# planted tank?



## B-rock (Mar 31, 2006)

Hey guys, I have a 180 gallon tank and I got a nice sized piece of driftwood in the middle. I have sand in my tank also. If I were to put live plants in, what do I have to do. Thanks in advance
Bri


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## B-rock (Mar 31, 2006)

bump for help
Bri


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## Guru (Apr 20, 2004)

How much light do you have on your tank.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

you need light, ferts and Co2, if you have lots of light.

With a 180g, I would stick with .lower light, because you are new at growing plants.. you could end up with an algea farm, and 48 hrs of cleanup, if you mess up on your fertilizing lol

1wpg of power compact light with reflectors, nitrate, phosphate, micros, potassium, and iron should do it


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## Fry (Oct 9, 2005)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> you need light, ferts and Co2, if you have lots of light.
> 
> With a 180g, I would stick with .lower light, because you are new at growing plants.. you could end up with an algea farm, and 48 hrs of cleanup, if you mess up on your fertilizing lol
> 
> 1wpg of power compact light with reflectors, nitrate, phosphate, micros, potassium, and iron should do it


nitrate, phosphate, micros, potassium, and iron??Are these all seperate ferts?or you just need an extra fert for the micro's and iron?


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

> nitrate, phosphate, micros, potassium, and iron??Are these all seperate ferts?or you just need an extra fert for the micro's and iron?


yes they are seperate. If you have any sort of higher light, you will have to add potassium, nitrates, and phosphates --and you said it, micros and iron


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## B-rock (Mar 31, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> you need light, ferts and Co2, if you have lots of light.
> 
> With a 180g, I would stick with .lower light, because you are new at growing plants.. you could end up with an algea farm, and 48 hrs of cleanup, if you mess up on your fertilizing lol
> 
> 1wpg of power compact light with reflectors, nitrate, phosphate, micros, potassium, and iron should do it


Now with all that stuff you mentioned (nitrate, phosphate, micros, potassium, and iron), how do I put that in my tank. Is it a liquid, cause my tank is up and going? I will post what kind of lights I have later on. Thanks a lot guys
Bri


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## timtest (Apr 26, 2006)

I'm just getting started on my first planted tank. got my fertz today.

You can either buy liquid fertz ie the Seachem line http://www.seachem.com/products/planted.html or Kent brands (which are expensive in the long run) or you can mix dry fertz into disttilled, or RO/DI water and dose them that way (the fact that the tank is up and running is no problem, you just dose them directly into the tank, they generally are liquid, you CAN mix in the dry fertz directly into the tank but i'd advise against that while you are still learning).

Unless you can afford the liquid pre mixed fertz, read this guide (read it 5 times! it's short and sweet) its what i'm using and i've learned a lot from it (and from everyone here, too).

http://www.rexgrigg.com/dosing.htm

little GregWatson plug. Every forum i've read they boast about his dry fertz (they work) and i got my order in 4 days which is pretty damn fast imo.


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## JustinRice (Feb 24, 2005)

Personally i wouldn't worry about ferts or power compacts starting off. a normal Flores light should do fine. I would start off with some Amazon Swords, small easy to maintain and P's love them. As for CO2 i wouldn't worry about that either. as long as you have a few fish in your tank they should produce enough co2 to let them thrive!

Justin


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## B-rock (Mar 31, 2006)

Thanks a lot guys
Bri


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