# Planted aquarium without fish...is it possible?



## Jaap

I was wondering if I could maintain a planted aquarium with no fish to provide "fertilization" to the plants through their waste and fish food.

Will I have a luxurius growth by my plants if I provide them with everything they need?

What plants need.....good substrate, lighting, co2 etc. I know the stuff.....what I don't know is if the macro and micro nutrients and every element they require to be healthy can be provided by general fertilizers like Tropiflora? I would say that PMDD would be a better solution!

So if no fish then no nitrates.....plants are ok?

Have I missed anything that plants need when fish are not present? In a few words how do I feed plants in a tank without fish....

PS: in my experience plants grew more without co2 injection but with fish rather that with co2 injection and without fish!


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## SnyperP

Tanks without fauna are completely obtainable. For nitrates you can dose KNO3. But I think particular fish and inverts only make the tanks overall appearance a bit more appealing. Before I tried setting up my tank with absolutely no fish; basically no cleaning crew at all. I had quite a bit of water flow in the tank, bordering "excessive". No matter what i tried I would always have a slight bit of brown algae growing in the tank and it would accumulate more and more over time. This was extremely unsightly.

I added a few shrimp in and they practically cleared all of it overnight. I added a few oto's into the bunch later to help keep the glass and equipment inside the tank clean. Where's this story going? I would keep a few fish in the tank, but a minimal clean up crew. Depending on how big your tank is oto's work great in schools of three. Most of the time i lose track of them and get worried that one had died, but they always show up again. Shrimps are great, but they don't do anything for glass or vertical parts of your equipment.


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## Phil Edwards

Absolutely! I do it all the time. The only trick is algae, if you don't have a cleaning crew it will accumulate and become a problem. 

By the way, Nitrates are great for planted tanks. You're going to have to add Nitrate fertilizer to your tank in the absence of fish.


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## Sir_BlackhOle

I like the plant only tanks. You can dose whatever ammounts you like without worrying about the fish!


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## Jaap

Sir_BlackhOle said:


> I like the plant only tanks. You can dose whatever ammounts you like without worrying about the fish!


That is what I want....but I observed that by adding fertilisers, co2, lighting and without fish my plants didnt gorw as good as with fish and no co2, no fertilisers....

Now I have no fish....I will palce some shrimp...I have a general fertiliser...nothing specific....Tropiflora....is that enough or should I make and dose a daily PMDD? 
Is there anything else needed either than the standar PMDD dose from the fertiliser point of view?

I will add co2 and have good lighting!


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## Sir_BlackhOle

You will need to dose KNO3, PO4, and traces at least. Depending on your tap water you may need to dose others as well. You can usually find your water quality report online or call the water dept to get it. This will tell you what you already have in your tap and you can dose accordingly.


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## Jaap

Sir_BlackhOle said:


> You will need to dose KNO3, PO4, and traces at least. Depending on your tap water you may need to dose others as well. You can usually find your water quality report online or call the water dept to get it. This will tell you what you already have in your tap and you can dose accordingly.


Is there a chart of what exact traces/elements are needed in the water for the plants to grow fine? Also dosage?

I would like to make a mixture of my own in accordance to my needs....something like PMDD


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## plantbrain

Phil Edwards said:


> Absolutely! I do it all the time. The only trick is algae, if you don't have a cleaning crew it will accumulate and become a problem.
> 
> By the way, Nitrates are great for planted tanks. You're going to have to add Nitrate fertilizer to your tank in the absence of fish.


I totally disagree with #1, but totally agree with #2.
I've had several no fish at all tanks, no herbvirores except for perhaps a stray snail or two, nothign siginificant.

No algae at all.

Most of the test tanks I do have no fish.
That way what I add is from the nutrients and gives me a better idea of what is being used.

Regards, 
Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com


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## Sir_BlackhOle

do some searching on this site and read Tom's article on the Esitmative Index at www.BarrReport.com


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## Jaap

Sir_BlackhOle said:


> do some searching on this site and read Tom's article on the Esitmative Index at www.BarrReport.com


Any good suggestions?


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