Is this hobby right for me?

[Andrew Butler]

Hi, I have joined the forum to try and initially do some basic research as to whether this hobby is the exact one I want to pursue or able to due to certain restraints.
I am unsure exactly where the line is drawn between a planted aquarium and an aquarium with plants in or whether there is one for that matter!
I will take a guess that if I am to ask a question on here then I would get a different answer from each and every one of you and most of the answers are neither right or wrong?
Andy

 

[Planter100]

Maybe the difference is between a scaped tank and a planted tank.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Hi Andrew and welcome...That's the beauty of this hobby, and UKaps, there's room for a whole spectrum of ideas...it's whatever you're happiest with for whatever reason...😉
I guess though that the line is drawn at plastic plants😱

 

[Andy D]

I am unsure exactly where the line is drawn between a planted aquarium and an aquarium with plants in or whether there is one for that matter!

I would say these are one-and-the-same.

For me you either have a planted tank or an aquascaped tank.

A planted tank is simply a tank with plants in. An aquascaped tank is a tank where the layout and plant choice is designed to fit certain artistic criteria.

 

[zozo]

You can show me a bucket with a nice plant and i like it already.. I guess i'm not alone in this at an Aquatic Plant Society forum. Search the forum 🙂 and you'll find loads of pictures from buckets to silly canisters with nice plants and even more nice comments on them.. That's what so nice at UKAPS, you draw the line they don't.. If your plants are healthy and beatiful you get aplaud , are they unhealthy and you need help you get advice..

 

[stu_]

Just don't ask what causes BBA......



Welcome to the forum

 

[Andrew Butler]

Just don't ask what causes BBA......



Welcome to the forum

I would need to know what it was first! Haha

Thanks all - I guess my next quest is to find out what causes BBA (when I find out what it is) after that I could look into the basics.

It makes perfect sense that an aquarium with a plant in is exactly what it says.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Think yo have answered your own question Andrew by joining UKAPS,thing is it entirely up to you and you can have lovely planted tank courtesy the garden centre,a walk in the countryside for hardscape or purchase high end equipment and hardscape. Or alternatively low cost and to suit a budget the results can be the same Welcome to UKAPS

 

[Wisey]

I think another good thing to look at when deciding if the hobby is right for you is how much time and money you want to invest, so you can look at high tech which is more expensive on equipment and more complex and time consuming with more water changes and added CO2, or you can consider a low tech tank with low light, no CO2, less water changes, but slower growing plants. The low tech option could make the hobby compatible with someone who does not have a lot of time and is also a good way to get started with aquatic plants.

 

[nayr88]

Hi Andrew

Good question
For me I believe it is what you make your allowances for, when I keep aquascaped tanks I would dose high ferts and high ligh and tons of co2 and carpeting plants

Now this meant my fish choice to an extent would suffer, I did not want to put any wafers or flakes into the tank and I couldn't keep a fish that would be shy of high ligh, I couldn't keep a fish that wanted to dig or fish that needed tons of oxygen in the water.

I wanted to keep some more interesting fish and so I went for Malawis and a sand bottom, I still like plants but now my plant choice has suffered as they need to be strong plants that my cichlids can crash into and try to move occasionally - so no carpets! Only ferns and Anubis! Or potted swords. I feed heavy to so no moss that will get covered in crud. These fish love oxygenated tanks so that ruled out
Blyxa and helferi ect.

So what do you want??
there is middle ground, say an 80 litre tank with apistogramma fish and Group of neons, you can have co2 at a moderate level and lights top, just keep your filter flow high and your maintenance schedule very strict. You may melt the odd plant that needed higher co2 or get a few leggey plants that you wanted to bush but hey Ho it's all part of the fun.


Sorry for any typos

 

[Andrew Butler]

I am sure a lot of people will take this as an insult but freshwater seems a lot less intense and possible to simplify compared to marines. I want to keep my fish options as open as possible to interesting species without comprimising the plant list too much if possible - I have a lot to learn and think freshwater is interesting in a completely different way to marines.

 

[Andy D]

Freshwater seems a lot less intense and possible to simplify compared to marines.

I would say it can be a lot simpler than marine in a lot of cases but I would also say it can be just as hard too.

I want to keep my fish options as open as possible to interesting species without comprimising the plant list too much if possible - I have a lot to learn and think freshwater is interesting in a completely different way to marines.

Personally I would determine where the priority lies. If it's the fish then design the tank and plant list around them.

If it's the plants/aquascape then suitable fish can be found to suit.