# Myths encountered by beginners



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I should probably have let this one stew a little longer, but thought it might be a good start for discussion. Please forgive me if this has been done before. 

I thought it might be a good idea for the more experienced folks to list some myths and misconceptions that beginners might encounter. I'm getting more and more active in promoting the planted side of the hobby locally, so this is certainly not something new to me. However, I'm not coming up with a lot of them at the moment. That's where you come in. 

Probably the most common and pervasive is that one should strive to limit nitrates and phosphates as much as possible. It may be second nature to us, but to the many people who come over from the fish side, it isn't. 

More are (to get discussion started):

- learning scientific names/information about plants, etc is difficult
- cichlids can't be kept with plants
- planted tanks are expensive
- they are difficult and time consuming to maintain

How can we encourage more fish-only people to take the plunge? Are the kinds of things I've listed barriers to that? Discuss...


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

Probably the comment that one needs "a lot of light," when in reality 2wpg will grow almost everything one wants with the addition of Co2. This took a long time to really hit home with me, and I've only just recently reduced my 29 and 55 gallon tanks to 2wpg. In fact, I now have a huge fixture I'm trying to decide whether to sell or just keep 'in case' (6 x 55 watts).


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## jppurchase (Dec 15, 2004)

Cavan Allen said:


> I should probably have let this one stew a little longer, but thought it might be a good start for discussion. Please forgive me if this has been done before.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> ...


- learning scientific names/information about plants, etc is difficult

Its no more difficult than anything else. It just requires some concentration, study and practive. Botanical latin isn't a "spoken language", its a method of communicating between people from all over the world in one commen language. And it doesn't matter how it is pronounced, as I said - its not a "spoken language" If anyone tries to correct you pronoununciation, just give them a dirty look (lol).

- cichlids can't be kept with plants

Some cichlids do just fine in planted tanks. If someone insists on keeping Oscars, they deserve the "salad bowl" approach to fish husbandry. If its green, they either eat it or dig it up (or dig it up and then eat it). Angelfish and Discus and any of the smaller Cichlids ought to co-exist peacefully with plants. If someone wants Rift Lake Cichlids, they don't seem (to me anyway) appropriate to a planted tank but they look spectacular in a freshwater "reef" setup using lots of big rocks covered with a rich green carpet of algae. (algae are not the ultimate bad-guys that a lot of people seem to think that they are.)

- planted tanks are expensive

So is a case of beer. Next question.......

- they are difficult and time consuming to maintain

Properly set up, a fully planted aquarium need take no more than a half hour a week for maintenance

In all of these "objections", I detect a common fault among potential converts. Its the "I want it NOW, damnit!" A lot of people, North Americans especially, seem to lack the patience required to be successful. They can't just buy their way out of their problems - technology isn't the ultimate solution that a lot of people seem to think that it is. I am reminded of two young males (its always the guys) bragging to one another about the latest gizmo that they bought which will guarantee their success. Now, that's SNAKE OIL.

Being successful in this hobby requires patience, not a "shot gun" mentality. - "On my plants don't seem to be growing, what can I add to make it better?" 10 chemical additives later, they have what is more akin to a toxic waste dump than a pristine tropical stream.

The current Nano Aquarium craze is probably not helping this either. It takes a deft touch and real art to balance a small volume of water. A Nano Aquarium can quickly get out of balance, especially if someone is "self medicating" without having a complete understanding of what they are adding to their tank.

And a 10 gallon tank is still in the Nano category, as far as I'm concerned. Better that they start out with a 20 gallon tank - more room, more water to cover the newbie's mistakes. When I was just starting out in the hobby, my parents actually hid the chemicals I had to "adjust" the water. My Dad always insisted that I just sit and look at the tank. He claimed that the plants (and of course the fish) would evenutally tell me what they needed. And that was basically to just leave them alone to get on with living. I was a great lesson.

One final thought, on substrate. Complicated substrates don't belong in a beginner's aquarium. Soil especially. As more newbies are starting out with tanks of around 10 gallons, a bag of Flourite merely means a couple of fewer beers on the weekend. Adding some mulm from an established tank will kick start it and it just looks GOOD. If necessary, buy generic beer for a while instead of a case of Miller Lite.

James Purchase
Toronto


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

To me the worst thing that a newbie faces is things taken out of context. The phrase "use a lot of light" is a good example. Yes, one could use 6 wpg or even 12 wpg but only if the plant health, fertilization, the health of the tank allows it. Suggesting any level of light (or other factors) should be done only in the strict context of the other variables - tank dimensions, plant species, fertilization, and so on.

Another problem are the unclear expectations about what is supposed to happen in the newly set up tank. A beginner has no concept what is a fast growing plant, how long it takes a specific plant species to start growing at all after planting, or at what point algae development has gone out of hand. It's hard to describe such things, one needs to see them to get a feel for them. Careless advice about them creates false expectations that could lead to wrong actions and disappointment.

Another problem - not understanding that a planted tank is a "carefully orchestrated symphony" that has being brought to its current (hopefully beautiful) state by meticulous maintenance and a number of consistent small steps. I personally am guilty in skipping on both and I like to think that I'm finally coming to my senses. But here's a better "joke"; Once I asked Luis what happens if he didn't change the water of his tanks for about 2 weeks. After a brief pause he said "... I don't know, I've never done that.". The people that have seen his tanks live know that his tanks are beyond impressive. Precise and consistent care is paramount in our hobby and the sooner one understands that the better.

The first two arguments may sound too general to be practical and the third one could easily prove counterproductive for attracting someone to the planted tank hobby. But the mindset that one has before entering a new venture is crucial for both the journey and the way the final result is viewed. The details are what a beginner should be working on, but only if the big picture is clear.

One final note concerning the financial side of the hobby. If it was possible to compare I'd say that a truly beautiful planted tank rivals and even exceeds in beauty a colorful reef aquarium. Ours is a subtle, elegant, and exquisite hobby. It certainly cannot be appreciated fully by everybody be it because planted tanks aren't wide spread yet or because not everyone is sensitive to subtle natural beauty. Both facts lower the perceived value of a planted tank and for a beginner the initial expense often seems too high. It's up to us - as individuals or clubs - to popularize this hobby and help elevate it to where it belongs.

--Nikolay


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## Hidronium (May 10, 2005)

I think the main problem is the amount of time and dedication this hobby requires.

People are used to have things done for them, so that they only have to follow the line... As you know, this hobby is more like hacking through dense jungle.

A couple of weeks ago I posted a large post in Acuarofilia.net, which i would like to eventually turn into an article, for those of you who speak spanish you can read it here:

http://www.acuaforos.net/foros/viewtopic.php?t=4544&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

My main impresions so far are:

- CO2 is a drug, plants can survive without it.
- Cheap fluorescent litting does the job wonderfully.
- RO water is not necesary to have planted tanks.
- Fertilizing is not necesary with nutritious substrate, and in general one should not fertilize if you cannot spot problems with your plants.
- Large acuariums are more expensive and cumberson, you can have a beautiful planted tank in 80L.
- Commercial products tend not to be usefull. Unless we are talking of good quality expensive ones. One should not add nothing to the acuarium that you do not know what it is made of, because if the problem is resolved you will not know what it was in the first place and how you solved it.
- Some small acuarium shops tend to have very poor service, try to find specialized acuarium shops, where they do not have to worry about dogs or iguanas.
- Tests are mainly unnecessary. pH test and knowing GH and KH of your tap water suffices.
- Algae are a myth. In the sense that they are caused by lack of the necesary preparation and mistakes done.

The amazon is 200Km wide at certain points, any acuaria is a Nano in comparison.

I must leave now, I am sure that many will agree with some and disagree with other of the points mentioned. Just bear in mind that they are written from my point of view, that is, my ambition to have a nice planted tank without much cost.










It is 4 weeks since I planted it, total cost is below 200€.

This is my first atempt, but I spent 1 year learning, researching, and experimenting with 16L tanks before I went on to this 80L.

Regards, Hidronium


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