plants often if you have a lot of light and fish.
Just use liquid fertilizer and root tabs. Way easier to produce and maintain. Plants get between 60-80% of their nutrients through the water column so liquid ferts like easy green or seachems flourish line will get you mostly there, and the root tabs help round out the nutrition.
@@alternativeaquascaping517 That is mostly untrue, bad for the environment, expensive and wasteful. More work to maintain water changes than a tank that can go years without.
I use root tabs, but if I were to do it again, I'd follow Cory's advice of a quarter inch of potting soil and 2-3 inches of sand. Add 2-3 root tabs near plants every 6 months or so if they're root-feeding (in my case crypts) and liquid fertilizer once a week for water column feeding plants (anubias and Java fern for me)
*Take the conversation to our Facebook Group! Many Aquarium Co-Op team members are active there during their work days and can answer questions. Plus, you can talk with other hobbyists in our community. Post pictures and videos to show us what you've been up to. 🙂* facebook.com/groups/AquariumGroupSupport/
How else can I contact you because I'm too young to be on Facebook
Lizzies voice narrative is soothing.
I'm always a little surprised when people claim that natural sunlight is bad for aquariums, I've been strategically placing my tanks to get natural light for years and I've never had it cause anything but explosive plant growth!
That is so different from my results... over the years my aquariums would get varying degrees of sunlight, and all it ever did was cause algae overgrowth.
@@DeeGee-mv6eq There are a couple of factors that could cause that. Artificial light in addition to sunlight could potentially be too much, and if you have a ton of excess nutrients that could also cause algae growth. My tanks are so stuffed with plants, the little algae I do get is usually pretty easy to manage, even when a tank is getting natural sunlight. One of my main display tanks gets 9 hours of indirect sunlight and it only has a few minor patches of hair algae that never get bigger than a quarter, I just leave them alone because my shrimp like it.
I saw a great tip for easier planting in another Aquarium Co Op video. Instead of pushing the plant straight down it can be easier to get it to stay planted if you insert the plant at an angle, settle the substrate around it and then use your tweezers to push/lift the stem so its vertical. Since I learned that I've had way fewer plants end up floating and/or coming out with the tweezers.
Nice, that's a good way too if you're using curved tweezers - less floaters is always a win 😁 ~Lizzie
Helpful video! Thanks 😊👍
Another great informational video. Thank you.
Awesome content & Amazing footage! Keep up the amazing work!
Thank you for the advice it was helpful ❤
Very nice! Well done Lizzie
What substrate do you use on this video?
One of the biggest boosts to a planted aquarium that you don’t realize until you aren’t doing it is consistent water changes. Makes a world of a difference.
I consistently change the water in my tank. About 15% every 6 months for 10+ yrs now. It is awesome
@@charles_king nice! Some setups really thrive in different situations without many water changes.
The goal to a planted tank is less water changes. Must be your over dosing fertilizer.
@@brianthiel1488 no, it’s not always the point. I do it for the benefit of color. The added bonus’s are nice. I hardly fertilize as I use planted substrate and it does the job well.
@theangleraquarist the only reason to do a water change is to remove unwanted components from the tank as it's a glass box. Both bacteria and the plants complete the nitrogen cycle thus reducing the need for water changes unless overstocked with fish. Removing water and then adding new will deplete the tank of nutrients. New added water will add nothing beneficial besides possible trace elements, yet will take away more with the change. I see it as a blind practice.
Always great advice, thanks so much!
Thanks for the tips!
Thank you this is helpful
Good information
Aquarium Co-op can you do video on saltwater fish groups or family that have freshwater counterparts or species
Hey I'm working on my first aquarium and I want it to be a planted betta tank I already have normal java ferns what should I get next
Bettas love big leaves - anubias are a fav for them
@@happymom9255thanks I'm going to pay my grandma to order an Anubias off Amazon!
@@happymom9255 what else should I get
What kind of corydora is that? So cute
This is exactly the algorithm of me
I have kuli loaches and have never been able to maintain a slanted substrate. Those crazy little wigglers manage to level out the sand every time.
The gravel tool you used punched an OCD button I didn't knew I had!
I'll change the filter into HOB filter, and add more foreground plants
best garden of bettafish in tank
but definitely use hardscape to keep your slope from flattening out
Great tips, but you know what would be very helpful? An explanation of how much light plants need, and how to provide it. A brief discussion of brands and types of bulbs would be great. Without proper lighting, plants die.
How can i grow my plants in sand.
Put soil mixed with light amounts of gravel on the bottom 1" deep, then cover with 5 inches of sand. Plant the plants towards the dirt, but don't disturb the layer of dirt at all. The roots will find their way into the soil. Use 10 varieties of plants. Some floating or non rooted. You need fish and a good amount of leaves on top of the sand. As long as you have fish you can go for years this way without water changes or even having to feed for long periods of time as your ecosystem develops. It's not just a glass box. A small jar of dirt can harbor life for decades without taking the lid off. A fishtank can be an incredibly diverse. Fill it with water that already has bugs and stuff living in it and let nature do its thing without chemicals and water changes. You do have to trim plants often if you have a lot of light and fish.
Just use liquid fertilizer and root tabs. Way easier to produce and maintain. Plants get between 60-80% of their nutrients through the water column so liquid ferts like easy green or seachems flourish line will get you mostly there, and the root tabs help round out the nutrition.
@@alternativeaquascaping517 That is mostly untrue, bad for the environment, expensive and wasteful. More work to maintain water changes than a tank that can go years without.
I use root tabs, but if I were to do it again, I'd follow Cory's advice of a quarter inch of potting soil and 2-3 inches of sand. Add 2-3 root tabs near plants every 6 months or so if they're root-feeding (in my case crypts) and liquid fertilizer once a week for water column feeding plants (anubias and Java fern for me)
@@mr.monitor. educate yourself 👍
The least expensive background for your tank is aluminum foil. Crinkle it up for best look (3-D). No it doesn't promote algae.