# Are real plants worth



## KHenshaw (Jun 26, 2005)

I have a standard 55gal im not to sure what the dimensions are but i know the length is around 3feet. I have several types of plants some amazon swords, some anabuis and some short grass like plants. They are slowly dying because there leaves are turning yellow etc, etc i am adding plant gro once a week and have one single 24inch bulb. Lighting seems to be the probelm but upgrading light fixtures can be so expensive and since my rbp's dont like the light should i just get wait till theplants die and then get rid of em and just leave gravel and diftwood in there? Are plants exetremly benefical to aquarium or can i do without?


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## Piranha Guy (Oct 22, 2003)

Plants imo are just for decoration and i would go with fake ones due to the work and cost that is involved with live plants. But thats just me, alot of people like the look of live plants and the fun of keeping them. But you do not need them in any way shape or form.


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Plants have a number of beneficial effects on your aquarium. For starters they feed off nitrates and ammonia which will immediately benefit your fish in terms of having better water parameters. As well, fish and plants interact hormonally giving the aquarium a far more natural water chemistry than is possible without. They oxygenate the water, they purify the water in ways that cannot be duplicated otherwise, and they promote much more natural water conditions than you could get without. I would say they're certainly beneficial to your aquarium, and while you can have a healthy aquarium without plants, you will never have a non planted aquarium AS healthy as a planted aquarium is.

Oh and you can upgrade your lighting with shop lights from home depot. Get a two strip 48 inch fixture for 20 bucks and your amazon swords will do great.


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

real plants really arnt that expensive(in most cases), and they look much better, and make your water much better then fake


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## KHenshaw (Jun 26, 2005)

its not that live plants are costly its keeping them. lighting can be expensive but since the idea of home depot for a light fixture worth 20$ that cheap but my dilema is simply that my rbp dont like the light and having 2 fixtures of 36 inches would be too bright for them and would make them even more scared.....i could wrap the lights in a candy can fashion but taht would l;imit the light to my plants.....does anyone have pictures of a well done silk planted tank? thanks.


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## Bawb2u (May 27, 2004)

You might be surprised at how much light piranhas will tolerate. With places in the plants to hide and no choice but to have fairly bright lights many p's will adjust fairly quickly. Nothing looks better than fish swimming through a living environment, in my opinion.


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