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First planted tank

715 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  keykaye, 
K
So i have a 10 gal tank that is only holding a clown pleco. I've had this pleco for over a year, he was given to me when i had an algae issue in my solo betta tank. While looking around to see if he was ok with plants I found out he's not the best fish for a 10 gallon despite what i was told. I no longer have my betta as he passed on, had him for a few years but now i'm wanting to try to have a planted tank for the first time with another betta. So i most likely will re-home my pleco now that i know my tank is to small, so please guys dont give me to much grief on that, but i want some advice for planting my tank.
So i've heard having plants helps control water nitrate i think, but i was wondering if you have a planted tank do you have to do water changes? Or do the plants themselves take care of everything if you have a water filter in the tank with them. Also what are some good beginner plants for a 10 gal, their substrate, and the lighting? To help with algae what kind of fish can i add in that would get along with a male betta? I have heard of trying snails but im afraid of them breeding and getting over run with them. I do have two moss balls in the tank that i plan on keeping if this changes anything. Are there any particular plants betta fish love to have, and a certain filter i should have for the tank?
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AlonsoOrtiz

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Not all plants absorb nitrates some absorb more nitrate than others and some basically don?t absorb any at all. If your goal is nitrate absorbers one plant I?d recommend is water sprite is good for beginners and grows fast would need to be trimmed often. You would still need to do water changes there is basically no way around that. Your substrate and lighting all depends on your budget and he types of plants you want to house as well as how ?advanced? the tank will be, a high tech tank with pressurized co2, regular dosing of fertilizers and high light ofcourse. Or a low tech tank with low light demanding plants. A good quality always helps especially in high tech tanks but if your goal is low tech you don?t exactly need a very nutrient rich substrate you could even have an inert substrate for that matter, just make sure if you have heavy root feeders like amazon Swords for example that you add root tabs. As far as plant filter and fish recommendations I will leave that to others. With snails they will only breed to how many fit the tank for example if they iverbreed and there isn?t enougj nutrient available for them they will die off and all that will be left will be however many snails your feeding/natural food (algae biofilm etc) provides for them. This cycle continues but if there?s not enough food for the snails their population will decrease however everybody has heir own opinion on snails.
 
K

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Discussion Starter · #3 · (Edited)
Well i was planning on doing what i believe is a low tech tank. i just want something natural but easy to manage for a betta fish that he would enjoy. I work and go to college so i don't want something overly high care. I was really curious though if there are carpet like plants that are good for beginners and don't require CO2? And if i did a carpet plant how would i go about cleaning a tank that way? I'm kind of imaging having the carpet bottom, with some taller plants in the background and a single piece of wood in the middle with some ferns or something growing off it.
I cant remember but i've heard some bettas like to play in some plants, but i don't know what kind they would be.

This is a video that is kind of what im wanting
 
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