I'm 2 years in and I continue to learn more and more everyday. I think anyone new to planted tanks should start low tech, low light. Low light tanks can be stunning too except without all the expensive gear. A finnex stingray or two ( depending tank height ) and you are good to grow some much! Anubias vals dwarf sag crypts buce moss ferns lilys swords the list goes on for a while. Slow growth? yeah. But epic results and no algae! ✌😍
I agree. I keep my 40g breeder tank as a low tech, planted, community tank and all of the plants are thriving - even the carpet plant. So much so that they require weekly trimmings just to prevent my tank from looking like a jungle. I use Fluval Stratum substrate and the plants love it. My lights are on a timer so I don't have algae. I didn't spend too much money because I bought the tank off craigslist and the plants at an auction from a local fishkeeping community. The money I saved went towards buying the fishes I wanted.
saif rehman I have Val and Swords planted in soil from my garden. I capped the substrate with an inch or so of sand and slowly filled the tank. It will become awfully murky for the first days, but start to clear up a little. I did a 50% water change on day three and planted my plants. The tank is a cube 30gallon, filtered by a large sponge filter. It’s been up and running over 20 months and the plants are flourishing. We added a trio of Cory cats, a couple sword tails and guppies and a clown pleco along the way. Water stays crystal clear.
Don't buy plants from stores where they aren't already fully submerged if that's what you'll be using them for. They'll probably die (not just melt back) unless you spend a couple months slowly acclimating them to your water/tanks. They're generally too expensive and difficult for a newbie to deal with- this is coming from a newbie who stopped buying pretty hang tag "fully submersible" plants at Petsmart for that very reason.
creating gorgeous tanks has nothing to do with getting expensive stuff. It just makes things easier. If you don't learn the knowledge, then the most expensive or cheap equipment won't do anything for you.
I dunno. There really isn't that much to track in an established planted tank (Balance your N, P, w/Ferts) and spending a bit more for a good filtration and a ph controller makes it really easy.
If you get plants you can clone from clippings you don't need to spend much money at all. Just buy one type of each plant you want and then be patient.
I've downsized my aquariums twice to the point that i just keep 2 20gallon tanks, maintenance is minimal and time appreciating them is high. I was for-ever looking for more tanks, more projects instead of just enjoying and putting more effort and thought into what i already had. That's my biggest lesson in 5ish years
God bless you and God bless anyone reading this! Hope you have an awesome day! Seek him while you can! Jesus is the way and the only way and he is returning soon! Whenever you think you aren't loved... Remember the ultimate sacrifice was for love! ENDING YOUR LIFE IS NEVER THE ANSWER! For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV The wages of sin is death (hell) but Jesus paid our debt on the cross, for our salvation! We must turn to God and away from our sinful ways, Confess Jesus is Lord and believe with our hearts that he was risen from the dead by God, and we must be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit and live by His word and Commandments! Trust that God will help with the rest! Seek God today before it's too late! Today could be your last day on earth! Have a blessed day! ❗️❗️❤️
For a beginner in planted tank, I would recommend study a lot first. Check out the possibilities, definitely learn about "Walstad" method (read her book) and the surprisingly good results you can achieve with it (in comparison with high-tech) and low-tech aquariums before you spend a bunch of money for high-tech. You can do that at any time anyway..
Another approach is to buy used off of Craigslist. As mentioned most folks who start a new hobby spend a lot of money then lose interest - making for some real bargains.
Letgo as well. Got a 20 gallon with a filter, 2 heaters, 4 types of food, 1 water test strip kit, 4 medications and aquarium salt for 70 bucks- and it came with nice lava rocks too.
Just purchased a new 60 gallon aquarium, stand, canister filter and glass lids for $250... priced this same setup at that fish place $700++++, I think I did well. 😂😂😂
my mistake is that i went in the opposite direction - i went with the cheapest things possible without properly considering what was suitable (aside from tank size - my tank stayed unstocked until i sorted things out) and most of it broke/wasn't right for my setup so in the end i spent more money replacing everything than i would have if i'd gotten some decent quality equipment from the start... doesn't help that everything is so expensive in australia 😬 you live and you learn
Way I solved that problem... Got my 75 gallon tank and decor cheap (by trading), built custom 2X4 stand and sliding glass top instead of buying them, chose plants that don't need a substrate (ex: java fern), and went with minimum amount of sand that my loaches and cories needed until I could afford to buy more. The tank came with a filter, I just put sponges in there. Update: before I could build the stand, my brother got me a used one that he'd already had for the 75. Just needed fresh paint.
All great tips! One of the problems I have had is with plant melt. Not really an issue, but you can start out with a fabulous looking tank, and some start to die back and shrivel. I’ve lost a few. In time most grow back just fine but then often I’ll end up rescaping the tank because it all looks different again. Good to stay flexible. I have noticed that some plants will melt being moved from tank to tank (I have five). Even though they are all established tanks. I’m guessing each tank water condition is a little different , and lighting etc. plus, some plants are easy and durable, some just more sensitive. Lol, I think water sprite and Anubis are almost indestructible! I like the idea of starting smaller, getting to know your plants and how they’ll do for you....keep revising your scape as things grow and change. I wish anyone with a new tank or starting out to have fun with it! It’s a great hobby...so relaxing too...love it!
O_O holy heck, that person is going to spend my whole month's rent on a new aquarium setup?? Meanwhile, I'm over here trying not to spend more than $80...may have to raise my budget because I ended up spending most of that on the tank. I've never done a fully planted tank before.
Lmao, I thought this same thing hahahahaha. Honestly, if you do not care what the light looks like and you are creative on how you hang the light, home depot sells a 3ft LED light fixture with a power cord to the wall for $15 plus tax. It is very similar to a T5 or a fluorescent style of bulb, so it is very maneuverable on an aquarium. They also sell 2ft and 4ft lights in double and single fixtures, but it all depends on your tank size you are going to be using and what plants you are trying to grow. I wanted to test at how well these could grow plants, and I was honestly very surprised after seeing plant growth in just a couple of days in my 29G haha. These are pretty strong lights rated at 4K and 3000 lumens for the 3 ft fixture. It isn't pretty, but it definitely gets the job done, and it also doesn't hurt our bank accounts so it's a win win in my book lol. Also, I have been using these for 2 months now and my plants are growing beautifully still. I have a clean up crew of 6 nerites, 1 clown pleco and 11 corydoras who are constantly eating the algae, or else I am very sure I would have an algae farm lol. Just another thing to keep in mind.
Im in 400. 6p for a 10 gal tank. 90 on plants, 30 on soil, 30 on dragonstone, 20 on a light, and the rest on stuff the fish needs, heaters, cleaners, ex. The first time i had a fish it was like 100 and it wasnt good stuff cuz i was a noob my poor fish BUT ive done a lot of research and yah going all in now. 🤣😂🤣
Currently I have a 75g planted. It's going pretty good. I've been in the hobby since I was 13 and am now 66. As you well put, I've my successes and failures My current tank has a Fluval 407 filter and a Tidal 75 hob. My light is a Fluval aqua sky. To be honest my most successful planted tank was a 55g I had many years ago. Substrate was sand blasting grit. The light was a shop light with no special bulbs. The only filter I had was a small hob. The plants were nearly out of control it did so well. It's very easy to go low tech and get great results. Lots of luck to everybody.
Hello there. I've been using the walstad method of growing plants in my aquariums for about six years now. My first aquarium I started out just a 5 gallon quickly ended up with seven aquariums including a 150 all heavily planted only buying enough plants for 30 gallon aquarium. The dirt I used was from my backyard and red hobby clay rolling the clay in marble size balls. The lights I used were 65k CFO bulbs from Walmart and converted a light strip to use those bulbs the first aquarium I started I had less than $60 total invested in it just from the cuttings from that Aquarium I was able to fill five other aquariums in just a matter of months. The walstad method needs no CO2 or any kind of fancy lights as long as you stick with 65k bulbs. Also my last two cents here is if you have any kind of actual gardening experience Outdoors or just keeping houseplants the absolute best advice I can give you after you plant the aquarium is leave it alone for two months and let them eat themselves and do what they may then you can propagate transplant move and etcetera.
Once thing to consider is led light length. Some tanks, like my 20g long, can be 30". (most lights only come in 24",36", 48" etc. In my experience as 1 year into plants, it's much easier to do plants with a 30g , 20g or less. 20 is a great size for plants. My 20g is awesome. The 38g I had trouble trying to get lighting good with the big height. Many plants are great when they are small. Some plants get messy when they grow tall. Big tanks get planes that grow taller. Small tanks can better use small plants.
I am growing mine in a 30 gal long & mostly stem plant's & hornwort planted & there BOOMING, but I want to get me a 120 gal tank for SOME guppies for fertilizer.
This boosted my confidence so much. I'm new to planted aquarius and just got some Java ferns for my betta tank. I'm glad you said that even experts kill their plants because it's really easy to feel like a failure when you're just starting
Decent video but I think it could have been summed up in 2-3 minutes. Beginners should start small and affordable and learn and build and get bigger as you go. Thanks for your effort and I look forward to new videos from you.
The best thing to have for beginners, is a great local mom and pop aquarium shop, with people who will not over sell you. I'm grateful to have one myself, just down the street.
Sorry to comment again. LOL but there really is no need to go super expensive at all in this Hobby a simple walk by the river to find Driftwood and get it cleaned up and then find some plants online or if you live towards the South we were in Florida on vacation visiting my son at Air Force Base we found a creek I pulled a bunch of plants from that through dinner cooler and brought him home and they did absolutely beautiful again you can start this hobby with a 55 gallon aquarium and have it completely done and ready for probably under $50 if you don't overspend and just show some restraint and patience patience being the most important of all. Never by so many plants that you actually fill your aquarium to where it looks like one you've seen at the beginning of this video they will never work just be patient and let the plans do their thing
I really appreciate this video. I'm just getting into this hobby and it's very easy to get dazzled by all the stuff people say you "need". After watching this I think I need to look again at what is realistic for me as a beginner. Thanks.
It is very easy to overspend but I would add that buying all the equipment is necessary at once. At least it can give you a better chance at succeeding at a nice tank. Just don’t buy the top of the line for everything, but if you have money go ahead!
I’m new to the hobby. I have a 6.7 gallon tank with gravel, with a betta. I ordered Anubias nana. And a dwarf sword. Hopefully goes great. I researched videos and web links.
First off you had me laughing at you trying to talk over the baby. I'm a preschool teacher and my ears picked it up right away.👶👶😘😘 New subscriber! I have been taking care of goldfish for the majority of my life. I went from a 36 gallon tank to a 60 gallon tank because I wanted more fish and more room for the biggest one. I purchased the tank and stand from Petsmart, it came with LED lights which I've never had before. I wanted live plants too, with the lights I started noticing algae growing on the glass, ornaments and plant. Doing some research now I know its the lighting. I only have them on for a little while now. I love this tank but it takes me more time to clean it than it does my whole house.😂😂😂😂😂 I'm 5'4 and the tank on its stand is pretty high, I watched a couple if videos and saw folks using a step stool.😋 Another issue I had the water wasn't crystal clear as the videos, I purchased a UV light for around $35.00 and it cleared the issue right away plus I have 2 filters. ( Don't trust myself with the canisters)😽 I bought, 2 types of plants from Petsmart, for around $5.00 a piece. There were 7 plants in total. I totally agree don't spend time of money. I decided I wanted to align some plants going across the back of the tank. The pros make it look so easy, just stick a plant in the substrate and hookus pookus! Every time I would try to put a plant in the substrate it would fall over. Well after about an hour or so, I finally got all 7 plants to stand up. Now, everything looked so cute, until I woke up the next morning all 6 plants were floating on top of the water. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I had 2 little vases holding artificial flowers, I scooped the plants out bunched them up with a rubber band attaching my artificial plant along with it and it looks just as good as my previous plans. The last plant standing I saw one of the big goldfish swoop by it and knock it down.😂😂😂😂 I scooped it out and just placed it in the filter. You live and hopefully you'll learn. One more thing a while back when I had a 20 gallon tank with 1 goldfish, I had pebbles in my tank. I kept noticing the fish would such up the pebbles along with her food. Most times she would spit the pebbles back out. Once she got one stuck in her mouth, I some how managed to remove it. I have had sand in my tanks ever since!
Thanks for the tips. I have had aquariums for at least 25 years but only started trying live plants a little over a year ago. It’s a whole new world for me and I have learned so much from watching your videos. I appreciate all the tips and advice. The things that might seem obvious to seasoned plant keepers is great info for newbies like me.
My advice is keep it simple. Good substrate. Fluval stratum is the best I've used so far. Decent lights. They don't have to be the most expensive. And last but not least you better have a lot of time on your hands to do water changes and maintenance. Best advice is put some sand in the tank and buy a goldfish.
@@ryanwilson5936 The most common reason is a bigger tank. I bought two from people who gave up and it was insanely cheap. Nothing on them a mild acid can't clean. Often the glass is the cheapest part which can be replaced. The lid and carrier are expensive.
alis49281 Oh, I know all about expensive tanks, I like rimless and have 3. None over 25 gallons though but still pricey for the sizes. I just don’t like used aquarium gear. You never know what’s lurking in the dark waiting to rejuvenate in your nice newly setup tank. I also like to scape heavily and it’s a total bummer putting in the time, effort, resources, and cash to end up with someone’s else’s algae or parasites. I guess if I knew the seller personally and knew their tank habits it may be different but I don’t know those people soooo lol. Let me clarify, used aquarium gear *that is in direct contact with water* like pumps, hoses, filter components, rocks, wood, basically everything but lights and fish lol. I don’t use lids since I use rimless tanks and I build all of my own stand for next to nothing. I am glad that you got a killer deal though. Stuff like that is what makes the hobby go round. 🐡🌱🌿
@@ryanwilson5936 well, if you ever get something on some of your aquarium gear, clean it with vinegar concentrate (wear goggles and breathing protection). This kills most bacteria, virus and parasites on the aquarium hardware and gets rid of mineral stains. Most importantly: It kills TBC. It doesn't kill worm eggs, but for that rocks/gravel/sand is cooked. The acid can also remove heavy metals from rocks/gravel. it is a bad habit of many as well to use one set of gear for multiple tanks when one tank is sick without cleaning the gear. I learned it is impossible to not get a wide range of algaea species when the tank is withoud a lid in summer - with a balanced biology they are only on rocks and glass where I can clean or enjoy the natural look.
I started with a 5 gallon moved to a 10 a few months later then did a 20 long and just last week finally set up a 35 gallon acrylic tank with nice drift wood and nice plants it did cost more to scape it but I’m happy with the result.
THINGS I WISH I KNEW EARLIER ABOUT ALGAE: I fully agree with the points raised here. I have a 200 litre mid range / budget planted aquarium with a soil base. I use Liquid Carbon instead of a co2 bottle. You can get 2.5 litre bottles of it from ebay for like £20 and thats about 7 years supply! The hardest thing about a planted aquarium in soil is fighting algae / bacteria on plants as they grow. My advice is to start an aquarium on cheap hardy plants for the first 6 months. Things like like java fern, anubias to attach to rocks if you want to give height. Also I have two really good tips for combating algea and even worse "green slime" algae... When you first set up a planted tank with fertile soil, excess neutrients in the water and it makes algae grow. The best / cheapest thing to help with this I found was to get A TON of fast growing plants to suck up the neutrients between regular 40% water changes. My favourite plant for doing this is Hygrophila Polysperma which is easy to find online or in shops. It grows super fast which enables you to you to cut it back every 7 days and re-plant the cuttings to make more for free! After 4 weeks you can have an aquarium filled with this stuff and it helps you keep control of algae. You can always remove it to make space once the aquarium starts to mature (maybe after 6 months or so). The key is patience and regular maintanance / water changes. Also keeping a "clean up crew" of fish like corydoras catfish, flying fox, and yoyo loaches is an absolute must for me. My best ever tip is: If you have a problem with "green slime algae" (which is actually cyanobacteria) use "Ultralife Blue Green Slime Stain Remover" I took me 10 years in the hobby to find it but it works REALLY WELL and I lost 0 fish when I used it.
I think there is nothing wrong in spending a lot in equipment for an experiment aquarium (if you have the money) because the equipment wont die if the experiment goes wrong but i agree in not spending very much in fish or plants if you don`t have experience because if it goes wrong it goes all to waste. But for equipment i think that it is better to go full on at first becasuse in the long run it will be cheaper to get there than to start cheap and have to buy all the stuff to get to a good equipment aquarium (wow that is not very well written but i have no time jahahaha)
Great video, want to be successful with plants buy them from H2O and do the research before buying as to what they need to grow optimally and what they will look like full grown. Then sit down and sketch out a design what it will take and cost to achieve. Some plants you can grow with diy or less expensive lights and substrates. Some plants will grow and some may not depending on your water, lighting etc. No two tanks are a like. I have lights, substrate and ferts that should grow almost any plant and yet they still die. I started buying test plants and went with eventually worked. Voila my jungle was achieved with low to mid light plants and didn't break the bank. Great advice as always Justin.
Great info as I try to figure out what to do when you've been binge-watching RUclips and you have an empty tank sitting in front of you 😂🌿🌱🐟🐠 thank you for a great video!! Stay safe and well much love from Portsmouth Virginia!❤️🙏
High tech setups aren’t required for half of the plants in the hobby. Co2 and fertz help speed up the growing times, but they aren’t required. If you have patiences you can get the same result without them, (unless you won’t very specific plants) as long as you are willing to wait a lot longer for it to grow in.
To piggy back off video, You can get an all inclusive cheap aquarium that has led lights, and filter from Walmart, Petco, Petsmart that works and is cheap. You can then grab an aquarium heater and your all in with about $60-70 tops! Then all you need are hardy plants that don't ask for much. Annubias, Crypts, Stygo Repens, Bucephalandra (can be pricey but super nice plant that is actually forgiving for beginners), and Java Fern are all nearly bomb proof for beginners. All of these plants also multiply (I'll admit super slowly) so if you are starting with a small tank it also allows you to grow out your plants affordably. If you grabbed one of each of the plants I'm mentioning you would likely spend $50-70 total and actually have a decently filled in 10 gallon aquarium within a 3-4 months. I did this with (2) 10 gallon aquariums (grown out over 3 years) and moved up to a 55 gallon aquarium. I then had to buy more plants because the plants I thought I had enough of wasn't sufficient. The other thing that isn't so obvious and isn't mentioned often enough is planted aquariums require patients, and practice to gain awesome results! Oh, and if you work with the above plants you don't need co2, or fertilizers for these plants. They will obviously grow way better and faster, but will do just fine without. And just know the light that comes in these aquarium kits I mention is fairly poor, but works well enough to get started. Just KISS the process (Keep It Simple Silly) and choose one plant at a time. As they seem to be doing well choose another and so on. But don't forget to be careful with the fish you choose. some of them eat plants, or disrupt them by digging them up, etc.
thanks for mentioning the fact that co2 isn't an absolute priority. was worried about needing to learn about a whole new setup but i'm only getting a few small simple plants like the ones you mentioned. its gonna be a learning process!
Absolutely. And it's a fun process. Just listen to what all the popular channels are recommending plant wise that are easy to grow and go from there. Pay special attention to the plant requirements with regards to how they grow. Best example.. Cryptocoryne wendtii (super easy) and chain sword (little less easy) gets buried into the sand/gravel (which ever you choose) substrate and Annubias, Java fern, bucephalandra gets attached to hardscape items (rocks or wood). Common methods include wedging between rocks, or wood imperfections, tied on by sewing thread, fish line or even simply crazy glued (gel based such as Dap works well). Last trick, just watch out how close you place these plants to the surface of the water. Some like it, and some simply grow to slowly and end up growing algae on them by being to close to the waters surface (allows fro higher light concentration)....Might want to simply watch a few videos on lighting as well. Also equally important on plant choices. The water box youtube channel does a super solid explanation on this one. totally worth watching to understand how aquarium lights get rated, what it all means, and so forth. Made me understand what I'm doing allot better.
Java fern turns black and rots away for me. It looks ragged at local pet stores too. I suspect there is something about the water around here it doesn't like (I bought mine online and it came in lush and beautiful). :::shrug::: I have a few other plants that are doing really well, like my nana petite, crypt parva, wisteria, and APONOGETON ULVACEUS (not sure if that has a common name).
@@CERULEANSPIRAL Java fern often suffers from a lack of potassium. If your java fern gets black dots on the leaves that turn into holes, this is probably the case.
So much truth in this video. I started with a 27L, 45cm long tank and really it used simple plants to try my hand at planted tanks... It was horrible... I had gravel, no CO2, I didnt dose any fertalizers and I over stocked my tank... I was the stereotypical new aquariest and I admit it.... But then I decided I wanted a beautiful, vibrant and colourful tank. So I got a 90cm long 120L tank and started with a medium quality substrate and some rocks I found in my yard, with cheap driftwood from my LFS. My tank had begun but I had no light. At this point in time I only bought things with Gift Money (bdays) so I was on a very tight budget. I ended up building a lid with place for 2 LED tube light fittings. That worked well for the first year of the tank and I saw decent growth but my tank still wasnt what I wanted from the hobby. But it was getting better. I got myself a fert kit (seachem) however I then ended up moving house and had to dismantle the tank for transport. Upon arriving at my new house (and job) I though this was a great opportunity to ramp it up. As I had almost everything I needed all I had to do was get a better substrate (eyeing out more High Tech Plants) and a reliable CO2 (at this point I had been using DIY, but the tank was much too big for the setup I had). So I set it all up, CO2 pumping (Fire Extinguisher setup for half the price of most brands), over filtering (turning tank volume 14x per hour), plants were filling out and I was dosing Seachem's range of ferts. All was great but now my DIY LED lighting was not enough... so I took the lid off an replace it with a T5 Double Fixture Flourecent. This was 3 months ago and I have never seen my tank explode like it did over the last few month. But I would never have gotten to this point without the trial and error method explained in the video. Start low tech. its not important to have the craziest and best products on the market, because now you have goals to set, part to buy and things to upgrade to. In doing so you also end up with an abundance of standby supplies for breakages or new tanks. But most importantly its how you learn and develop yourself as a planted aquarium hobbiest. If it wasnt for the wasted money and countless hours on my tank I would have taken the hobby for granted and probably have lost interest. Now though I find myself setting up a 7G Extremely High tech tank over the next few months and stocking it with very demanding plants and taking it know knowing that I have the knowledge to ensure the tank will be a success.
Im a beginner maybe 5 months into the hobby. And i always go on a budget. I knew things were gonna die and it wasnt going to be easy. Ive bought monte carlo, repens and they didnt make it. Plants like java fern, amazon swords worked well for me! With low lights no CO2. Right now my only problem is algea! So annoying.
I don't recommend going under 30g if you're new to the hobby. Water quality is harder to maintain in small tanks and when things go wrong it happens faster. A 29 gallon is fairly cheap and would give more room for error. I currently run a 46g bowfront as im in an apartment until I can save to buy a house so my 75 gallon is in storage. The 46 is a beautiful tank and while I did spend some decent money on it I could have saved some money here and there by buying t5 lights instead of expensive LEDs for example. I just feel many new to the hobby buy a small tank then over populate with fish and lose interest due to the difficulty of maintaining the tank where a larger tank would be easier to control parameters while looking better for not a whole lot more money.
Yep! That was absolutely me yesterday! I have recently gotten back into fish, bettas to be exact.- Got him a 10 gallon tank and was ready to jump right in and giving him an amazing live plant home. - The lady there absolutely refuted about the beginner plants, i.e. Annabuis & a java fern just to Start off. I thought, "Ok"..maybe she knows more than me....EVEN after the past 3 months of betta research I have done! $229 later and I can still not find 90% of these plants or How to properly plant safely and not uprooting & floating about... Ahhhh!!!! Exactly DO NOT be a me .
I'm just starting out, and going low tech. I got a 20g high at Petco's dollar/gallon sale. I'm planning on a Finnex Stingray 2 for light, a fluval submersible filter, some cheap round field stones, (maybe I'll splurge for a bit of Manzanita), aquasoil and sand, anubias nana and petite, dwarf four leaf clover, hydrocotyle tripartia Japan, crypts, ludwigia, hornwort, and bacopa. Once things get settled I want to add a school of white clouds, powder blue gourami, cherry reds, and maybe a few Amano. I'm excited to see how this goes! 🤩
I dont know what Americans like about budget tanks. I would recommend to buy a 10-15 galon tank but high tech components. I see no reason to buy 'Bad' products just to safe some money. But there are also a lot of things people buy which they could just not buy because its unnesessary (bubble counters for example). Just my opinion and please excuse my Bad English, its not my language.
HALLELUJAH! Best advice period in this hobby - don't pay retail and don't believe the sales pitch. If you look at my fishroom, not one tank in it cost over $150 complete (excluding fish) and most probably average out to around $50ish. I do have some moderately priced Hygger lights (they are great, but not necessary), but have been switching everything over to cheap bright white led's ... my fishroom is a jungle in and out of water. For some of the super picky plants you may need some co2, but it doesn't require big $, just do some research. Thanks for the vid, I always appreciate and applaud honesty in the Aquarium hobby. P.S. don't waste money on stupid canister or hob filtration ... set up your tank properly and it will run itself, some simple sponge filtration as an added backup - cheap and effective
I’ve been in the Hobby since I was 8-years old, and I turn 52 in a few days. I’m still a relative newbie with plants, but I have them in all of my tanks. I struggle to keep them flourishing, but I have found Anubias Nana to be bullet proof. I just converted a 10-gallon tank to a planted tank substrate called flora max, and bought some bulb plants from PetsMart and suddenly I have a jungle! My tanks are kits with the stock LED lights they come with the kits. I am running low tech, and I’ve used Root Tabs and Co2 Booster to help them grow. I recommend not spending a ton of money until you figure out what you can grow well.
Can you recommend a good carpeting plant for beginners. I assume I will need a plant substrate, right now I have small river rock substrate, with only pothos on the top. I dont Co2 or grow lights. I am taking baby steps with lots of research and asking questions... lol. Thanks.
I'm the opposite, to a degree, I'm 32. I've been planting as a hobby since, well I can remember. My grandma, who raised me, had a huge garden and always kept indoor plants. It's the 🐟 I'm new too.
I've had tanks since I was about 13 yrs old. I like many smaller tanks so I can have different kinds of fish. My tanks have gotten overgrown as the plants grow like crazy. I never used CO2. Just get the tank, filter, heater and air stone and thermometer. Just have fun. the sad times is when fish die, but life goes on.
Great video, so many people come into my shop saying they want to have a fully aquascaped tank like they see online but have never owned a fish tank in their lives 😆 they always seem so shocked when I tell them what it costs and how much time it’s going to take to learn even the basics
I got a 30gallon tank and 12 plants for $120 Hyggers Underwater Foam filter $20 HYGGERS AIR PUMP $40 HYGGERS HEATER $25 CO2 regulator with bubble counter and synoid regulator ($40) CO2 diffuser ($30) Large Bag of fine black gravel ($15) Topsoil ($5) Rocks and wood (free on ranch) Lid was $15 made using plexiglass Lighting was $50 Overall $320 was my cost for my aquarium set up.
I'm coming from saltwater to freshwater(Tired of the reef I'm afraid). Planning to use my rimless 90ga planet aquarium setup for it. I have.....well I've got more light than even the reef needed avalable, but was hoping to use my 4 bulb T5 fixture, even if it mean just running 2 bulbs. How over kill is that in your opinion? Also curious: I obviously have a pretty large RO/DI unit. I'm assuming the DI is a bit excessive, but is it worth keeping the RO unit around and adding nutrients in as needed?
IMO lights are overrated, in my nano tank I have a fluval plant nano and on my 120 I run a Plant 3.0 and every time I ramp it above 80% of the power algae takes over… Any cheap light at 100% power will do the trick, I keep using fluvals because I love the app and all the personalized controls, not for the power, they are very well overpowered.
lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the cube looks 100x better than your "high end" 90g long. feels bad. though if you want to just buy a full on completely mature and ready "paradise" planted tank, $2,000 will buy you a few so yeah.
Lol it’s expensive and addicting. I started with a 10 gallon fish tank, and I’ve only been doing this for six months and now I have 5 tanks I have a 10 gallon a 40 gallon a 55 gallon is 60 gallon and a 30 gallon fish tanks so far they’re all doing very well but I’m only five months in so we will see how they go😅 oh, I think my favorite tank is my 60 gallon tank because I have all sorts of stuff in there. It’s my favorite community. I have angelfish, one golden ram Cichlid, one blue ram Cichlid, and a bunch of swordtails, a couple, neon tetras and some Cory cats and then I have a bunch of other fish, all I Gotta say is if you put your mind to it, you can do anything plants are. the easy part… getting the fish to survive and making sure you get the right ones so they don’t have aggression issues, is the hardest part in my opinion
I just bought some plant's from you just a week ago & they are doing great, I watched your video here I agree with what your saying go as cheap as you can & grow from there that's how I'm doing it. I have pond goldfish in a 110 gal stock tank & I have a 30 gal long fish aquarium that I'm growing the plant's in to get them started so come next year by April - May I'll have some good plant's going to where I can do something BIGGER & BETTER 👍
Bah, $1,200 - $1500 for an aquarium BEFORE plants? You've MUST have come across reef aquarist. They'd think this is cheap. Anyway, there is always Craigslist , or you can join a local club, get to know those people and buy hand -me-downs. Many clubs have swap meets some have member auctions for livestock.
I started a planted tank 3 weeks ago. It looks pretty rough! Some plants are still there and others are melted. I’m worried I’m messing something up. I think I’m struggling how to balance ammonia/nitrate/nitrite with plants in the tank.
I have been doing planted aquariums for a few years now and getting fairly successful… when i started i killed every single plant i bought for the first 6 months but its just a learning process
Don't kid yourself that with two Walmart LED shop fixtures you will get an aquascape. 1: they are fine for growing plants..but look bland. 2: Don't kid yourself that your water and fish poop is all you need to grow plants. 3: If you don't go CO2? At least use Iron and Potassium. Nobody has magic water to grow plants well. You have to spend for something. My advice on Swords,Anubia,Hygrophila and Java fern and relatives?..Iron at the very least.
I'd say get: 1.CO2 system (Cuz you will eventually get it anyway), 2.Nice dimmable light ( Chihiros probably the cheapest in that level), 3.Soil substrate ( dont go with just gravel or sand, cuz you will want to try many different plants in this journey). Amazonia or tropica probably way to go. those three will give you more chance of success in growing many plants. 4. Filter ( there is no such a thing as over filtration). UV light is privilege but Diana Walstad recommended it, so I am just throwing it out there. 5. Hardscape ( no need to rush to get a wood or rock, take your time. but if you see something you like, get it without doubt) 6. Ferts ( depends on what you grow, I got low light system without ferts because nutrition from soil is enough. but with medium to high light I'd recommend get one.) 7. Plants. ( Do research before buying. Some needs higher lighting than the other. This way you will learn where to place your anubias/buce in your tank) PS; if it has black beard algea or any visible algea, dont risk to buy it. I learnt the hard way.
I’m switching from the expensive and heavy husbandry world of reefing to a more relaxed and affordable freshwater hobby. Will I be able to use my reef lights for a planted tank? My Corals thrived under them. Thanks 🙏
spend your money if you have it :).. certainly will increase your chances :). I'm a newbie, I haven't "killed" my plants YET, but I am struggling with growth and making my tank look pretty.
Your video is great...I want to get into the planted tank hobby. Would have been great to start small but I couldn't turn down a 75 gallon tank, stand, 48 inch current usa marine LED light (x2), heater and fluval 406 filter for $100. So guess I'll be starting big. Lol. And before people go nuts thinking I was sold broken junk. I've been running the tank with fish for almost a year without issue. The only thing I replaced was the aquastop on the fluval...and of course the media.
Good equipment doesn't mean good results, and good advice about buying one plant first and seeing how it does, i wish i done that instead of waisting 100 bucks on UG only for it all to melt ,there must be around 150 clumps of it and i think after 11 days every one is done for been removing slime for the past week
Do you have any luck growing "Bolbitis Difformis" submerged in your aquarium ? If yes please post a plant profile on this plant. Go to Amazon and Ebay and type "Bolbitis Difformis" and you will see a ton of these dirt cheap plants for sale. If this plant is so great, cheap, and easy to survive then why I don't see many RUclips videos on this plant growing in an aquarium submerged ? This terrestrial plant is sold as an aquarium plant online. Is this "Bolbitis Difformis" suitable for aquarium submerged or is a terrarium plant that lives in an aquarium ? What do you know about this plant "Bolbitis Difformis" ? Dirt cheap Bolbitis Difformis (Bolbitis heteroclita) plant is native plant to Asia. Expensive rare African Water Fern (Bolbitis heudelotii) is native plant to Africa. I do know Bolbitis Difformis (Bolbitis heteroclita) and African Water Fern(Bolbitis heudelotii) are not the same plant.
My first fish tank ever was 50 gallon planted Aquarium. I jumped in head first I think I do that in every Hobby I get into. I guess I felt confident having a little knowledge in botany and fish. I did go through my struggles but with RUclips it was manageable
Plants are expensive as hell and if you don’t know how to take care of them they will die. You’ll be dumping more money into plants than you probably will fish. Also start small, see how they grow and try to get starts from your plants. Your tank can totally grow with your skill, plants can be put in any time! If you decide later you just need CO2 injection, your substrate and fertilizer isn’t cutting it, then you can dive into it. My 29 gal aquarium is doing great without co2, I have about 8 watts on my lights (they are low to medium) and the bulbs in my light are specifically for plant growth. Also, substrate is expensive, but you can layer. I have about an 3/4 inch of humate on the bottom and a 2 1/2 to 3 inch layer of quartz aquarium rock on top. Works great.
My first planted tank will be my fourth aquarium. Found a 20 gallon tank at a yard sale for $20, pitched out all the rainbow colored plastic decor, my wife found an Aqueon HOB for two bucks at a thrift store, then bought a heater, wave maker, and substrate for about $60 total and a florescent hood light for $12. You're first car shouldn't be a Ferrari. As far as learning the hobby? RUclips University!
My advice is to be willing to pay a lot for nice things that will LAST. A beautiful stone, piece of driftwood, lamp... all of this will last. Aquariums you can get at sometimes even half the price secondhand, so I just acquire good deals on the way and keep them in storage and pull em out once I'm ready to do something with them. Do not start by splurging on plants. And I don't even advise splurging on fish and anything live that will die. Or soil that you will toss. The rocks, the woodpieces, the gear... that's what will last through most of your failures and will make setting up new systems easier. I once ended up buying off half the stuff of an aquarist who was moving (I didn't really want it back then, I came for rocks :D :D ) and I've been so grateful for it so many times. It's great for small experiments etc. I've tossed hundreds on rare aquatic plants that died on me :D Same for people who are getting started in keeping flowers. The flowerpot will last you much longer and,... the pot makes the plant ;)
Well it sounds like this guy just wanted to buy his way to a perfect high tech planted aquarium. You can’t buy knowledge, it comes from experience over time, that is the first thing this fellow needs to learn. You know,.. wax on, wax off!
Due diligence comes first with any pet; read up on it first. Fish keeping ... learn the nitrogen cycle thoroughly and get a good understanding and knowledge of what it does and why it is absolutely necessary and essential to the good health of your fish. Learn about water chemistry for both planted and non planted aquariums. Start small. 10 gallon with substrate and a good grade of sponge filter as an ATI. and a decent two gang adjustable flow pump. Learn about how to deal with chlorinated water and how to properly cycle your new tank before placing fish inside ( extremely important! ). A decent LED lighting fixture can be had for $20. Java Fern on wood and or Anubias ; maybe a bananna plant and a rock or two scaled to size the of your 10 gallon aquarium.? Wood does help bring down PH and softens the water a bit. Forget pleco's for the time being. I would recommend 2 or 3 small Cory catfish and some other small species fish. Maybe a half dozen for starters. Read first about them in terms of their ease of keeping. Some easier than others. The main advice is to start small after thoroughly informing yourself. Lastly learn about proper feeding of your fish and proper weekly and daily maintenance. Above all stay interested and connected to your hobby by further reading and using excellent resources such as RUclips. Listening to the knowledge and sometimes mistakes, other times tips and DIY advice of others in the hobby will be very beneficial to you. Always critically evaluate all you read or hear and take decisions based on your own judgement. Comparing notes from different and varying resources is highly advised. Otherwise good luck with your hobby.
Honestly, research is your friend. Always research first. Having aquariums, in general, is a mixture of art AND science and science requires research. That said if you live in a place that aquariums don't have clubs or societies, testing a large variety of plants, fish, and lighting. Personally, I didn't need an expensive light to grow the aquarium plants that I have despite the only windows being on the North side of my house. I have the LEDs from the 10 gallon Aqua Culture tank I bought from Walmart for around 30.00 USD (the entire kit included the tank, the filter, the heater, and the hood with lights.). I also only have a cheap bubbler on my planted tank (no CO2) that I sourced years ago secondhand. There are relatively inexpensive options for most items that you need. In my case, all of these options have allowed me success with my tank without needing a 6 figure startup cost. I know I don't have videos on my channel yet, but I'm hoping to start soon, so if you're interested in what my tanks look like, keep an eye out for an upload.
Most people don’t seem to understand that if you have a piece of a plant with a node, you have a whole plant. My poor LFS gave me for free three “dead” stems of Rotala walichii and two “dead” stems of Alternanthera reineckii, and now I have four whole Rotala walichii plants and six Alternanthera reineckii plantlets three weeks later. All the cryptocorynes in my tanks are from “dead” plantlets from balls of algae I bought from my LFS for pennies. I don’t even want to buy a whole plant- they look much better when you propagate them from a cutting in the new aquarium because they don’t have a chance to melt back and look hideous.
Also, I disagree. If you have 2k to drop on the best stuff I think you should. Especially if your goal is a large 75+ gallon tank. If you don't your going to spend hundreds trying out garbage lights co² equipment etc... If you have the best tools available, you can learn to use them. Versus finding out you bought 500$ in tools and they're useless.
Hello there :-) i was thinking about growing plants but... The thing is... I don't know nothing and most of the video i see everything looks too perfect. My question is... If i want to grow something like grass guppy plants... What should i really buy? Do i need special land Scape ? I can buy it for 30 doller and get a small bug which mean for 40*40*40 i will need to spend really heavy.. what about temperature? Do i need worm water or cold water.. lighting should i need massive light or just window light? Do i need to feed the land ? If i need land as a substrate or maybe sand or even gravel? Do i need them all ? How toll do i need my landscape (for roots)? Those questions are only a few... And i guess i will fail but if im going down maybe i can as you said not going too crazy on the budget ... Thank you for this movie really got it on the right time.. i can see you post it a year ago but really troth and very important content so thank you you got one more like from me and a sub
Dios te bendiga y Dios bendiga a Todos los que estan leyendo esto! Deseo que tengan un hermoso dia! Buscad a Dios mientras pueda ser hallado! Jesus es el camino y el unico camino y regresa pronto! Recuerda cuando te sientas que no eres amado... el mayor sacrificio se hizo por amor! EL SUICIDIO NUNCA ES LA RESPUESTA! Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna. S. Juan 3:16 RVR1960 La paga del pecado es muerte (infierno) pero Cristo pagó nuestra deuda en la cruz para nuestra salvacion! Debemos volvernos a Dios y apartarnos de nuestros caminos pecaminosos, confesar que Jesús es el Señor y creer con nuestro corazón que fue resucitado de entre los muertos por Dios, y debemos de ser bautizados en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo y vivir por Su palabra y mandamientos! Confia que Dios ayudara con el resto! Busca a Dios, antes de que sea muy tarde! Hoy podria ser tu ultimo dia en la tierra! Que tengas un hermoso dia! ❗️❗️❤️❤️❤️
I was wondering if anyone here could provide insight. I have a 29 g tank I received from a friend. It's got a Nicrew LED and a Fluval 306 canister filter. I have it stocked pretty heavily: a lot of otocinclus, neon tetra, and amano shrimp as well as a single Siamese algae eater and upside down catfish, and a few nerite snails. I've got bacopa growing very well and some anubia nana and Amazon sword. Substrate is gravel. Everything seems to be going well, but except the I have green spot algae that just won't give up. What should I look at to go this? I know I need some algae for my otos, etc, but the bacopa is just covered in it. Help?
I promised the wife when I reset my 240 up..It wouldn't be a financial burden. So I used every trick I know and still learning. Made my own filter..used my old flourescents with walmart LED's, went with small but nice fish.. a pair of wild type Angels that paired up..Rainbowfish..and tetra's. No Discus,no monster fish,nothing that crashes into the glass when you walk up to the tank. These fish come up to you! Its nice old tank with heavy growths of Vals,Rotala and Ludwigia for color and Bolbitis is my wish list plant that is doing well after a long search! I also don't trade fish in any longer unlike that high rate of my younger self. What I buy and put in now, is for life..and the calm of the fish is a result. Its their home.
I’m not gonna get into buying co2 kits,plants look good but that’s for show tank or competition guys.i have plants,they live and look good enough to me with light and liquid fertilizer😃👍🏾
What a freaking hypocrite! Tells us not to buy nice expensive plants then shows a tank with rare pricey plants on his aquarium for beginners video!! Duh!!
Some folks luck out with planted tanks & some learn by experience agreed! Try learning by going the Dirted tank route, there’s a lot to learn & learn fast from not putting on a good cap then your tank turns brown for a month to Cyanobacteria or a lot of plant dying off due to poor lighting, water parameters or plant needs. After spending a few hundred bucks in cool plants to the. Watch them melt or turn brown leaves or develop yellow or holes in the plants just discourages one to continue. Or you end up buying simple Anubius & java fern & see hardly any real growth at all. Trying DYI CO2 setup is a challenge with silicon & leaks. Then choosing the right diffuser to use. Finally finding the correct lights, wattage, color spectrum that’ll grow plants is a tall learning curve. Then when you get it all right you still learn about brown Diatoms & learn that is fine, then green spot algae is also ok. As long as the plants aren’t dying is in itself success. Choosing the right light durations that grow plants but not grow algae. Learning how to control the water turning completely looking like Green Pea Soup is yer another joy to behold. The Joys never stop but you finally, finally start seeing some success. Success breeds success. So does failures. Keep at it. There’s a ton of useful info like this video to learn. Good Luck
I'm highly considering doing a planted tank for my sole Sun Catfish, and I have no botanical experience whatsoever. I know next too nothing about any sort of plants; and I'm bouncing around the thought of a cheap, simple, densely planted, low-light tank. I'm thinking duckweed, and a lot of hardy plants that get really dense and "viney" if that's the right word...
I just got a planted tank only 10 gallons because it was supposed to be for my dwarf frog but total I’ve already spent $200 just a 10 gallon and I still don’t have shrimp or drift wood...I don’t know when to stop
who the hell pays $200 for substrate? if you are paying $200 for substrait, then you need to do more research because you are spending to much.. If you are doing it the right way then you shouldnt pay more then $45 for substrate.
I have never been able to keep one aquatic plant alive! I'm talking easy low light, no CO2 needed. I kept up on water testing, water changes. I kept trying again and again for an entire year. My plants would die an be rotted within just a few weeks. I had ordered countless plants online or from a local pet store. They looked amazing when I got them. I even DIY CO2 didn't make a difference what so ever. Let me note over this entire year I didn't lose one fish in either of my two 29 gallon tanks. Other than my cichlid aquarium had one fish that would kill any new cichlid that was smaller than him. One tank had the cichlids other one had a variety of docile fish. Just my experience lol. Here I am five yrs later watching all the vids again wondering why I can't get it. Should I give it a try again or will it be a waste of money yet again.
Im only a few months but i learned something. Dont trust aqueon hoods. Their lights reek total failure. It says 20 watt, but has a 17 watt bulb. Its the same price if you were to buy a brighter LED and a glass cover by themselves.
I have multiple tanks only one planted started with 5 gallon tank moved up too 30 gallon low tech except light have Fluval 3.0 love it had problems at first with algae. We all want instant gratification but slowly it’s coming around plants growing and filling in fish stocking had ick problems never a dull moment. Have to get balance right and it takes time testing ,adjusting lights , etc
What measure do we uses to measure how much light a plant require? That is how much light does a low, medium or high intensity plant require????? Is it measured in lumens and is there a chart to follow???!?!?
I should have watched this video a week ago lol. Bought a new aquarium this week, i already posted it for sale before even having it delivered. This is an incredibly complicated and a very expensive hobby that you constantly have to spend on and maintain!!!
i spent about 150 dollars or so (give or take) on a ten gallon, dirted, heavily planted, mid light aquarium. It has two types of shrimp and I plan to get some sparkling gouramis too. I still think I overspent. :P
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I'm 2 years in and I continue to learn more and more everyday.
I think anyone new to planted tanks should start low tech, low light.
Low light tanks can be stunning too except without all the expensive gear.
A finnex stingray or two ( depending tank height ) and you are good to grow some much!
Anubias vals dwarf sag crypts buce moss ferns lilys swords the list goes on for a while.
Slow growth? yeah.
But epic results and no algae! ✌😍
Have u got val?
N do u need fertilizer?
N what substrate do u use
Love your content
I agree. I keep my 40g breeder tank as a low tech, planted, community tank and all of the plants are thriving - even the carpet plant. So much so that they require weekly trimmings just to prevent my tank from looking like a jungle. I use Fluval Stratum substrate and the plants love it. My lights are on a timer so I don't have algae. I didn't spend too much money because I bought the tank off craigslist and the plants at an auction from a local fishkeeping community. The money I saved went towards buying the fishes I wanted.
saif rehman I have Val and Swords planted in soil from my garden. I capped the substrate with an inch or so of sand and slowly filled the tank. It will become awfully murky for the first days, but start to clear up a little. I did a 50% water change on day three and planted my plants. The tank is a cube 30gallon, filtered by a large sponge filter. It’s been up and running over 20 months and the plants are flourishing. We added a trio of Cory cats, a couple sword tails and guppies and a clown pleco along the way. Water stays crystal clear.
Love your channel
Don't buy plants from stores where they aren't already fully submerged if that's what you'll be using them for. They'll probably die (not just melt back) unless you spend a couple months slowly acclimating them to your water/tanks. They're generally too expensive and difficult for a newbie to deal with- this is coming from a newbie who stopped buying pretty hang tag "fully submersible" plants at Petsmart for that very reason.
creating gorgeous tanks has nothing to do with getting expensive stuff. It just makes things easier. If you don't learn the knowledge, then the most expensive or cheap equipment won't do anything for you.
@Matthew Yao Justin knows his stuff. :)
I dunno. There really isn't that much to track in an established planted tank (Balance your N, P, w/Ferts) and spending a bit more for a good filtration and a ph controller makes it really easy.
I wish I had this video when I first started in February. I went nuts buying plants lol. I still have a habit of doing it 🤷🏻♀️
But then I've also seen some information about planting heaps at the start to help the cycle. Lol so much information out there
Sammmee
Guilty 🥲
If you get plants you can clone from clippings you don't need to spend much money at all. Just buy one type of each plant you want and then be patient.
I've downsized my aquariums twice to the point that i just keep 2 20gallon tanks, maintenance is minimal and time appreciating them is high. I was for-ever looking for more tanks, more projects instead of just enjoying and putting more effort and thought into what i already had. That's my biggest lesson in 5ish years
Tenzin Szabo been doing the same thing past year. Seems to be more rewarding and peaceful
Exactly I put more effort into my 29 gallon and it’s one of my absolute favorite tanks now
I'm glad to read this comment as I'm researching before I buy my first tank. Makes me remember what is the point of this journey.
Over 50 year guy says you are correct sir.
God bless you and God bless anyone reading this! Hope you have an awesome day! Seek him while you can! Jesus is the way and the only way and he is returning soon! Whenever you think you aren't loved... Remember the ultimate sacrifice was for love! ENDING YOUR LIFE IS NEVER THE ANSWER!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 KJV
The wages of sin is death (hell) but Jesus paid our debt on the cross, for our salvation! We must turn to God and away from our sinful ways, Confess Jesus is Lord and believe with our hearts that he was risen from the dead by God, and we must be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit and live by His word and Commandments! Trust that God will help with the rest!
Seek God today before it's too late! Today could be your last day on earth!
Have a blessed day!
❗️❗️❤️
For a beginner in planted tank, I would recommend study a lot first. Check out the possibilities, definitely learn about "Walstad" method (read her book) and the surprisingly good results you can achieve with it (in comparison with high-tech) and low-tech aquariums before you spend a bunch of money for high-tech. You can do that at any time anyway..
Another approach is to buy used off of Craigslist. As mentioned most folks who start a new hobby spend a lot of money then lose interest - making for some real bargains.
Pssh most people selling stuff are smoking dope and trying to charge more than retail for their used stuff
Yes, Craigslist is where the bargains are:-) People get rid of fish tanks w/ equipment and food!
Letgo as well. Got a 20 gallon with a filter, 2 heaters, 4 types of food, 1 water test strip kit, 4 medications and aquarium salt for 70 bucks- and it came with nice lava rocks too.
And 6 replacement filters. Saved me a ton of money on the long run
Just purchased a new 60 gallon aquarium, stand, canister filter and glass lids for $250... priced this same setup at that fish place $700++++, I think I did well. 😂😂😂
my mistake is that i went in the opposite direction - i went with the cheapest things possible without properly considering what was suitable (aside from tank size - my tank stayed unstocked until i sorted things out) and most of it broke/wasn't right for my setup so in the end i spent more money replacing everything than i would have if i'd gotten some decent quality equipment from the start... doesn't help that everything is so expensive in australia 😬 you live and you learn
How on earth do you manage to keep those tanks algae free when they are located in a room which has more windows than wall?
Way I solved that problem... Got my 75 gallon tank and decor cheap (by trading), built custom 2X4 stand and sliding glass top instead of buying them, chose plants that don't need a substrate (ex: java fern), and went with minimum amount of sand that my loaches and cories needed until I could afford to buy more. The tank came with a filter, I just put sponges in there.
Update: before I could build the stand, my brother got me a used one that he'd already had for the 75. Just needed fresh paint.
All great tips!
One of the problems I have had is with plant melt. Not really an issue, but you can start out with a fabulous looking tank, and some start to die back and shrivel.
I’ve lost a few. In time most grow back just fine but then often I’ll end up rescaping the tank because it all looks different again.
Good to stay flexible.
I have noticed that some plants will melt being moved from tank to tank (I have five). Even though they are all established tanks. I’m guessing each tank water condition is a little different , and lighting etc. plus, some plants are easy and durable, some just more sensitive.
Lol, I think water sprite and Anubis are almost indestructible!
I like the idea of starting smaller, getting to know your plants and how they’ll do for you....keep revising your scape as things grow and change.
I wish anyone with a new tank or starting out to have fun with it!
It’s a great hobby...so relaxing too...love it!
Crypts would be a melting plant. They don't like to be moved. So true have fun with it.
O_O holy heck, that person is going to spend my whole month's rent on a new aquarium setup?? Meanwhile, I'm over here trying not to spend more than $80...may have to raise my budget because I ended up spending most of that on the tank. I've never done a fully planted tank before.
Lmao, I thought this same thing hahahahaha. Honestly, if you do not care what the light looks like and you are creative on how you hang the light, home depot sells a 3ft LED light fixture with a power cord to the wall for $15 plus tax. It is very similar to a T5 or a fluorescent style of bulb, so it is very maneuverable on an aquarium. They also sell 2ft and 4ft lights in double and single fixtures, but it all depends on your tank size you are going to be using and what plants you are trying to grow. I wanted to test at how well these could grow plants, and I was honestly very surprised after seeing plant growth in just a couple of days in my 29G haha. These are pretty strong lights rated at 4K and 3000 lumens for the 3 ft fixture. It isn't pretty, but it definitely gets the job done, and it also doesn't hurt our bank accounts so it's a win win in my book lol. Also, I have been using these for 2 months now and my plants are growing beautifully still. I have a clean up crew of 6 nerites, 1 clown pleco and 11 corydoras who are constantly eating the algae, or else I am very sure I would have an algae farm lol. Just another thing to keep in mind.
Im in 400. 6p for a 10 gal tank. 90 on plants, 30 on soil, 30 on dragonstone, 20 on a light, and the rest on stuff the fish needs, heaters, cleaners, ex. The first time i had a fish it was like 100 and it wasnt good stuff cuz i was a noob my poor fish BUT ive done a lot of research and yah going all in now. 🤣😂🤣
Currently I have a 75g planted. It's going pretty good. I've been in the hobby since I was 13 and am now 66. As you well put, I've my successes and failures
My current tank has a Fluval 407 filter and a Tidal 75 hob. My light is a Fluval aqua sky.
To be honest my most successful planted tank was a 55g I had many years ago. Substrate was sand blasting grit. The light was a shop light with no special bulbs. The only filter I had was a small hob. The plants were nearly out of control it did so well. It's very easy to go low tech and get great results. Lots of luck to everybody.
Hello there. I've been using the walstad method of growing plants in my aquariums for about six years now. My first aquarium I started out just a 5 gallon quickly ended up with seven aquariums including a 150 all heavily planted only buying enough plants for 30 gallon aquarium. The dirt I used was from my backyard and red hobby clay rolling the clay in marble size balls. The lights I used were 65k CFO bulbs from Walmart and converted a light strip to use those bulbs the first aquarium I started I had less than $60 total invested in it just from the cuttings from that Aquarium I was able to fill five other aquariums in just a matter of months. The walstad method needs no CO2 or any kind of fancy lights as long as you stick with 65k bulbs. Also my last two cents here is if you have any kind of actual gardening experience Outdoors or just keeping houseplants the absolute best advice I can give you after you plant the aquarium is leave it alone for two months and let them eat themselves and do what they may then you can propagate transplant move and etcetera.
Once thing to consider is led light length. Some tanks, like my 20g long, can be 30". (most lights only come in 24",36", 48" etc.
In my experience as 1 year into plants, it's much easier to do plants with a 30g , 20g or less.
20 is a great size for plants. My 20g is awesome. The 38g I had trouble trying to get lighting good with the big height. Many plants are great when they are small. Some plants get messy when they grow tall.
Big tanks get planes that grow taller. Small tanks can better use small plants.
I am growing mine in a 30 gal long & mostly stem plant's
& hornwort planted & there BOOMING, but I want to get
me a 120 gal tank for SOME guppies for fertilizer.
This boosted my confidence so much. I'm new to planted aquarius and just got some Java ferns for my betta tank. I'm glad you said that even experts kill their plants because it's really easy to feel like a failure when you're just starting
Decent video but I think it could have been summed up in 2-3 minutes. Beginners should start small and affordable and learn and build and get bigger as you go. Thanks for your effort and I look forward to new videos from you.
Green Aqua would have a word with you... 🤣
had the exact same thought XD
The best thing to have for beginners, is a great local mom and pop aquarium shop, with people who will not over sell you. I'm grateful to have one myself, just down the street.
Must be nice, mine is a damn ripoff
Hmmm, I thought I had that until I bought a spider plant and realised it’s not an aquarium plant. Feel ripped off.
Sorry to comment again. LOL but there really is no need to go super expensive at all in this Hobby a simple walk by the river to find Driftwood and get it cleaned up and then find some plants online or if you live towards the South we were in Florida on vacation visiting my son at Air Force Base we found a creek I pulled a bunch of plants from that through dinner cooler and brought him home and they did absolutely beautiful again you can start this hobby with a 55 gallon aquarium and have it completely done and ready for probably under $50 if you don't overspend and just show some restraint and patience patience being the most important of all. Never by so many plants that you actually fill your aquarium to where it looks like one you've seen at the beginning of this video they will never work just be patient and let the plans do their thing
I really appreciate this video. I'm just getting into this hobby and it's very easy to get dazzled by all the stuff people say you "need". After watching this I think I need to look again at what is realistic for me as a beginner. Thanks.
It is very easy to overspend but I would add that buying all the equipment is necessary at once. At least it can give you a better chance at succeeding at a nice tank. Just don’t buy the top of the line for everything, but if you have money go ahead!
I’m new to the hobby. I have a 6.7 gallon tank with gravel, with a betta. I ordered Anubias nana. And a dwarf sword. Hopefully goes great. I researched videos and web links.
First off you had me laughing at you trying to talk over the baby. I'm a preschool teacher and my ears picked it up right away.👶👶😘😘
New subscriber!
I have been taking care of goldfish for the majority of my life. I went from a 36 gallon tank to a 60 gallon tank because I wanted more fish and more room for the biggest one. I purchased the tank and stand from Petsmart, it came with LED lights which I've never had before. I wanted live plants too, with the lights I started noticing algae growing on the glass, ornaments and plant. Doing some research now I know its the lighting. I only have them on for a little while now. I love this tank but it takes me more time to clean it than it does my whole house.😂😂😂😂😂 I'm 5'4 and the tank on its stand is pretty high, I watched a couple if videos and saw folks using a step stool.😋
Another issue I had the water wasn't crystal clear as the videos, I purchased a UV light for around $35.00 and it cleared the issue right away plus I have 2 filters. ( Don't trust myself with the canisters)😽
I bought, 2 types of plants from Petsmart, for around $5.00 a piece. There were 7 plants in total. I totally agree don't spend time of money.
I decided I wanted to align some plants going across the back of the tank. The pros make it look so easy, just stick a plant in the substrate and hookus pookus! Every time I would try to put a plant in the substrate it would fall over. Well after about an hour or so, I finally got all 7 plants to stand up. Now, everything looked so cute, until I woke up the next morning all 6 plants were floating on top of the water. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I had 2 little vases holding artificial flowers, I scooped the plants out bunched them up with a rubber band attaching my artificial plant along with it and it looks just as good as my previous plans. The last plant standing I saw one of the big goldfish swoop by it and knock it down.😂😂😂😂 I scooped it out and just placed it in the filter. You live and hopefully you'll learn.
One more thing a while back when I had a 20 gallon tank with 1 goldfish, I had pebbles in my tank. I kept noticing the fish would such up the pebbles along with her food. Most times she would spit the pebbles back out. Once she got one stuck in her mouth, I some how managed to remove it. I have had sand in my tanks ever since!
First mistake is don't buy from PetSmart. Go to a independent pet . For the most part better quality and better customer service.
797
Thanks for the tips. I have had aquariums for at least 25 years but only started trying live plants a little over a year ago. It’s a whole new world for me and I have learned so much from watching your videos. I appreciate all the tips and advice. The things that might seem obvious to seasoned plant keepers is great info for newbies like me.
My advice is keep it simple. Good substrate. Fluval stratum is the best I've used so far. Decent lights. They don't have to be the most expensive. And last but not least you better have a lot of time on your hands to do water changes and maintenance. Best advice is put some sand in the tank and buy a goldfish.
A beginner should buy a used tank and equipment. That alone reduces the starting costs massively. Often you can find a friend like that who can help.
Then you’re dealing with other people’s bad habits. Used tanks are gross. There’s usually a reason they’re selling tanks. Maybe that’s just me.
@@ryanwilson5936 The most common reason is a bigger tank.
I bought two from people who gave up and it was insanely cheap. Nothing on them a mild acid can't clean.
Often the glass is the cheapest part which can be replaced. The lid and carrier are expensive.
alis49281
Oh, I know all about expensive tanks, I like rimless and have 3. None over 25 gallons though but still pricey for the sizes. I just don’t like used aquarium gear. You never know what’s lurking in the dark waiting to rejuvenate in your nice newly setup tank. I also like to scape heavily and it’s a total bummer putting in the time, effort, resources, and cash to end up with someone’s else’s algae or parasites. I guess if I knew the seller personally and knew their tank habits it may be different but I don’t know those people soooo lol.
Let me clarify, used aquarium gear *that is in direct contact with water* like pumps, hoses, filter components, rocks, wood, basically everything but lights and fish lol.
I don’t use lids since I use rimless tanks and I build all of my own stand for next to nothing. I am glad that you got a killer deal though. Stuff like that is what makes the hobby go round. 🐡🌱🌿
@@ryanwilson5936 well, if you ever get something on some of your aquarium gear, clean it with vinegar concentrate (wear goggles and breathing protection). This kills most bacteria, virus and parasites on the aquarium hardware and gets rid of mineral stains. Most importantly: It kills TBC.
It doesn't kill worm eggs, but for that rocks/gravel/sand is cooked. The acid can also remove heavy metals from rocks/gravel.
it is a bad habit of many as well to use one set of gear for multiple tanks when one tank is sick without cleaning the gear.
I learned it is impossible to not get a wide range of algaea species when the tank is withoud a lid in summer - with a balanced biology they are only on rocks and glass where I can clean or enjoy the natural look.
Nah, you should just need to understand the expenses, then build whatever you want. Failure is how we grow and learn. Set backs are only set backs.
I DID THE OPPOSITE OFF EVERYTHING HE SAID, I DID GREAT PLANTS ARE THRIVING
I started with a 5 gallon moved to a 10 a few months later then did a 20 long and just last week finally set up a 35 gallon acrylic tank with nice drift wood and nice plants it did cost more to scape it but I’m happy with the result.
Great advice. Too many people want to be pros right off the bat.
THINGS I WISH I KNEW EARLIER ABOUT ALGAE:
I fully agree with the points raised here. I have a 200 litre mid range / budget planted aquarium with a soil base. I use Liquid Carbon instead of a co2 bottle. You can get 2.5 litre bottles of it from ebay for like £20 and thats about 7 years supply! The hardest thing about a planted aquarium in soil is fighting algae / bacteria on plants as they grow. My advice is to start an aquarium on cheap hardy plants for the first 6 months. Things like like java fern, anubias to attach to rocks if you want to give height. Also I have two really good tips for combating algea and even worse "green slime" algae...
When you first set up a planted tank with fertile soil, excess neutrients in the water and it makes algae grow. The best / cheapest thing to help with this I found was to get A TON of fast growing plants to suck up the neutrients between regular 40% water changes. My favourite plant for doing this is Hygrophila Polysperma which is easy to find online or in shops. It grows super fast which enables you to you to cut it back every 7 days and re-plant the cuttings to make more for free! After 4 weeks you can have an aquarium filled with this stuff and it helps you keep control of algae. You can always remove it to make space once the aquarium starts to mature (maybe after 6 months or so). The key is patience and regular maintanance / water changes. Also keeping a "clean up crew" of fish like corydoras catfish, flying fox, and yoyo loaches is an absolute must for me.
My best ever tip is: If you have a problem with "green slime algae" (which is actually cyanobacteria) use "Ultralife Blue Green Slime Stain Remover" I took me 10 years in the hobby to find it but it works REALLY WELL and I lost 0 fish when I used it.
Time and patience are the best tools in this hobby, and you can't buy them.
I think there is nothing wrong in spending a lot in equipment for an experiment aquarium (if you have the money) because the equipment wont die if the experiment goes wrong but i agree in not spending very much in fish or plants if you don`t have experience because if it goes wrong it goes all to waste. But for equipment i think that it is better to go full on at first becasuse in the long run it will be cheaper to get there than to start cheap and have to buy all the stuff to get to a good equipment aquarium
(wow that is not very well written but i have no time jahahaha)
But,but, buying cheap gives you to have a REASON to get that next tank! So now, you have TWO! That's how 'collecting' works... :
Great video, want to be successful with plants buy them from H2O and do the research before buying as to what they need to grow optimally and what they will look like full grown. Then sit down and sketch out a design what it will take and cost to achieve. Some plants you can grow with diy or less expensive lights and substrates. Some plants will grow and some may not depending on your water, lighting etc. No two tanks are a like. I have lights, substrate and ferts that should grow almost any plant and yet they still die. I started buying test plants and went with eventually worked. Voila my jungle was achieved with low to mid light plants and didn't break the bank. Great advice as always Justin.
Thx for advice
@@user-wi7br4nj6p Welcome good luck
Great info as I try to figure out what to do when you've been binge-watching RUclips and you have an empty tank sitting in front of you 😂🌿🌱🐟🐠 thank you for a great video!! Stay safe and well much love from Portsmouth Virginia!❤️🙏
High tech setups aren’t required for half of the plants in the hobby. Co2 and fertz help speed up the growing times, but they aren’t required. If you have patiences you can get the same result without them, (unless you won’t very specific plants) as long as you are willing to wait a lot longer for it to grow in.
To piggy back off video, You can get an all inclusive cheap aquarium that has led lights, and filter from Walmart, Petco, Petsmart that works and is cheap. You can then grab an aquarium heater and your all in with about $60-70 tops! Then all you need are hardy plants that don't ask for much. Annubias, Crypts, Stygo Repens, Bucephalandra (can be pricey but super nice plant that is actually forgiving for beginners), and Java Fern are all nearly bomb proof for beginners. All of these plants also multiply (I'll admit super slowly) so if you are starting with a small tank it also allows you to grow out your plants affordably. If you grabbed one of each of the plants I'm mentioning you would likely spend $50-70 total and actually have a decently filled in 10 gallon aquarium within a 3-4 months. I did this with (2) 10 gallon aquariums (grown out over 3 years) and moved up to a 55 gallon aquarium. I then had to buy more plants because the plants I thought I had enough of wasn't sufficient. The other thing that isn't so obvious and isn't mentioned often enough is planted aquariums require patients, and practice to gain awesome results! Oh, and if you work with the above plants you don't need co2, or fertilizers for these plants. They will obviously grow way better and faster, but will do just fine without. And just know the light that comes in these aquarium kits I mention is fairly poor, but works well enough to get started. Just KISS the process (Keep It Simple Silly) and choose one plant at a time. As they seem to be doing well choose another and so on. But don't forget to be careful with the fish you choose. some of them eat plants, or disrupt them by digging them up, etc.
thanks for mentioning the fact that co2 isn't an absolute priority. was worried about needing to learn about a whole new setup but i'm only getting a few small simple plants like the ones you mentioned. its gonna be a learning process!
Absolutely. And it's a fun process. Just listen to what all the popular channels are recommending plant wise that are easy to grow and go from there. Pay special attention to the plant requirements with regards to how they grow. Best example.. Cryptocoryne wendtii (super easy) and chain sword (little less easy) gets buried into the sand/gravel (which ever you choose) substrate and Annubias, Java fern, bucephalandra gets attached to hardscape items (rocks or wood). Common methods include wedging between rocks, or wood imperfections, tied on by sewing thread, fish line or even simply crazy glued (gel based such as Dap works well). Last trick, just watch out how close you place these plants to the surface of the water. Some like it, and some simply grow to slowly and end up growing algae on them by being to close to the waters surface (allows fro higher light concentration)....Might want to simply watch a few videos on lighting as well. Also equally important on plant choices. The water box youtube channel does a super solid explanation on this one. totally worth watching to understand how aquarium lights get rated, what it all means, and so forth. Made me understand what I'm doing allot better.
Java fern turns black and rots away for me. It looks ragged at local pet stores too. I suspect there is something about the water around here it doesn't like (I bought mine online and it came in lush and beautiful). :::shrug::: I have a few other plants that are doing really well, like my nana petite, crypt parva, wisteria, and APONOGETON ULVACEUS (not sure if that has a common name).
@@CERULEANSPIRAL Java fern often suffers from a lack of potassium. If your java fern gets black dots on the leaves that turn into holes, this is probably the case.
@@turnipsucks6416 good advice all around.
So much truth in this video. I started with a 27L, 45cm long tank and really it used simple plants to try my hand at planted tanks... It was horrible... I had gravel, no CO2, I didnt dose any fertalizers and I over stocked my tank... I was the stereotypical new aquariest and I admit it....
But then I decided I wanted a beautiful, vibrant and colourful tank. So I got a 90cm long 120L tank and started with a medium quality substrate and some rocks I found in my yard, with cheap driftwood from my LFS. My tank had begun but I had no light. At this point in time I only bought things with Gift Money (bdays) so I was on a very tight budget. I ended up building a lid with place for 2 LED tube light fittings. That worked well for the first year of the tank and I saw decent growth but my tank still wasnt what I wanted from the hobby. But it was getting better. I got myself a fert kit (seachem) however I then ended up moving house and had to dismantle the tank for transport.
Upon arriving at my new house (and job) I though this was a great opportunity to ramp it up. As I had almost everything I needed all I had to do was get a better substrate (eyeing out more High Tech Plants) and a reliable CO2 (at this point I had been using DIY, but the tank was much too big for the setup I had). So I set it all up, CO2 pumping (Fire Extinguisher setup for half the price of most brands), over filtering (turning tank volume 14x per hour), plants were filling out and I was dosing Seachem's range of ferts. All was great but now my DIY LED lighting was not enough... so I took the lid off an replace it with a T5 Double Fixture Flourecent.
This was 3 months ago and I have never seen my tank explode like it did over the last few month. But I would never have gotten to this point without the trial and error method explained in the video. Start low tech. its not important to have the craziest and best products on the market, because now you have goals to set, part to buy and things to upgrade to. In doing so you also end up with an abundance of standby supplies for breakages or new tanks. But most importantly its how you learn and develop yourself as a planted aquarium hobbiest. If it wasnt for the wasted money and countless hours on my tank I would have taken the hobby for granted and probably have lost interest.
Now though I find myself setting up a 7G Extremely High tech tank over the next few months and stocking it with very demanding plants and taking it know knowing that I have the knowledge to ensure the tank will be a success.
Im a beginner maybe 5 months into the hobby. And i always go on a budget. I knew things were gonna die and it wasnt going to be easy. Ive bought monte carlo, repens and they didnt make it. Plants like java fern, amazon swords worked well for me! With low lights no CO2. Right now my only problem is algea! So annoying.
I don't recommend going under 30g if you're new to the hobby. Water quality is harder to maintain in small tanks and when things go wrong it happens faster.
A 29 gallon is fairly cheap and would give more room for error. I currently run a 46g bowfront as im in an apartment until I can save to buy a house so my 75 gallon is in storage. The 46 is a beautiful tank and while I did spend some decent money on it I could have saved some money here and there by buying t5 lights instead of expensive LEDs for example.
I just feel many new to the hobby buy a small tank then over populate with fish and lose interest due to the difficulty of maintaining the tank where a larger tank would be easier to control parameters while looking better for not a whole lot more money.
Yep! That was absolutely me yesterday! I have recently gotten back into fish, bettas to be exact.- Got him a 10 gallon tank and was ready to jump right in and giving him an amazing live plant home. - The lady there absolutely refuted about the beginner plants, i.e. Annabuis & a java fern just to Start off. I thought, "Ok"..maybe she knows more than me....EVEN after the past 3 months of betta research I have done! $229 later and I can still not find 90% of these plants or How to properly plant safely and not uprooting & floating about... Ahhhh!!!! Exactly DO NOT be a me .
I'm just starting out, and going low tech. I got a 20g high at Petco's dollar/gallon sale. I'm planning on a Finnex Stingray 2 for light, a fluval submersible filter, some cheap round field stones, (maybe I'll splurge for a bit of Manzanita), aquasoil and sand, anubias nana and petite, dwarf four leaf clover, hydrocotyle tripartia Japan, crypts, ludwigia, hornwort, and bacopa.
Once things get settled I want to add a school of white clouds, powder blue gourami, cherry reds, and maybe a few Amano.
I'm excited to see how this goes! 🤩
Bluestem ok boomer
I dont know what Americans like about budget tanks. I would recommend to buy a 10-15 galon tank but high tech components. I see no reason to buy 'Bad' products just to safe some money. But there are also a lot of things people buy which they could just not buy because its unnesessary (bubble counters for example).
Just my opinion and please excuse my Bad English, its not my language.
Elvis Swagger what’s a good 10 gallon tank ?
@@pacofps2997 I'm sure you can find one. But I have a Special tip for you, just google giyf and im sure it will help you!
HALLELUJAH! Best advice period in this hobby - don't pay retail and don't believe the sales pitch. If you look at my fishroom, not one tank in it cost over $150 complete (excluding fish) and most probably average out to around $50ish. I do have some moderately priced Hygger lights (they are great, but not necessary), but have been switching everything over to cheap bright white led's ... my fishroom is a jungle in and out of water. For some of the super picky plants you may need some co2, but it doesn't require big $, just do some research. Thanks for the vid, I always appreciate and applaud honesty in the Aquarium hobby.
P.S. don't waste money on stupid canister or hob filtration ... set up your tank properly and it will run itself, some simple sponge filtration as an added backup - cheap and effective
When you watch this too late..... already over $700 and I don't even have fish yet😱😨😨 I never plan to go that far....
Lol, I did the exact same thing
I actually thought he was talking about me for the first 15 seconds 😂😂
I’ve been in the Hobby since I was 8-years old, and I turn 52 in a few days. I’m still a relative newbie with plants, but I have them in all of my tanks. I struggle to keep them flourishing, but I have found Anubias Nana to be bullet proof. I just converted a 10-gallon tank to a planted tank substrate called flora max, and bought some bulb plants from PetsMart and suddenly I have a jungle! My tanks are kits with the stock LED lights they come with the kits. I am running low tech, and I’ve used Root Tabs and Co2 Booster to help them grow. I recommend not spending a ton of money until you figure out what you can grow well.
Dale Bailey , do a outside test tank , it helps you learn how to deal with all problems quickly and learn what fish you work well with
Can you recommend a good carpeting plant for beginners. I assume I will need a plant substrate, right now I have small river rock substrate, with only pothos on the top. I dont Co2 or grow lights. I am taking baby steps with lots of research and asking questions... lol. Thanks.
I'm the opposite, to a degree, I'm 32. I've been planting as a hobby since, well I can remember. My grandma, who raised me, had a huge garden and always kept indoor plants. It's the 🐟 I'm new too.
I've had tanks since I was about 13 yrs old. I like many smaller tanks so I can have different kinds of fish. My tanks have gotten overgrown as the plants grow like crazy. I never used CO2. Just get the tank, filter, heater and air stone and thermometer. Just have fun. the sad times is when fish die, but life goes on.
Agreed. My low tech no co2 no ferts 20 gallon planted shrimp tank looks as amazing as my 150g planted high light co2 community tank.
Test trips are garbage, just get the expensive API master test kit.
Also when using quick start SHAKE THE BOTTLE VIGOROUSLY.
Great video, so many people come into my shop saying they want to have a fully aquascaped tank like they see online but have never owned a fish tank in their lives 😆 they always seem so shocked when I tell them what it costs and how much time it’s going to take to learn even the basics
I got a 30gallon tank and 12 plants for $120
Hyggers Underwater Foam filter $20
HYGGERS AIR PUMP $40
HYGGERS HEATER $25
CO2 regulator with bubble counter and synoid regulator ($40)
CO2 diffuser ($30)
Large Bag of fine black gravel ($15)
Topsoil ($5)
Rocks and wood (free on ranch)
Lid was $15 made using plexiglass
Lighting was $50
Overall $320 was my cost for my aquarium set up.
I'm coming from saltwater to freshwater(Tired of the reef I'm afraid). Planning to use my rimless 90ga planet aquarium setup for it. I have.....well I've got more light than even the reef needed avalable, but was hoping to use my 4 bulb T5 fixture, even if it mean just running 2 bulbs. How over kill is that in your opinion?
Also curious: I obviously have a pretty large RO/DI unit. I'm assuming the DI is a bit excessive, but is it worth keeping the RO unit around and adding nutrients in as needed?
IMO lights are overrated, in my nano tank I have a fluval plant nano and on my 120 I run a Plant 3.0 and every time I ramp it above 80% of the power algae takes over… Any cheap light at 100% power will do the trick, I keep using fluvals because I love the app and all the personalized controls, not for the power, they are very well overpowered.
lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the cube looks 100x better than your "high end" 90g long. feels bad. though if you want to just buy a full on completely mature and ready "paradise" planted tank, $2,000 will buy you a few so yeah.
Lol it’s expensive and addicting. I started with a 10 gallon fish tank, and I’ve only been doing this for six months and now I have 5 tanks I have a 10 gallon a 40 gallon a 55 gallon is 60 gallon and a 30 gallon fish tanks so far they’re all doing very well but I’m only five months in so we will see how they go😅 oh, I think my favorite tank is my 60 gallon tank because I have all sorts of stuff in there. It’s my favorite community. I have angelfish, one golden ram Cichlid, one blue ram Cichlid, and a bunch of swordtails, a couple, neon tetras and some Cory cats and then I have a bunch of other fish, all I Gotta say is if you put your mind to it, you can do anything plants are. the easy part… getting the fish to survive and making sure you get the right ones so they don’t have aggression issues, is the hardest part in my opinion
4 yeare of experience in a fish shop couldn't agree more with you
I just bought some plant's from you just a week ago
& they are doing great, I watched your video here
I agree with what your saying go as cheap as you
can & grow from there that's how I'm doing it.
I have pond goldfish in a 110 gal stock tank
& I have a 30 gal long fish aquarium that I'm
growing the plant's in to get them started
so come next year by April - May I'll have
some good plant's going to where I can
do something BIGGER & BETTER 👍
Bah, $1,200 - $1500 for an aquarium BEFORE plants? You've MUST have come across reef aquarist. They'd think this is cheap. Anyway, there is always Craigslist , or you can join a local club, get to know those people and buy hand -me-downs. Many clubs have swap meets some have member auctions for livestock.
I started a planted tank 3 weeks ago. It looks pretty rough! Some plants are still there and others are melted. I’m worried I’m messing something up. I think I’m struggling how to balance ammonia/nitrate/nitrite with plants in the tank.
I have been doing planted aquariums for a few years now and getting fairly successful… when i started i killed every single plant i bought for the first 6 months but its just a learning process
Don't kid yourself that with two Walmart LED shop fixtures you will get an aquascape. 1: they are fine for growing plants..but look bland. 2: Don't kid yourself that your water and fish poop is all you need to grow plants. 3: If you don't go CO2? At least use Iron and Potassium. Nobody has magic water to grow plants well. You have to spend for something.
My advice on Swords,Anubia,Hygrophila and Java fern and relatives?..Iron at the very least.
I'd say get:
1.CO2 system (Cuz you will eventually get it anyway),
2.Nice dimmable light ( Chihiros probably the cheapest in that level),
3.Soil substrate ( dont go with just gravel or sand, cuz you will want to try many different plants in this journey). Amazonia or tropica probably way to go.
those three will give you more chance of success in growing many plants.
4. Filter ( there is no such a thing as over filtration). UV light is privilege but Diana Walstad recommended it, so I am just throwing it out there.
5. Hardscape ( no need to rush to get a wood or rock, take your time. but if you see something you like, get it without doubt)
6. Ferts ( depends on what you grow, I got low light system without ferts because nutrition from soil is enough. but with medium to high light I'd recommend get one.)
7. Plants. ( Do research before buying. Some needs higher lighting than the other. This way you will learn where to place your anubias/buce in your tank)
PS; if it has black beard algea or any visible algea, dont risk to buy it. I learnt the hard way.
I’m switching from the expensive and heavy husbandry world of reefing to a more relaxed and affordable freshwater hobby. Will I be able to use my reef lights for a planted tank? My Corals thrived under them.
Thanks 🙏
spend your money if you have it :).. certainly will increase your chances :). I'm a newbie, I haven't "killed" my plants YET, but I am struggling with growth and making my tank look pretty.
Your video is great...I want to get into the planted tank hobby. Would have been great to start small but I couldn't turn down a 75 gallon tank, stand, 48 inch current usa marine LED light (x2), heater and fluval 406 filter for $100. So guess I'll be starting big. Lol. And before people go nuts thinking I was sold broken junk. I've been running the tank with fish for almost a year without issue. The only thing I replaced was the aquastop on the fluval...and of course the media.
Good equipment doesn't mean good results, and good advice about buying one plant first and seeing how it does, i wish i done that instead of waisting 100 bucks on UG only for it all to melt ,there must be around 150 clumps of it and i think after 11 days every one is done for been removing slime for the past week
I gow plants with standard light
no co2.
feeder tabs
liquid fertilzer
and it grows nicely ,ofcourse, not as fast or colorfull but it looks good
Are you still making videos? You are so awesome! Thanks for all the great info. Starting my first planted tank tonight. Fingers crossed!
Do you have any luck growing "Bolbitis Difformis" submerged in your aquarium ?
If yes please post a plant profile on this plant.
Go to Amazon and Ebay and type "Bolbitis Difformis" and you will see a ton of these dirt cheap plants for sale.
If this plant is so great, cheap, and easy to survive then why I don't see many RUclips videos on this plant growing in an aquarium submerged ? This terrestrial plant is sold as an aquarium plant online.
Is this "Bolbitis Difformis" suitable for aquarium submerged or is a terrarium plant that lives in an aquarium ?
What do you know about this plant "Bolbitis Difformis" ?
Dirt cheap Bolbitis Difformis (Bolbitis heteroclita) plant is native plant to Asia.
Expensive rare African Water Fern (Bolbitis heudelotii) is native plant to Africa.
I do know Bolbitis Difformis (Bolbitis heteroclita) and African Water Fern(Bolbitis heudelotii) are not the same plant.
My first fish tank ever was 50 gallon planted Aquarium. I jumped in head first I think I do that in every Hobby I get into. I guess I felt confident having a little knowledge in botany and fish. I did go through my struggles but with RUclips it was manageable
Plants are expensive as hell and if you don’t know how to take care of them they will die. You’ll be dumping more money into plants than you probably will fish. Also start small, see how they grow and try to get starts from your plants. Your tank can totally grow with your skill, plants can be put in any time! If you decide later you just need CO2 injection, your substrate and fertilizer isn’t cutting it, then you can dive into it. My 29 gal aquarium is doing great without co2, I have about 8 watts on my lights (they are low to medium) and the bulbs in my light are specifically for plant growth. Also, substrate is expensive, but you can layer. I have about an 3/4 inch of humate on the bottom and a 2 1/2 to 3 inch layer of quartz aquarium rock on top. Works great.
My first planted tank will be my fourth aquarium. Found a 20 gallon tank at a yard sale for $20, pitched out all the rainbow colored plastic decor, my wife found an Aqueon HOB for two bucks at a thrift store, then bought a heater, wave maker, and substrate for about $60 total and a florescent hood light for $12. You're first car shouldn't be a Ferrari. As far as learning the hobby? RUclips University!
My advice is to be willing to pay a lot for nice things that will LAST. A beautiful stone, piece of driftwood, lamp... all of this will last.
Aquariums you can get at sometimes even half the price secondhand, so I just acquire good deals on the way and keep them in storage and pull em out once I'm ready to do something with them.
Do not start by splurging on plants. And I don't even advise splurging on fish and anything live that will die. Or soil that you will toss.
The rocks, the woodpieces, the gear... that's what will last through most of your failures and will make setting up new systems easier.
I once ended up buying off half the stuff of an aquarist who was moving (I didn't really want it back then, I came for rocks :D :D ) and I've been so grateful for it so many times. It's great for small experiments etc. I've tossed hundreds on rare aquatic plants that died on me :D
Same for people who are getting started in keeping flowers. The flowerpot will last you much longer and,... the pot makes the plant ;)
Well it sounds like this guy just wanted to buy his way to a perfect high tech planted aquarium. You can’t buy knowledge, it comes from experience over time, that is the first thing this fellow needs to learn.
You know,.. wax on, wax off!
Due diligence comes first with any pet; read up on it first. Fish keeping ... learn the nitrogen cycle thoroughly and get a good understanding and knowledge of what it does and why it is absolutely necessary and essential to the good health of your fish. Learn about water chemistry for both planted and non planted aquariums. Start small. 10 gallon with substrate and a good grade of sponge filter as an ATI. and a decent two gang adjustable flow pump. Learn about how to deal with chlorinated water and how to properly cycle your new tank before placing fish inside ( extremely important! ). A decent LED lighting fixture can be had for $20. Java Fern on wood and or Anubias ; maybe a bananna plant and a rock or two scaled to size the of your 10 gallon aquarium.? Wood does help bring down PH and softens the water a bit. Forget pleco's for the time being. I would recommend 2 or 3 small Cory catfish and some other small species fish. Maybe a half dozen for starters. Read first about them in terms of their ease of keeping. Some easier than others. The main advice is to start small after thoroughly informing yourself. Lastly learn about proper feeding of your fish and proper weekly and daily maintenance. Above all stay interested and connected to your hobby by further reading and using excellent resources such as RUclips. Listening to the knowledge and sometimes mistakes, other times tips and DIY advice of others in the hobby will be very beneficial to you. Always critically evaluate all you read or hear and take decisions based on your own judgement. Comparing notes from different and varying resources is highly advised. Otherwise good luck with your hobby.
Honestly, research is your friend. Always research first. Having aquariums, in general, is a mixture of art AND science and science requires research. That said if you live in a place that aquariums don't have clubs or societies, testing a large variety of plants, fish, and lighting. Personally, I didn't need an expensive light to grow the aquarium plants that I have despite the only windows being on the North side of my house. I have the LEDs from the 10 gallon Aqua Culture tank I bought from Walmart for around 30.00 USD (the entire kit included the tank, the filter, the heater, and the hood with lights.). I also only have a cheap bubbler on my planted tank (no CO2) that I sourced years ago secondhand. There are relatively inexpensive options for most items that you need. In my case, all of these options have allowed me success with my tank without needing a 6 figure startup cost. I know I don't have videos on my channel yet, but I'm hoping to start soon, so if you're interested in what my tanks look like, keep an eye out for an upload.
Most people don’t seem to understand that if you have a piece of a plant with a node, you have a whole plant. My poor LFS gave me for free three “dead” stems of Rotala walichii and two “dead” stems of Alternanthera reineckii, and now I have four whole Rotala walichii plants and six Alternanthera reineckii plantlets three weeks later. All the cryptocorynes in my tanks are from “dead” plantlets from balls of algae I bought from my LFS for pennies. I don’t even want to buy a whole plant- they look much better when you propagate them from a cutting in the new aquarium because they don’t have a chance to melt back and look hideous.
Also, I disagree. If you have 2k to drop on the best stuff I think you should. Especially if your goal is a large 75+ gallon tank. If you don't your going to spend hundreds trying out garbage lights co² equipment etc... If you have the best tools available, you can learn to use them. Versus finding out you bought 500$ in tools and they're useless.
Hello there :-) i was thinking about growing plants but... The thing is... I don't know nothing and most of the video i see everything looks too perfect. My question is... If i want to grow something like grass guppy plants... What should i really buy? Do i need special land Scape ? I can buy it for 30 doller and get a small bug which mean for 40*40*40 i will need to spend really heavy.. what about temperature? Do i need worm water or cold water.. lighting should i need massive light or just window light? Do i need to feed the land ? If i need land as a substrate or maybe sand or even gravel? Do i need them all ? How toll do i need my landscape (for roots)? Those questions are only a few... And i guess i will fail but if im going down maybe i can as you said not going too crazy on the budget ... Thank you for this movie really got it on the right time.. i can see you post it a year ago but really troth and very important content so thank you you got one more like from me and a sub
Dios te bendiga y Dios bendiga a Todos los que estan leyendo esto! Deseo que tengan un hermoso dia! Buscad a Dios mientras pueda ser hallado! Jesus es el camino y el unico camino y regresa pronto! Recuerda cuando te sientas que no eres amado... el mayor sacrificio se hizo por amor! EL SUICIDIO NUNCA ES LA RESPUESTA!
Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.
S. Juan 3:16 RVR1960
La paga del pecado es muerte (infierno) pero Cristo pagó nuestra deuda en la cruz para nuestra salvacion! Debemos volvernos a Dios y apartarnos de nuestros caminos pecaminosos, confesar que Jesús es el Señor y creer con nuestro corazón que fue resucitado de entre los muertos por Dios, y debemos de ser bautizados en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo y vivir por Su palabra y mandamientos! Confia que Dios ayudara con el resto!
Busca a Dios, antes de que sea muy tarde! Hoy podria ser tu ultimo dia en la tierra!
Que tengas un hermoso dia!
❗️❗️❤️❤️❤️
I was wondering if anyone here could provide insight. I have a 29 g tank I received from a friend. It's got a Nicrew LED and a Fluval 306 canister filter. I have it stocked pretty heavily: a lot of otocinclus, neon tetra, and amano shrimp as well as a single Siamese algae eater and upside down catfish, and a few nerite snails. I've got bacopa growing very well and some anubia nana and Amazon sword. Substrate is gravel. Everything seems to be going well, but except the I have green spot algae that just won't give up. What should I look at to go this? I know I need some algae for my otos, etc, but the bacopa is just covered in it. Help?
I promised the wife when I reset my 240 up..It wouldn't be a financial burden. So I used every trick I know and still learning. Made my own filter..used my old flourescents with walmart LED's, went with small but nice fish.. a pair of wild type Angels that paired up..Rainbowfish..and tetra's. No Discus,no monster fish,nothing that crashes into the glass when you walk up to the tank. These fish come up to you!
Its nice old tank with heavy growths of Vals,Rotala and Ludwigia for color and Bolbitis is my wish list plant that is doing well after a long search!
I also don't trade fish in any longer unlike that high rate of my younger self. What I buy and put in now, is for life..and the calm of the fish is a result. Its their home.
Holy crap where do you buy your stuff I've done a 60 gallon tank with co2 and everything with plants for $300
I’m not gonna get into buying co2 kits,plants look good but that’s for show tank or competition guys.i have plants,they live and look good enough to me with light and liquid fertilizer😃👍🏾
What a freaking hypocrite! Tells us not to buy nice expensive plants then shows a tank with rare pricey plants on his aquarium for beginners video!! Duh!!
Some folks luck out with planted tanks & some learn by experience agreed!
Try learning by going the Dirted tank route, there’s a lot to learn & learn fast from not putting on a good cap then your tank turns brown for a month to Cyanobacteria or a lot of plant dying off due to poor lighting, water parameters or plant needs.
After spending a few hundred bucks in cool plants to the. Watch them melt or turn brown leaves or develop yellow or holes in the plants just discourages one to continue.
Or you end up buying simple Anubius & java fern & see hardly any real growth at all.
Trying DYI CO2 setup is a challenge with silicon & leaks.
Then choosing the right diffuser to use. Finally finding the correct lights, wattage, color spectrum that’ll grow plants is a tall learning curve.
Then when you get it all right you still learn about brown Diatoms & learn that is fine, then green spot algae is also ok. As long as the plants aren’t dying is in itself success.
Choosing the right light durations that grow plants but not grow algae.
Learning how to control the water turning completely looking like Green Pea Soup is yer another joy to behold.
The Joys never stop but you finally, finally start seeing some success.
Success breeds success. So does failures. Keep at it.
There’s a ton of useful info like this video to learn.
Good Luck
I'm highly considering doing a planted tank for my sole Sun Catfish, and I have no botanical experience whatsoever. I know next too nothing about any sort of plants; and I'm bouncing around the thought of a cheap, simple, densely planted, low-light tank. I'm thinking duckweed, and a lot of hardy plants that get really dense and "viney" if that's the right word...
I just got a planted tank only 10 gallons because it was supposed to be for my dwarf frog but total I’ve already spent $200 just a 10 gallon and I still don’t have shrimp or drift wood...I don’t know when to stop
who the hell pays $200 for substrate? if you are paying $200 for substrait, then you need to do more research because you are spending to much.. If you are doing it the right way then you shouldnt pay more then $45 for substrate.
those sb reef lights are cheap compared to some of the lights i've seen on the market. For instance the keloray AE200 which retails for around $1000.
I have never been able to keep one aquatic plant alive! I'm talking easy low light, no CO2 needed. I kept up on water testing, water changes. I kept trying again and again for an entire year. My plants would die an be rotted within just a few weeks. I had ordered countless plants online or from a local pet store. They looked amazing when I got them. I even DIY CO2 didn't make a difference what so ever. Let me note over this entire year I didn't lose one fish in either of my two 29 gallon tanks. Other than my cichlid aquarium had one fish that would kill any new cichlid that was smaller than him. One tank had the cichlids other one had a variety of docile fish. Just my experience lol. Here I am five yrs later watching all the vids again wondering why I can't get it. Should I give it a try again or will it be a waste of money yet again.
Me too...but I have killed more plants than what co2 and regulators cost. Its all I'm adding. If no result I continue low tech.
Im only a few months but i learned something. Dont trust aqueon hoods. Their lights reek total failure. It says 20 watt, but has a 17 watt bulb. Its the same price if you were to buy a brighter LED and a glass cover by themselves.
I have multiple tanks only one planted started with 5 gallon tank moved up too 30 gallon low tech except light have Fluval 3.0 love it had problems at first with algae. We all want instant gratification but slowly it’s coming around plants growing and filling in fish stocking had ick problems never a dull moment. Have to get balance right and it takes time testing ,adjusting lights , etc
Why is money the main focus of this video? Good advice would be to focus on 3 things: appropriate light intensity, rich substrate, and enough ferts.
What measure do we uses to measure how much light a plant require? That is how much light does a low, medium or high intensity plant require????? Is it measured in lumens and is there a chart to follow???!?!?
I should have watched this video a week ago lol. Bought a new aquarium this week, i already posted it for sale before even having it delivered. This is an incredibly complicated and a very expensive hobby that you constantly have to spend on and maintain!!!
For the life of me, I can't understand what brand of light you have over the 7 gal tanks
i spent about 150 dollars or so (give or take) on a ten gallon, dirted, heavily planted, mid light aquarium. It has two types of shrimp and I plan to get some sparkling gouramis too. I still think I overspent. :P