# Setting up a bare bottom tank with plants



## Leopardfire (Sep 23, 2012)

I am setting up a planted 10 gallon for my ACF. Because he is so messy I wanted have my tank bare bottom to make it easier to clean. I also don't want my frog to eat any gravel or sand and die. I really want to have live plants so that it feels like a pond to him and because they will help with the ammonia and nitrates. 
What, if any, live plants can live in a bare bottom tank? I was thinking maybe there were some floating ones that could work. I had live plants in there before with some gravel, so I know that the lighting in the tank is good enough for plants. 
Also, is there anything special I need to do to care for plants in a bare bottom tank? Do I need to add some kind of plant food or can I just leave them in there to absorb the ammonia and waste.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Marimo, Anarchis, and hornwort and liquad ferts/CO2 will be fine java fern and anuibus work too.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

P.S. your lucky in most of the U.S. ACF are banned.


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## Leopardfire (Sep 23, 2012)

> Marimo, Anarchis, and hornwort and liquad ferts/CO2 will be fine java fern and anuibus work too.


Do I need to get something for their roots to hold onto like a rock, or can I just put them in the tank without anything?



> P.S. your lucky in most of the U.S. ACF are banned.


He's not really an ACF, but they are his closest relatives. He came from _Grow a Frog_ so he was made to be see-through as a tadpole. Now he looks exactly like an ACF though so I call him that so people have an idea of what he is.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Do you mean this if you mean this he is lucky someone got him who will care for him as an adult http://www.growafrog.com/quesclass.html#Anchor-Tadpol-58419 and java moss/fern and anuibus grow in lava rock marmo is a spere of algae so anarchis and hornwort grow floating and attach java fern/moss and anuibus grow on lava rock or driftwood and Marimo take it out and squeeze it ounce a week.


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## Friendlyfishies (Aug 16, 2012)

why do squeeze a marimo once a week?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

It picks of degree a lot so squeezing it gets rid of it plus if kept on one side it stops growing in a spere.


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## Leopardfire (Sep 23, 2012)

> Do you mean this if you mean this he is lucky someone got him who will care for him as an adult http://www.growafrog.com/quesclass.h...r-Tadpol-58419


Yes, that is where I got him from.


> and java moss/fern and anuibus grow in lava rock marmo is a spere of algae so anarchis and hornwort grow floating and attach java fern/moss and anuibus grow on lava rock or driftwood and Marimo take it out and squeeze it ounce a week.


I am slightly confused. Do the java fern and anubis grow on a lava rock with the hornwort and anarchic attached to them? Is the marimo attached to this set up in any way or is it growing on it's own?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Marimo just sits around anarchis and hornwort grow as floating plants and java fern/moss and anuibus grow attached to the rock. Java moss is really good at attaching to stuff Marimo is an algae and helps compete other algae out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_moss http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_fern http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anubias and it is cool that you love your frog what species is it?


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## Leopardfire (Sep 23, 2012)

Thanks, I understand now. Would I be able to find all of these plants at petco or petsmart or do I have to order them? Also where do you find lava rocks?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Most pet sores sell all these plants and in decoration section they have lava rock get very smooth lava rock driftwood can lower PH and lava rock can raise PH and many pet stores sell lava rock or driftwood with anuibus already attached and you can just buy a moss decoration and in plant aquariums hornwort and Abarchis are very common bt Marimo can be expensive but it is worth every penny.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Bare bottom shouldnt stop you from growing plants. get the smallest plastic pots and fill with gravel. then you can plant any stem plan in those. also has a very nice effect.

and ofcourse you can have java fern or anubias tied to driftwood


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## ItsKourtneyYoC8 (Sep 13, 2012)

Can you post a picture of your set up? I'm very interested in seeing a bare bottom and your little froggie


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I think we settled everything already.


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## Leopardfire (Sep 23, 2012)

Thanks so much for all the help. I can't wait to set up my new tank and get my frog out of his tiny 5 gallon. I will definitely post some pics when it's done!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Can not wait and your welcome and a lot of plants do not wiring in pots bidpg roots and nutrients also you will have to add liquid fertilizer and CO2.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

I agree with Aokashi, those plastic pots filled with gravel would actually work well, or just simple small clay pots. Then you would easily be able to move the plants while cleaning, still have a bare bottom, and the plants can root.

THere is no need for liquid CO2, not sure why you keep insisting lol. Co2 will naturally form by the waste. The only thing I would recommend is a fert for plants to grow.

I would skip hornwort, it is super messy and not worth the extra cleaning, anacharis, java fern, anubias, wisteria, and a marmio are all good plants and can be found at stores like Petco or Petsmart.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I miss the bay area pet smart. they had some good plants 

there's nothing at petsmart here...


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Really? Thats weird. Though the petsmart by me at least all the plants seem to have algae on them, it is pretty annoying. So I am restricted to other people, LFS usually that would just be Neptunes, and online.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

kfryman said:


> Really? Thats weird. Though the petsmart by me at least all the plants seem to have algae on them, it is pretty annoying. So I am restricted to other people, LFS usually that would just be Neptunes, and online.


The one I went to...
near el cerrito had these bagged plants in gel. I got my crypts and microswords from there. they were super healthy


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Sounds nice, the Petco does t hat by me, might have to get some anubias from those since it is so cheap.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

you need to join a club! I just got free anubius (anubii?) today in return for some moss and susswassertang


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

kfryman said:


> I agree with Aokashi, those plastic pots filled with gravel would actually work well, or just simple small clay pots. Then you would easily be able to move the plants while cleaning, still have a bare bottom, and the plants can root.
> 
> THere is no need for liquid CO2, not sure why you keep insisting lol. Co2 will naturally form by the waste. The only thing I would recommend is a fert for plants to grow.
> 
> I would skip hornwort, it is super messy and not worth the extra cleaning, anacharis, java fern, anubias, wisteria, and a marmio are all good plants and can be found at stores like Petco or Petsmart.


Because the frog will not make enough and macro and micro nutrients need to be supplemented like iron.


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## lauraannq (Oct 11, 2012)

what club? i want to start a npt... 5 gallon ... though would prefer 2-3 gallon if i can find one (most i see have 'filter built in'
bit scared of dirt/sand(micro gravel)

i have a good source for plants (we have a fish store in area)

was thinking 
1 beta
some ghost shrimp (how many??)
snail 

plants ??

heater
light

no filter?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

lauraannq said:


> what club? i want to start a npt... 5 gallon ... though would prefer 2-3 gallon if i can find one (most i see have 'filter built in'
> bit scared of dirt/sand(micro gravel)
> 
> i have a good source for plants (we have a fish store in area)
> ...


Lol, you'll get more responses if you started a thread.

here's my wonderful NPT drawing for you =D
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...61-BA54-2C91F50874A6-974-000000F4B2319DAC.jpg

you will do best with a filter in the earlier stages after setting up the npt.
You should base the plants on your lighting (so get the light first and see what you can afford). some plants require highlight and CO2.

I recommend a HOB filter.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Agreed but pet stors sell cheap ferts.


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## Leopardfire (Sep 23, 2012)

> I agree with Aokashi, those plastic pots filled with gravel would actually work well, or just simple small clay pots. Then you would easily be able to move the plants while cleaning, still have a bare bottom, and the plants can root.
> THere is no need for liquid CO2, not sure why you keep insisting lol. Co2 will naturally form by the waste. The only thing I would recommend is a fert for plants to grow.
> I would skip hornwort, it is super messy and not worth the extra cleaning, anacharis, java fern, anubias, wisteria, and a marmio are all good plants and can be found at stores like Petco or Petsmart.


Thanks for all the advice! I read somewhere that clay pots affect the ph and I really don't need any more ph problems. Is this true? Also, is the fert all I need for the plants? You said I don't need liquid CO2 or anything.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

You don't need CO2 but liquad ferts are very important tap water and fish waste lacks many nutrients so liquad ferts are cheap and effecrive.


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## Leopardfire (Sep 23, 2012)

Okay thanks, I'll be sure to get one


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