Raising plants

[red devil]

I am going to start a tank in a couple of months. It is 30" long. i want to put a trough along the back of the tank 30" long by 1.5" wide and use it as a planter. I want to create a forested look in the background of the tank. I have raised fish for a number of years but am a complete newb at plants - I realize that this may be a bit of an ambitious undertaking. I am willing to put in more than 150 watts of lights of appropriate spectrums (if necessary) to help create a good environment for plants. I am also willing to try the diy co2

1. I would like to use tall vine-like plants that just grow straight up, again to simulate the appearance of trees...it might be ideal if there were a couple of varieties of similar plants to throw in color variety. Any suggestions? In addition to the tall tree like plants I would like to put some kind of groundcover at the base of the plants.

2. Would it be possible/feasible to buy a few of these kinds of plants and then raise my own through cuttings - or buy bulbs and raise my own and then transplant them? My reasoning is possibly to help save some $$ but mainly to help me become familiar with raising plants, pruning, transplanting, diy co2, etc.

3. Would I be better off to install a glass partition in the back of the aquarium so that the plants are separated from the fish - still would allow water circulation though? Would this simplify raising the plants - keep them from being eaten, etc?

This will be a community tank - the tankmates as of yet are undecided, but variety would be really ideal because I will have children looking at this from time to time.

 

[bushwhacker]

placing the plants all along the back of the tank defeats the purpose here.. you want to create a natural enviroment for the fish so the plants need to be more 3 dimensional wrap the taller ones around the sides and back and use lower growing plants in the mid to foreground

 

[Ozymandias]

1. got no suggestion there you really should look around to see what you like.

2. completely possible most people grow in there plants then trim them and re plant them till thay like the way there tank is.

3. no you should be fine as long as you stock correctly and the fish should love the plants.

in the end look around on here and al over the internet for ideas for tank designs there is a wealth of knowledge.

 

[red devil]

Thanks for the suggestions! The reason why I want to put a dense growth of tall "tree like" plants on the back of the tank is to try to give it more depth - to make the tank seem deeper than it is. I also want to hide some equipment back there and.....There is more to my thinking...I have a plan Stan...but u will have to wait until it is done and I have pics to see

 

[DAVIDFBT]

1. Look up Vals for the bakground. It looks like a tall grassy plant that will eventually drape over your tank after it grows up to the water line, adding shadows to the aquarium. Dwarf Sag or Dwarf Hairgrass could also be used for the smaller ground cover plant you where talking about.

2. I do the same as Ozy does.

3. Most fish don't eat live plants, so you should be in the clear if you stock carefully.