# Guide to the Planted Aquarium



## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

Part I, Section II -Plant and Algae Specific Terms and Shorthand References​
*Buce*- Species from the genus Bucephalandra.

*Crypt*- Species from the genus Cryptocoryne.

*Sword [Plant]*- Species from the genus Echinodorus. So named due to the superficial resemblance of their leaves to sword blades.

*"Monte Carlo"*- Refers to the Monte Carlo variety of Micanthemum.

*HC*- Hemianthus callitricoides, a common carpeting plant.

*DHG*- Dwarf Hairgrass, the common name for Eliocharis acicularis.

*Glosso*- Glossostigma spp., most commonly G. elatinoides.

*Stem Plant*- A plant which grows as a single stem with leaves growing outward from the stem. May or may not have secondary stems growing off the primary stem. Ludwigia spp. and Rotala spp. are stem plants.

*Rosette Plant*- A plant which grows multiple leaves from a single growth point, usually a tuber or corm. Cryptocoryne spp. and Aponogeton spp. are rosette plants.

*Epiphyte*- Literally, a plant that grows on another plant without harming it. Derived from the Greek epi meaning upon and phyton meaning plant. In the aquarium hobby plants that grow on a structure rather than in the substrate are referred to as Epiphytes. Anubias, Bucephalandra, Microsorum, and the various species of mosses are examples. 

*Stolon "Runner"*- a stem which grows near the surface of the substrate from which other complete plants grow. Glossostigma elatinoides spreads by runner.

*Rhizome*- A thick and durable modified stem from which leaves and flowers grow. The genera Anubias, Bucephalandra, and Bolbitis all grow from a rhizome.

*Corm*- A bulbous modified stem typically covered with scale leaves used to store energy reserves. Plants from the genera Aponogeton and Nymphaea grow from corms.

*Tuber*- A bulbus root structure used to store energy reserves. Potatoes are tubers. 

*Genus Abbreviation*- Abbreviating the genus epithet of a plant species using the first letter of the genus rather than fully writing/typing it out is common practice. The abbreviation A. is a common reference to the genus Anubias. 

*Genus Abbreviation and Cultivar or Variety Name Combination*- Using an abbreviated genus epithet and cultivar or variety name is common practice. "I want to put some A. petite on the wood." refers to using Anubias nana 'Petite' in the aquarium.

*Genus as a Reference*- Referring to a genus rather than species is common practice. "I'm going to put some Anubias on the wood.". Usually used when one is unsure which species will be used.

*Cultivar*- A man-made variety of a plant created by selective breeding for a specific trait. Cultivar names are properly referred to using apostrophes before and after the type name. Anubias barteri 'Petite'.

*Variety*- The botanical rank below species or subspecies which typically refers to a geographical type or growth habit particular to that type not seen throughout the entire species. Varieties are properly referred to using the abbreviation var. between the species and variety name. May or may not have the variety name in quotations. Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae, C. crispatula var kubotae, and C. crispatula var. tonkinensis are varities of the species Cryptocoryne crispatula. 

*sp. or spp.*- Abbreviation for species where sp. is singular and spp. is plural. Commonly used when the species epithet is unknown. 

*Algae (plural)*- General term for aquatic protists. Usually used in reference to nuisance organisms. 

*Alga (singular)*- Reference to a particular type or species of aquatic protist. The definitions below use the term algae as that is common parlance even though the name may refer to a single alga. 

*BBA*- Black Beard Algae. Refers to an alga in the genus Cladophora. Tends to grow on hard structure and damaged leaves/stems. Commonly considered the worst alga one can get in an aquarium.

*GSA*- Green Spot Algae. An alga that grows in a small green circular shape.

*Diatoms*- A large group of single-celled protists with a silicate shell which commonly form a dust or filament throughout an aquarium. Most commonly occur in newly set up systems. 

*Staghorn Algae*- A filamentous algae from the genus Compsopogon. 

*GDA*- Green Dust Algae. A green alga which forms a dust or light coating on hard structures and plant leaves.

*Cyano*- Cyanobacteria. A large group of photosynthetic bacteria which tend to form a thick coat or mat on plants and substrate.

*Hair Algae*- A green filamentous alga that if left unchecked can quickly overgrow an aquarium. The tendency of this alga to grow in tightly grown plants with delicate leaves makes it hard to physically remove. Ornamental shrimp are reputed to eat this algae to a greater or lesser degree.

*Green Water*- A pelagic alga that causes water to become turbid with a green hue as it proliferates.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

Part I, Section III- Aquascaping and General Aquarium Terms​
*Aquascape*- The layout of plants or plants and hardscape materials in an aquarium.

*Hardscape*- Non-plant items such as rock and wood used to create physical structure during aquascaping. An aquascape may be comprised completely of hardscape and not include plants. However, as this is a discussion of planted aquaria, it is assumed that plants will be used in aquascape creation.

*Dutch*- Strictly, a planted aquarium that conforms to the rules set by the Nederlandse Bond Aqua Terra (NBAT) organization (www.nbat.nl). Recently, any planted aquarium in which the plants are placed in discernable groups has (incorrectly) been called Dutch.

*Aquatic Garden*- A planted aquarium with discernible aquascaping, yet which does not follow a single school of aquascape design. Aquariums which are colloquially referred to as Dutch that do not conform to the NBAT rules are examples of an aquatic garden. 

*Amano/Nature Aquarium*- An aquascape set up in the style first promoted by Takashi Amano. The original concept was to capture the essence or recreate the impression of a natural scene. Emphasis was placed on the joint use of hardscape and plants. This was somewhat revolutionary in Western countries where the Dutch/European aesthetic heavily influenced aquascaping. In recent years the term “Nature Aquarium” has come to refer to most aquascapes that make heavy use of hardscape and (often) interplanted species as opposed to the grouping found in Dutch aquariums. 

*Biotope*- An aquarium designed to specifically recreate a discrete natural environment containing animals and plants distinct to that location.

*Jungle*- A planted aquarium with no discernable aquascape and/or with a multitude of plants are placed wherever there is space. Often, the plants are not trimmed/groomed to a specific style and are allowed to get overgrown.

*High-Tech*- A term originally used to describe aquariums that used pressurized CO2 and high amounts of light relative to what was available at the time. In recent years the term has come to refer to any planted aquarium with high light, CO2 injection, and fertilizer supplementation.

*Low-Tech*- A term usually used to refer to aquariums with relatively low light and minimal or no plant nutrient supplementation.

*“Walstad”*- The term used to describe the use of soil underneath a sand or gravel cap as the substrate in planted aquaria as described by Diana Walstad in her book “Ecology of the Planted Aquarium”. In recent years the term Walstad Tank has come to refer to any planted aquarium which uses soil as a component of the substrate. 

*MTS(1)*- Mineralized Top Soil. The end result of the mineralization process of natural or commercially available top soil for use as a substrate amendment. Originally described by Sean Murphy and Aaron Talbot, this method adds clay and mineral supplements to the mixture rather than using soil alone. The term “MTS tank” is commonly used in association with Walstad type tanks, the difference being “MTS tanks” are able to sustain high light better than Walstad style setups. 

*MTS(2)*- Multiple Tank Syndrome. The colloquial term for the desire to keep more than one aquarium and the wish to continue adding more.

*MTS(3)*- Malaysian Trumpet Snail. Livebearing snail which lives primarily in the substrate and is used as a means of cleaning and mixing the lower portions of the substrate. Frequently used in soil amended tanks.

*DSM*- Dry Start Method. A method of growing plants emersed to increase biomass/coverage prior to filling with water. 

*Nano Tank*- Very small aquariums; generally regarded as being 10 gallons or less in volume.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

Part I, Section IV- Balance or "I have an algae problem, HELP!"​
One of the most common, if not the most common, questions asked by beginners is "Why am I getting algae?". The answers given vary widely based on different aquarists' experiences and knowledge, yet they all can be distilled into a single reason: balance. This section will be a discussion of the the concept of balance, with particular attention to balance of inputs required for plants’ survival, health, and growth as well as biological/ecosystem balance. 

What is balance? The general concept of balance encompasses multiple factors; light and nutrient input and ecosystem age/maturity. Light and nutrient (including carbon) input will be discussed first as input imbalance is a very common occurrence, especially among, but not limited to, beginners.

Think of a three-legged stool; when all of the legs are the same length the stool is stable. In planted aquaria the three legs of the stool are light input, carbon input, and nutrient input. As long as the three are added in equal amounts relative to each other, inputs to the tank are balanced. When one of the legs is longer than the others (excess input) or shorter than the others (insufficient input) then the stool is unstable. In planted aquaria an imbalance in input is most commonly revealed when algae begin to grow. To emphasize, input balance means that inputs are in the proper amounts relative to each other. In the following paragraphs each input will be discussed separately.

*Light*- Light is the driver of plant metabolism. The more light input a planted tank gets, the faster the plants are going to metabolize and try to grow. In many ways, light input is the factor to which carbon and nutrient input must be in proper relation. If carbon and nutrient inputs aren’t high enough to support the growth light is driving, then the plants won’t be able to produce the materials they need to grow. Excessive light input is the most common cause of imbalance created by beginners. Seeing all of the beautiful aquariums using a lot of light is both inspirational and motivating, but is also a potential pitfall. The majority of aquarists who successfully keep aquaria with high light also tend to be experienced and know how to handle that much input. 

*Carbon*- Important enough to merit individual discussion, carbon is the building block of life on Earth and is central to every organic compound that science knows of. As such, it’s essential to nearly every aspect of plants’ biochemical and metabolic processes. Photosynthetic pigments, proteins, amino acids, glucose, and plants’ cellular and structural materials are all organic compounds. With carbon in such high demand by plants insufficient input will cause plants to die.

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that supplementing carbon in proper proportion to light input is critical. Worth mentioning is CO2 addition and concentrations relative to light input. Unlike liquid carbon sources which may be harmful in larger doses; it is generally safe to add more CO2 than is needed relative to light input, up to the point where the livestock of the tank begin to suffer. In comparison to liquid carbon sources, plants have evolved to assimilate CO2 as their primary carbon source. 

Some plants, especially obligate aquatics such a Vallisneria, are adept at breaking down carbonate minerals in the water to access the carbon or CO2 contained within the structure. This is known as biogenic decalcification as the most commonly utilized forms contain a calcium ion. This is a fairly energy intensive processes and for aquarium purposes is not a recommended means of carbon acquisition. 

*Inorganic nutrients “Ferts”*- The third leg of the stool, inorganic nutrients are one of the most commonly misused and often misunderstood forms of input. Rather than being “plant food”, inorganic nutrients are those elements needed to a greater or lesser degree to support essential biochemical/metabolic processes and as necessary components of tissues and essential molecules. For example, magnesium (Mg) and nitrogen (N) are the central elements of the chlorophyll molecule and phosphorus (P) is needed for energy production. Like CO2 inorganic nutrient input must match light input. With increased light comes an increased demand for nutrients to sustain the light-driven growth. The continuum of insufficient nutrient input is typically seen as follows: poor growth, beginnings of algal growth, signs of nutrient deficiency, algal proliferation, then plant death. 

As the planted hobby in the US has matured and more people do real scientific, and semi-scientific (hobby/citizen-scientist level) inquiry into plants’ nutritional needs an increasing variety of supplementation regimens have sprung up. Whichever method one chooses; commercial lines or one of the DIY methods, meeting the nutritional needs is of high importance. 

To summarize input balance; light is the driver which dictates the demand for carbon and inorganic nutrient input and is the factor which the other two must be balanced against. As this is a beginner’s guide, it is highly recommended to start out with less light than one might think is needed until a firm grasp on supplementation and the basics of plant care are obtained. Doing so will give a wider margin of error and help avoid problems later.

*Biological/ecosystem balance* is the second part of overall system balance/maturity. It includes input balance as well as plant growth and microbial proliferation. When a planted aquarium is first established it is highly unstable and susceptible to the slightest change or imbalance in input. The filter is still immature, plants may still be in emersed form, haven't begun growing much yet, and the microbes in the tank and substrate haven't established. All of these contribute to overall instability. As the microbes in the filter and substrate proliferate, the plants switch to submersed form and start growing, the ecosystem is more able to process waste and dissolved nutrients. It is worth mentioning that the vast majority of planted aquariums are open systems which will never fully reach true equilibrium (inputs are greater than exports); especially if they contain fish. However; a fully established and mature aquarium ecosystem is able to handle variations in input and disturbance; trimming, uprooting, etc., better than an immature system. This is the central concept of biological balance. Once plant growth and overall biomass is in relation to inputs and the microbial community is large enough to process the majority of organic waste, a planted aquarium can be said to be balanced.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

Part I, Section V- Filters and Filtration Media​
*Hang on the Back (HOB) Filter*- Any filter where the unit fits over the rim of the tank with the filtration chamber on the outside and the intake on the inside. The pump mechanism pulls water up through the intake tube where it then passes through filter media and overflows back into the tank. Commonly used for nano setups. 

*Canister Filter*- A canister filter is a complete unit which includes a sealed filtration chamber, integrated pump, and intake and outlet tubes. The intake feeds the filter via gravity/siphon with the pump mechanism pushing the water out rather than pulling it into the canister. Some recent designs allow for the canister to sit next to the tank, but this is uncommon. Very common type of filter for planted systems.

*Sump/Wet-Dry/Trickle Filter (Sump)*- An unsealed/open container which sits under the tank and is gravity/siphon fed by an overflow mechanism. Unlike canister filters which are sealed and have intake and outlet devices as an integral part of their design, sumps typically require the purchase of a separate pump and water feed device. Water enters the filtration chamber top, flows over a perforated plate (trickle plate) before draining “trickling” over/through the media below then into a reservoir area. A pump then pushes the water back into the aquarium. The term wet-dry comes from common use in fish aquaria where a portion of the filtration media is exposed to air and a portion is underwater. Due to the belief that sumps cause CO2 loss they weren't commonly used for planted tanks in the past. As more aquarists have shared positive experiences with sump filters in recent years they are becoming more common. 

*Overflow*- An internal or external device which drains water via overflowing. Internal overflows have a shield which forces water to flow up and over “overflowing” the plate prior to being drained. Internal overflows require the tank be drilled to allow drainage whereas external overflows do not. External overflows have an in-tank box into which water flows and feeds into an external overflow box. 

*“Durso Drain”*- A modification to the original internal downdraft design of an open standpipe. A U intake is attached to the top of the drain standpipe where the intake is under water. A hole is drilled at the top of the U into which an air inlet tube is inserted to prevent gas lock and allow water to flow freely. It was originally designed by a reef hobbyist named John Durso as a means of reducing noise from overflow drains. Since the advent of the Herbie and Beananimal designs the Durso design has been used less and less by hobbyists, but is still the industry standard for aquarium manufacturers.

*“Herbie”*- A two-drain system (opposed to the single-drain Durso) in which the primary is at full siphon (no air enters) and the secondary drains the excess from the primary. In order to achieve full siphon the primary drain is restricted via a valve until water just barely trickles into the secondary drain. This is quickly becoming the standard method for overflow design in the planted hobby. Originally described by a reef hobbyist with the screen name Herbie.

*“Beananimal”*- A three-drain system where one is run at full siphon, a second drain then handles the excess from the full siphon drain, and a third is available in case the primary siphon gets clogged. This system typically requires a side of the tank be drilled and an internal overflow box be built around the drains. First described by a reef hobbyist with the screen name Beananimal as an improvement on the Herbie design.

There are three general types of filter media; physical, biological, and chemical each of which address different water purification needs. 

*Physical media* trap particles which then are removed from the system during filter maintenance. Over time, physical media become additional biological media as bacteria colonize it to access the trapped particles. Sponges, floss, and micron socks are examples of physical media. When using HOB or canister filters, it is best to have coarse physical media be the first thing raw tank water contacts and fine media be the last. This typically means the fine media will be on top where it can be easily accessed and cleaned or replaced without having to remove the rest of the media.

Anything in the filter which houses beneficial bacteria that biologically treat water can be considered *biological media*. However, the term biological media typically refers to those materials which have been designed to have high surface area for bacteria to colonize. While not specifically designed as physical media, biological media often accumulate physical particles and need to be cleaned regularly to maintain good water flow. To minimize debris build up, it is important that biological media be placed after physical media and not be packed tightly to ensure maximum water flow. Bioballs, ceramic rings and balls, and pumice are examples of biological media.

*Chemical media* are materials which utilize the media’s chemical properties to address specific water quality issues. Activated carbon, ion exchange resins, and organic adsorption resins are all types of chemical media.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

Part I, Section VI - Lighting​
There are numerous brands of commercially made lights and various DIY options available. No brand or DIY options will be discussed here, only the type of light.

*Fluorescent*- Not too long ago T5 lighting was the top-of-the-line technology and remains the favorite of many hobbyists. Benefits include a wide array of spectrum-specific bulbs, maturity of the technology, overall availability and affordability of fixtures and bulbs. Only recently have higher-end fixtures included dimming features so many of the mid-priced or older fixtures are only on/off. If the fixture has options to control groups of bulbs rather than the whole array, then some of the on/off disadvantage is mitigated. Other drawbacks include cost of bulb replacement and higher energy use than LED. 

_Power Compact (PC) _fluorescent lights had their heyday approximately 10 to 15 years ago, until T-5 technology emerged they were a common choice for high light systems. Some manufacturers (notably ADA) still support PC lights for general use. PC lighting still sees use in fixtures for nano aquariums or all-in-one systems, but for the most part the technology has run its course. The same goes for Very High Output (VHO) fluorescent.

_Standard fluorescent_ lighting (T-8 and T-12) was the most widely used light technology for decades and continues to be viable for aquariums that have plants which don’t require a great deal of light. Benefits include low cost of fixtures and bulbs due to the widespread use in industrial and office lighting. Drawbacks include low variety of color temperature (6500K etc.) and low PAR compared to T-5, halides, and LEDs.

*Metal Halide and HQI*- Once the cutting-edge technology for high intensity lighting in reef systems, metal halides saw modest use in planted aquaria. Once HQI technology emerged, some major brands began utilizing it and some (notably ADA) continue use to this day. They’re a powerful source of light and are still useful for deep tanks which need high illumination at depth. Other benefits include the maturity of the technology and plant specific bulb availability. Drawbacks include high heat generation and energy consumption. With T-5 and LED technologies available, halide and HQI lighting has become nearly obsolete except in use for very deep aquaria and by certain brands. 

*LED*- Quickly becoming the light type of choice, Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology and fixtures for the planted market have improved over recent years. Benefits of LEDs include low energy use compared to light output, customizability (dependent on brand), multiple types of fixture (strip vs pendant, etc.) and a wide variety of price points. Drawbacks include a small number of manufacturers making fixtures with spectral output specific to plant needs and the general immaturity of the technology. While improvements have been significant, the technologies used for LEDs still need time to develop fully; especially in the planted aquarium realm.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

Part I, Section VII- CO2 Supplementation​
Many aspects of CO2 supplementation have been addressed in previous sections. This section will briefly and specifically address CO2, not liquid carbon additives. CO2 supplementation methods, hardware, and best practices are topics of never ending debate. Going back to the section on tank balance, carbon supplementation is of great importance to successfully keeping aquatic plants. This can take many forms from a simple airstone or venturi powerhead used to add CO2 from the atmosphere in the simplest of setups to elaborate combinations of pressurized cylinders and dissolution chambers in tech-heavy systems. Supplementation method is a factor which is heavily influenced by the aquarist’s goals and desires for his or her aquarium. In recent years, with the profusion of manufactured injection systems and items, use of CO2 gas has become a hobby standard for those wishing to keep lushly planted and/or heavily aquascaped systems. While not necessary in every planted system, it is the author’s opinion that direct CO2 injection is an essential part of all but the most basic planted aquaria. Means of injection is up to the taste of the aquarist as long as minimums are met. 

What are the best practices regarding CO2 supplementation? Use as much as is needed to meet a systems needs. A good rule of thumb is to maintain 25-40 ppm in the typical moderate-to-high light system. Systems with lower light input may require less, with 15 ppm being the author's recommended minimum concentration.


Common types of CO2 diffusion devices-

*CO2 Diffuser*- A device which is used inside the aquarium to supplement CO2. The diffusion plate is typically made of ceramic or glass with very fine pores used to produce small bubbles to improve dissolution.

*CO2 Reactor*- A device either filled with a physical medium or integrated perforated plates into which CO2 is injected. The purpose of the media and/or plates is to reduce velocity, create turbulence, and break up large gas bubbles to improve dissolution. Reducing in-chamber velocity uses a gas' tendency to rise in water to keep the gas in the chamber as long as possible. They are typically installed vertically with input at the top and output at the bottom. CO2 is injected at the top to increase dwell-time and maximize dissolution. 

*Cerges or Dwell-Time Reactor*- A type of CO2 dissolution mechanism “reactor” described by a European (Russian?) hobbyist named Serge. Rather than depending on turbulence to increase dissolution, the design uses a large chamber with an internal tube to increase dwell-time and thereby increase dissolution. The purpose of the tube is to draw water from the bottom of the chamber as far from the point of gas input as possible to minimize the amount of gas leaving the chamber. Like general CO2 reactors, the Cerges reactor capitalizes on gas bubbles' natural resistance to downward flow. The original, and most commonly used, design has the gas entering at the top of the chamber where it get caught in the flow stream and dissolves. As gas bubbles dissolve they are less and less able to resist downward flow, eventually get entrained in the current, and exit the chamber. The goal is to achieve complete dissolution and have only gas enriched water exiting.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

This is a work in progress. Let me know if I missed any terms or whatnot that may need to be added. Please keep in mind that detailed discussion of individual sections/topics will be posted in the appropriate sub-forum. Part I is meant as a general introduction only.

Cheers,
Phil


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

Thanks for posting these. Are these old archives from FishNet? Also want to know more about the pseudo Dupla drops.


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## NickAu (Feb 24, 2017)

Thanks for this,


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

Great work!!!

Dan


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

GrampsGrunge said:


> Thanks for posting these. Are these old archives from FishNet? Also want to know more about the pseudo Dupla drops.


Thanks GrampsGrunge. Everything posted was written by me; it's all original content.

Bump:


NickAu said:


> Thanks for this,


You're welcome Nick, I've been thinking about doing something like this for a while. I did one for a different forum back in 2005, but a lot's changed since then and I've learned a lot more in the way of science.

Bump:


Dman911 said:


> Great work!!!
> 
> Dan


Thanks Dan!


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

GrampsGrunge said:


> Thanks for posting these. Are these old archives from FishNet? Also want to know more about the pseudo Dupla drops.


Dupla was a company that made a lot of high end planted tank equipment way back when. The equipment was extremely expensive, so it never really caught on in the USA. The original company has been sold or merged a few times, and the name still exists. You can see them here (offsite) - Dohse Aquaristik GmbH & Co. KG

As for the PPDD, you can see information about the various mixes people used here (offsite) - James' Planted Tank - PMDD

This was a mix of ferts you dosed every day. I would say that by today's standards there are better ways of doing things, but the method would still work well.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

Sorry for interrupting before, it was before you said not to comment. Was thinking it was a one post deal. Read this all and its a pretty lovely little article!  Good job


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## catchthecarp (Nov 22, 2014)

I enjoyed reading the concise and very readable definitions, explanations and history. There were several I've seen often but never knew precisely what they meant or the history (PAR and PMDD being two examples). Good work, looking forward to reading more.


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

This is an excellent article. You have a lot of material covered and it's in a concise format that doesn't ramble on.

At the same time, I'm not sure it's really suited for beginners. If you think about the questions a beginner has they tend to be very general, like "How do I set up a planted aquarium?" or questions like "What is the best ... (fill in the blank)?" 

In other words, they are looking for a simple answer to their question. What they usually don't realize is that there is no simple answer. Given some time in the hobby, they are going to learn most of the material you covered, one way or another. 

At the same time, if I were a beginner and came across the list of terms you have, I'd feel completely overwhelmed. I'd feel lost trying to understand all the items about lighting, filtration and algae control. 

It is a tricky problem trying to strike a balance between providing enough information so a beginner doesn't end up with a tank of very dead fish, and giving so much information that the hobby seems impossible. 

Perhaps we need a beginners guide that is fairly stripped down, sort of a "Getting Ready to be a Beginner"? (grin)

For example, for a beginner, lighting the serious choices come down to T5 and LED strip lighting. Talk about those, and simply mention the others as either almost obsolete or for advanced systems. This is not unlike a basic book on car repair. They get into how to change the oil, and replace breaks, but don't bother with how to rebuild a transmission. 

All this being said, I hope to see a lot more writing from you.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

Dave,

You bring up a lot of good points and expressing thoughts/opinions will help improve this guide, thank you.

I fully acknowledge that the list of technical terms in Section I is probably overwhelming for the beginner or even intermediate hobbyist. That's why I said it was intended to be a reference for people to go back to when seeing terms they're not familiar with in different posts or discussions. Remembering back to when I was a beginner, I saw all sorts of acronyms and technical terms bandied about that I didn't understand but had no good single reference to go to for explanation. By helping people avoid being in that situation I'm "paying it forward" the same way some experienced hobbyists did for me when I was just starting out. 




> In other words, they are looking for a simple answer to their question.


As far as distilling down basic answers to basic questions, that happens all over the forum and not always to the benefit of the questioner. For example someone asks the question "Why am I getting algae?" with the responses "Your organics are too high" or "You need to use CO2", etc. Those aren't particularly good answers as they give the questioner no real explanation of why CO2 is important or what "organics" are. The person or people answering the question may have the best intentions and are giving based on their experience/knowledge level and may indeed be correct that lack of carbon or high "organics" may be the cause, but we all know that one size doesn't fit all in this hobby and different factors may be the cause. It's also an unfortunate fact on forums like this that people with just enough knowledge to be dangerous give answers that they might not fully understand themselves, but they know doing ABC has worked for them and other people. By giving explanations for terms and concepts, it's my hope that beginners avoid falling into the trap of slavishly following a single formula or method that "Guru A" said was the best without knowing the concepts and reasoning behind it. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to in person or corresponded with online that have given up on the hobby because they couldn't make Method XYZ work for them and had little to no understanding of the concepts behind that method, which had they understood more fully, would have helped them succeed. 



> For example, for a beginner, lighting the serious choices come down to T5 and LED strip lighting. Talk about those, and simply mention the others as either almost obsolete or for advanced systems. This is not unlike a basic book on car repair. They get into how to change the oil, and replace breaks, but don't bother with how to rebuild a transmission.


What happens when someone comes here already having bought a system with PC lighting or are reef hobbyists looking to convert their system with HQI fixtures to a planted tank? How does saying their only serious options as beginners are LED or T5 help them? Just recently I saw a thread by a relative beginner who started with DIY CF fixtures and then switched to T-8 shoplights. Does neglecting to mention those technologies or blankly saying "Get LEDs or T5" help him or other people like him? It just so happens that that T-8 lighting is exactly what he needs and is an option he is happy with. I'd prefer to not leave out information that may help even a small group of people who come here. 



> What they usually don't realize is that there is no simple answer. Given some time in the hobby, they are going to learn most of the material you covered, one way or another.


That's precisely the reason why I've included all the information I have. By providing as much information and as many explanations as I can, it's my hope that beginners will have a point of reference which will help lessen the learning curve and give them a base of knowledge to build upon as they gain experience. I'd rather do what I can to help prevent people learning "one way or the other"/the hard way than not do anything at all. Trying to balance "simple and easy" with "informative and useful over the long term" is a hard one to make. I would rather err on the side of giving too much information than not enough. 

Cheers,
Phil


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

I vote to get this stickied. It is complex, but would have been nice a couple years ago when I started


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

DaveK said:


> Dupla was a company that made a lot of high end planted tank equipment way back when. The equipment was extremely expensive, so it never really caught on in the USA. The original company has been sold or merged a few times, and the name still exists. You can see them here (offsite) - Dohse Aquaristik GmbH & Co. KG
> 
> As for the PPDD, you can see information about the various mixes people used here (offsite) - James' Planted Tank - PMDD
> 
> This was a mix of ferts you dosed every day. I would say that by today's standards there are better ways of doing things, but the method would still work well.


Oh, I'm aware of Dupla, I read all of George and Carla Booth's planted tank articles in Aquarium Fish Magazine back in the day, my avatar and siggy images are from two tanks I had in 1992 that had DIY Dupla style substrate heating cables. I used to use an EDTA based terrestrial Iron/micro fertilizer that Fred Meyers carried back then.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

@GrampsGrunge,

If you're dropping those names then this link will take you back. Also contains the PMDD formula.

Control of Algae in Planted Aquaria


Fred Meyers...that takes ME back to my childhood in the PNW.

Cheers,
Phil


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## NickAu (Feb 24, 2017)

I am actually afraid of using chemicals in my tank in case it upsets the balance, I cant remember the last time I cleaned the glass or vacuumed the substrate.

My maintenance consists of changing 50% of the water once a week, The only things I add to my tanks are clean water fish food and Easy Life Fluid Filter Media and Indian almond leaf. 

About 4 months ago now I use No Planaria in my tank and it killed all my Malaysian Trumpet snails ( I did not know it would do that ) so this makes me even more wary of using chemicals in my tanks.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

NickAu said:


> I am actually afraid of using chemicals in my tank in case it upsets the balance, I cant remember the last time I cleaned the glass or vacuumed the substrate.
> 
> My maintenance consists of changing 50% of the water once a week, The only things I add to my tanks are clean water fish food and Easy Life Fluid Filter Media and Indian almond leaf.
> 
> About 4 months ago now I use No Planaria in my tank and it killed all my Malaysian Trumpet snails ( I did not know it would do that ) so this makes me even more wary of using chemicals in my tanks.


Nick,

There's nothing wrong with not wanting to use chemicals in your tank. If it's the one I'm thinking of it doesn't seem to need anything. I'm sure the weekly water changes help take care of most things that might cause problems. As we say here in the States "Keep on keeping on.". If it's working for you and meets your goals then all's well. As for chemicals to kill things like planaria, it seems you found out the hard way that they're poisons and invertebrates are particularly sensitive to toxins. Sorry to hear you had to go through that.

If you ever want to start adding chemical supplements to your tank I'd suggest going with an aquarium specific liquid micro/trace supplement at half dose. Most plants benefit from micro/trace addition and branded supplements have the advantage of being fairly consistent across batches. Going back to what I said above, if you're happy with your tank the way it is there's no need to change anything no matter what other people may say.

Cheers,
Phil


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

You bring up some interesting points. I'm only going to quote short sections, just so you know the part of your post I'm talking about.



PEdwards said:


> ...I fully acknowledge that the list of technical terms in Section I is probably overwhelming for the beginner or even intermediate hobbyist. ...


Perhaps this should be an appendix or glossary at the end, rather than "hitting a beginner over the head" with all this as the beginning? It may be worth doing it twice, with one being in alphabetical order and another being by category. 



PEdwards said:


> ...As far as distilling down basic answers to basic questions, that happens all over the forum and not always to the benefit of the questioner. ... I can't tell you how many people I've talked to in person or corresponded with online that have given up on the hobby because they couldn't make Method XYZ work for them and had little to no understanding of the concepts behind that method, which had they understood more fully, would have helped them succeed. ...


It's interesting that you should use as example of algae control here. That reminded me of something a bit related, but not directly related to this subject. I'll PM you about this. 

On this I agree. There is a tremendous amount of incomplete, wrong, or obsolete information out there. Yes, people should understand why they are doing everything in their aquarium system. At the same time, a beginner just wants to get the tank set up and going. 

As an example, if your talking about cycling a tank, you could go into the whole nitrogen cycle and explain the entire process of nitrification and denitrification. You'd also get a lot of loss of interest very quickly. For a beginner, you the short explanation could be something like this...

Cycling a tank is where you add something that the "good guy" bacteria feed on, reproduce and get the biological filtration going.

It's correct as far as it goes with out going into all the details. As I see it, you want to get a beginner to the point where they can set up the tank and ask intelligent questions. 



PEdwards said:


> ... What happens when someone comes here already having bought a system with PC lighting or are reef hobbyists looking to convert their system with HQI fixtures to a planted tank? How does saying their only serious options as beginners are LED or T5 help them? ...


This is a point, but a beginners guide can't be all things to all people. LEDs and T5 are going to cover the vast majority of beginners setting up tanks of any sort today. That small group such as the person that "started with DIY CF fixtures and then switched to T-8 shoplights" or the ex-reefkeeper really are not beginners. Now if you were trying to do a guide that covered the whole hobby, then all the additional methods should be covered. 



PEdwards said:


> ...That's precisely the reason why I've included all the information I have. By providing as much information and as many explanations as I can, it's my hope that beginners will have a point of reference which will help lessen the learning curve and give them a base of knowledge to build upon as they gain experience. ...


I agree with the idea that you want to reduce the learning curve. At the same time you need to keep a beginner form getting totally lost. Perhaps the best way to do this is to deal with the subject like most teaching textbooks do. Think of a beginners book on a subject like using a word processing program or a spreadsheet. Initially, they tell you just enough so you can get going, and then in later chapters revisit all the subject areas and expand upon them. That way a beginner can get something done quickly and then be able to expand upon what they know. 

Take care,
Dave


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

What section do you want to see next: Substrates, Lighting, or Filters and Media? Keep in mind I did my thesis work on comparing aquatic plant growth in different substrates so that will end up being technical and taking a while to write. CO2 is going to be the last of the detailed discussions before capping off with the Summary or "Bringing it all Together [as simply as Phil can...]" section. 

Also, keep in mind that this is no longer a beginner's guide, it's now just a guide for everyone. I had the best intentions but dangit, I couldn't keep from wanting to cover as many bases as I could and the project got away from me a little bit. At least you can point to Part I when you catch someone misusing TDS or Redox Potential!


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

My vote is on Substrate!


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

PEdwards said:


> What section do you want to see next: Substrates, Lighting, or Filters and Media? ...


Of the three, I'd say lighting is the next most critical thing to cover. It's also just about the most talked about area and also has the most differing opinions. I'd say that it's also the area where someone can go wrong. 

Since this is now becoming a general guide for all, rather than a beginners guide, some of the issues I mentioned before no longer apply. However, there may still be a lot of beginners reading it. As a suggestion, perhaps important beginner parts can be flagged in one way or another.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

I hope a lot of beginners read it, in my mind it's still primarily for them. Can I just put a note at the start saying "Hey, beginners, everything here is important!"? 

Honestly, I think the last section "Bringing it All Together: or Where to Begin When You're Beginning" will be the most useful for beginners wanting a short guide in one place. Start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start is a pretty concise answer, do you think? 

Regards,
Phil


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

When I get asked about where to start, as far as aquarium systems go, I tell them to first figure out what they are trying to do with the system. Also, what are they going to keep in it. Every last detail need not be worked out, but you do need to have some idea about the direction you want to go. For example, the setup for keeping discus is going to be different from a system to keep tetras. This all should happen before you spend any money on equipment.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I believe it is a very good article as is,and gives everyone someplace/somewhere to read out in front of question's they may have.(maybe find answers within)
Maybe read it a couple three times.
This can help people decide what method they may be best suited for considering their goal's.
Trying to incorporate bit's of differing method's was my biggest nemesis along with too much light without basic understanding of it's value as a tool to achieve my goal.


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## NickAu (Feb 24, 2017)

Hi Phil

Was just wondering if you could please have a look at my sorority thread and giving me your opinion on the light I was given to try out. Link is in my signature.


Regards
Nick


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

roadmaster said:


> ...
> Trying to incorporate bit's of differing method's was my biggest nemesis along with too much light without basic understanding of it's value as a tool to achieve my goal.


Trying to use parts different methods and creating a planted tank system is something that has a lot of potential pitfalls, especially for someone new to the hobby. Unless you have a great deal of knowledge about planted tank systems, you are more likely than not to make major mistakes. This not only applies to planted tanks, it applies to any sort of advanced aquarium system. 

Yes, I've done my share of mistakes. 

If someone is new to the hobby, they should copy one method and don't make changes to it. They can use different equipment and so on, but don't change the basic way things are being done. Once the tank is established, and running, and they know what they are doing, then go back and redo the tank.

Even so, go carefully. I think the second tank someone does is often more prone to problems than the first tank. Many times, for that second tank, they try to add every possible option under the sun, and often all this stuff conflicts with other components, and is much less effective.


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## PEdwards (Oct 31, 2016)

davek said:


> if someone is new to the hobby, they should copy one method and don't make changes to it. They can use different equipment and so on, but don't change the basic way things are being done. Once the tank is established, and running, and they know what they are doing, then go back and redo the tank.
> 
> Even so, go carefully. I think the second tank someone does is often more prone to problems than the first tank. Many times, for that second tank, they try to add every possible option under the sun, and often all this stuff conflicts with other components, and is much less effective.


+10


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

PEdwards said:


> +10


Thanks for the "+10" 

For a very good read on non-aquarium second system efforts, in the field of information systems there is the book _The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering_ by Fred Brooks. Chapter 5 The Second System Effect covers the problems of doing that second system and trying to do too much. 

The book is a classic in the field, but if your going to get a copy, pick up a used 1st edition from Amazon for only a few dollars. BTW, this is often a good trick for getting some of those expensive aquarium books at a reasonable prices.


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## Shadar (Jan 30, 2017)

DaveK said:


> Thanks for the "+10"
> 
> For a very good read on non-aquarium second system efforts, in the field of information systems there is the book _The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering_ by Fred Brooks. Chapter 5 The Second System Effect covers the problems of doing that second system and trying to do too much.


Saw a guy on the bus reading that this morning. Reminded me that I really need to actually read it one of these days....


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