# Heavily planted african tank?



## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Does anyone run a heavily planted african cichlid tank? If so are you using C02? Do you use T5HO lighting or MH lighting? Do you dose your plants?

I'm wondering because I have a 90G heavily planted with T5HO's, C02, Eco Complete substrate, a Rena XP3, and I dose it EI method.. I recently removed all the fish and its running without fish right now (I switched substrates so I moved the fish to another tank).

I was thinking it would be nice some africans in there, maybe if I added a ton of rocks and replanted around them etc...

Good idea? bad idea? Why?

Your experiences?

Anyways tips, suggestions, pics, anything will help


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

not done it myself.

however read this

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/plants_101.php


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

hey good article... encouraging.

Anyone attempting this right now?

I heard fogelhund has some nice planted/cichlid tanks...


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## parkayandbutter (Jan 15, 2008)

Reality Check............. The species DIG. So who will win.......... The fish, the plants, or you? Co2 will bring down the PH, so you know. Sure someone and some people have done it with C02, but the reality is your messing with the PH and the fish mess with the plants, so I ask again. who will win?


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Anyone attempting this right now?


fmueller has one. You might check with him or check his site.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

parkayandbutter said:


> Reality Check............. The species DIG. So who will win.......... The fish, the plants, or you? Co2 will bring down the PH, so you know. Sure someone and some people have done it with C02, but the reality is your messing with the PH and the fish mess with the plants, so I ask again. who will win?


You make some valid points. Especially that C02 & PH Levels... Perhaps with a sack full of crushed coral in the canister that could be corrected though.

fmuellers tank is gorgeous though and thats without C02...

I've already got a big honkin Java Fern in with my White tops and they love it. They all live in the plant and spend more time hiding and playing in the plant then they do the rocks...


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

parkayandbutter said:


> Reality Check............. The species DIG. So who will win.......... The fish, the plants, or you? Co2 will bring down the PH, so you know. Sure someone and some people have done it with C02, but the reality is your messing with the PH and the fish mess with the plants, so I ask again. who will win?


just a few corrections there. 
most cichlids dig, there are ways around it. using strategically plased rocks can keep bulbs and similar plants in place. and given enough time the plants will develop enough rootwork to stay in

CO2 can bring the pH down. however with the high KH associated with a rift African tank the effect will be minimal. provided there is some surface movement (I'm with he camp that says more surface agitation may cost more CO2, but it does ensure there is enough O2 in the water for the fish, plus avoids additional equipment like solenoids to switch the CO2 off at night (as another plus to this system, by keeping CO2 levels steady the plants are healthier, and less prone to things like crypt melt)

fact is with a reasonable KH, you WONT bring the pH level down to 7 or lower without lethal concentrations of CO2. and the plants DON'T need acidic water, in fact a fair number do better in alkaline water.


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## Britnick (Apr 18, 2008)

Let me take this back on track a bit.

I keep Vallis, Anubias, Java Fern and Java Moss all of which do not require CO2 to grow. I do use plant fertilizers in the form of tables and liquid, I also use something called 'Easy Carbo' to add a little carbon to the water instead of CO2. All of the plants grow very well in my coral sand substrate and if you plant them in the right places they donâ€™t get dug up.

If you look at all the sustainable planted African tanks on this and other forums most of the plants are attached to rocks and placed on the substrate or are wedged into the rock structures/backgrounds. If you follow this design template them you should be OK, but I found putting the plants in 4 weeks before the fish really helped as the plants were well established before the little diggers got to them.

Just to increase the heresy a little, I also have bog wood in the tank and Anubias grows really well into bog wood and yes it does soften the PH and yes I do have to buffer the water and yes it looks great.

As for lights. I wouldnâ€™t use a T5 plant light. I do currently and it is just a pain because it encourages algae on all the plants. Problem with most T5â€™s Iâ€™ve seen is the starters come in pairs and so you canâ€™t switch the plant strip off.

My advice would be, plants are not very expensive and a pot of Anubias or Java Fern goes a long way, if you prepare them right, so give it a go and see what happens. Also, make sure that you give the fish other vegetable matter to eat, such as cucumber or blanched lettuce leaf, etc.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Right so just to clarify.

I have a cichlid tank running right now and it has a huge mess of java fern tied to some wood and it's growing fantastically and so far so good against the cichlids. They haven't touched it and live in and all around it. They spend more time in my plants then in the rocks. I already have a few really healthy anubias' that I'm going to throw in there when I get more rock structure.

I have another tank; A highly planted high tech style 90 gallon.. It currently houses no fish as I moved them all out. This is the tank in question. It has rotalla, star grass, ludwigia, swords, crypts, bacopas, and some anubias' and ferns, mosses, and riccia. (spelling of all those plants?)

I just love the personality of my africans so much that I can't imagine regular tropical fish in there any more...

Here's an old pic to give an idea of how its stocked (substrates been changed and scaping is way different but it gives a rough idea)


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## Britnick (Apr 18, 2008)

Hey klumsyninja, very nice setup. Not sure how all of those will do against African though


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn seemed to answer questions I thought you had about the co2 and Britnick answered about the lighting...
Not sure what the question is anymore...

That's a great shot of your beautiful tank, by the way.


The only suggestion I would have is to be sure there is room for open space swimming if you choose those types. 
Plant lovers (and I'm one of them) tend to over plant, which is great, but open water fish need room.

I think fish would use the plants for cover similar to the way they use the rocks. 
For certain types you'll need caves, tho.
hth
Alicem


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## Denny (Sep 27, 2008)

Hi! I have been using African planted driftwood Java fern lasted about a week with my cichlid community tank. They just destoryed it. Will upload a photo shortly.


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## Denny (Sep 27, 2008)

Some more photos With using African driftwood and plants.
















































African driftwood lets you be very creative as you can see in these photos.


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