Marine to Planted?

Looking for advice. I'm thinking of getting out of marine and go into a planted fresh water aquarium.

There are a few reasons I'd leave marine (after about 14 months) - cost, time and look. Cost, its expensive not just to setup but maintain. The killer is saltwater it cost money (not a lot at Seahorse to be fair) but then I need the time to go buy it and then make the water changes (as well as the daily maintenance). Add food and the treatments you'll need to fight what ever is wrong this month so good bye 'fun' money. Perhaps the real kicker is that to look like the reef I want SPS & LPS I'd need to drop more money so I'm stuck with a FOWLR with fish that I enjoy but placed in area I don't get to see very often. Also the density of fish is much lower so with a 176l I've hit the bio-load with 9 fish.

So... I saw a planted aquarium in lfs (blown away by it) and have been looking at a bunch on the photograph section of the forum and think this might keep me in the hobby but at a level I can handle. Am I right or am I fooling myself?

I know that I'll need a bunch of other stuff for a planted aquarium but was hoping to use existing aquarium after I've sold or swapped fish. I'm using an external filter at the moment so that would just need to be set up for the job. Lighting wise for the 176l I've got a 24w & 36w Triphosphor and a 24w & 36w Marine blue. I'm probably thinking of waiting a little longer before I move with this but I'm wondering if I'd be even wasting my time researching it so any advice welcome.
Thanks
Pat

The forums on www.ukaps.org should answer any and all questions you have about planted tanks.

Would it not make more sence to give advice instead of sending people to another forum?I'm sure there are people here who can answer Pats question.

Stuart.

Yeah any views and experiences welcome. Appreciate the link if I go ahead with it.

Hi Pat. I presume you are going to convert the 176l. If so it's a good size tank to get going.

There are a lot of varying factors to consider when your setting up, ie Lighting, CO2, substrate, type of plants etc.
I would suggest you definitely go with CO2. It may cost you a couple of hundred yoyos new, or less 2nd hand, but it's definitely worth the investment.
There are many plants to consider, again depending on your lighting etc.
There are many substrates on the market now for planted tanks like ADA soil or Oliver Knott.
Daily fertilising will help.
You mentioned that you get your salt water in Seahorse. The guys there are great and when it comes to plant advice there is nobody better than John and Darren to point you in the right direction.
Youtube is a great resource for inspiration but you will end up overloaded with ideas !

Best of luck with the project.

Paddy

Also, just to note, in my opinion a well planted fw tank looks just as a reef tank

Thanks Paddy. Definitely agree a good planted tank is as nice as a reef. But is it as much work? Daily fertilising is that time consuming or like feeding fish? Hoping selling my skimmer will cover co2, fingers crossed. In terms of lighting can I keep bulbs I have?

you definetly have to replace the blue tubes (bulbs). again if there are any markings on the bulbs, find out the light spectra of them and consult Darren in SH.

Daily fertilising is as simple as a couple of drops in the morning before lights go on.
What lights do you have on the current tank ?
I have 2 x 39w T5 with reflectors and they are adequate for most plants

It's a hood with power compact t5: 24w & 36w Triphosphor and a 24w & 36w Marine blue.

Hello Pat.

It sounds like you have a lot of the gear you need already.

You have the filter, that just needs a clean and some media put in for mechanical and biological filtration.
What filter is it and what is the flow rate?
Planted tanks like a good flow just like marine tanks. No dead spots and good flow to transport nutrients + Co2 around the tank.

You have the tank, what are the dimensions?
Just give this a good clean.

You have lights, The blues will have to go unless you want to grow algae. The triphospho are fine once they are not old bubs.

After that you will need substrate. I would go for a decent plant substrate.
In reality these are not that expensive when you consider a top end bag of planting soil is nearly the same price as a large bag of sand.

Some hardscape materiel, as in rocks or wood. Natural wood and/or rocks can really make a tank.

Co2 or not to Co2?
All plants do better with Co2. Some plants wont grow without it and i would recommend it for luxurious growth. Even moss grows more dense with it.
If you don't want or cant afford it use a liquid carbon (not the same as Co2) and choose the plants accordingly.

Plant fertilizer's. There are loads to choose from. From the "just add a few drops each morning" to a dash of this, a squirt of that and a sprinkle of the other.
Feeding plants can seem daunting with so many products on the market. but it can be easy.

After that it is just down to plants.
Plants very in price so it is best to have some sort of plan before buying any.


You would be best to visit a good LFS that deal in plants for advice and prices. This way you will get an idea of running costs and maintenance.
There are planted tanks to meet most peoples budget and time for maintenance.

Darren.

Told you Darren is a good man for advice !!!

Thanks Darren. I've an Eheim 2217 Cannister filter (needs proper media) but rated at 1000l/h people seem to say that's high enough for mine?

Spec is:
Aquarium Dimensions: 90x40x58 (WxDxH in cm)
Volume: 176 Litres
Lighting: 2x36 Watt & 2x24 Watt compact T5 with external ballast and timer unit

Definitely going by my Lfs to have a chat Paddy says they got some knowledgable guys in there

Why not go for a low tech planted tank no co2 no expensive susbtrate and no hi tech lighting. If you choose you plants and moss carefully there is very little maintenance on the tank. I don, t see the point of given up marine tank if you are tight for time and going for a hi tech planted tank, your not going to save any Hugh amount of time.

Have a look on the net for low tech planted tanks to see what can be achieved very easily. I only changed over from a marine to A low tech planted tank myself and once it's setup it's so easy compared to a marine.

Either way all the best

Jeff

Good point Jeff. Hi tech planted tanks do require a certain amount of commitment.
And there are plenty of plants that will do fine in a low tech jobby

With no co2 set up will u have to use liquid carb or something?Or will they just survive off the fish waste?

Stuart.

Jeff, thanks for your reply. I decided to rethink my marine when I saw you were going this direction. I don't think I'll go hi tech read the following:
"For my 160 litres High-tech heavily planted aquarium with up to 0, 8 watts per litre I dose as followed:

*CO2 approximately 4 bubbles per second monitored via Drop Checker (25-30ppm).

Tuesday – (after the 50% water change) 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3, 1/8 teaspoon of KH2PO4 and 1/2 teaspoon of GH-Booster.

Wednesday – 10ml of Tropica Plant Nutrition for traces

Thursday – 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3, 1/8 teaspoon of KH2PO4

Friday – 10ml of Tropica Plant Nutrition for traces

Saturday – 1/2 teaspoon of KNO3, 1/16 teaspoon of KH2PO4

Sunday – 10ml of Tropica Plant Nutrition for traces

Monday – I dose nothing

With Tuesday it starts from the beginning (50% water change and nutrient re-dosing as followed above).

NOTE: Just remember, unbalanced planted tanks will lead to algae bloom, so e.g. choosing the High-light method, but not performing often water changes/plant pruning/nutrient dosing will lead to algae heaven."

That's not something I could do or enjoy!

I might get a co2 but with low maintenance plants so it's just a boost.

Thanks for all the feedback I'm going to try and pick the lowest maintenance plants that would make me still enthused about my tank if thats not going to happen than its not far on fauna, flora or family... If any one is looking to make the upgrade to marine and wants to talk swaps feel free to pm me.

After a good bit of research on the type of planted aquarium I might do I brought before my wife. She wasn't too keen on the ones I liked and i so i showed her some of the top in class planted tanks and she liked complete opposite. (In fairness she thought the ones I liked looked a lot like my marine tank after an algae bloom). So it's marine or bust I think.. Thanks for all the feedback in any case