I have a large catfish tank and all the plants i've ever put in have died how to I get them to live. I add api freshwater salt to the water is that killing them? Please help!
How do I get plants to grow in a monster tank?
- Thread starter catfishguy
- Start date
Likely the salt, though it could depend on what kind of plants you've tried and what your lighting is. How come you're adding salt?
These plants should be fine in low light (but you probably want to get the salt out): (Floating) Dwarf water lettuce, duckweed, hornwort, (attached to driftwood or rock) anubias nana, java fern, bolbitis, java moss, (planted) Elodea/anacharis (this can also be floated), vallisneria, cryptocorynes, swords (some of these can get quite big like amazons but in a monster tank that isn't much of an issue), dwarf sagittaria, aponogetons (again some can get big like ulvaceus and you want to research these since some can be picky), watersprite, moss balls are another easy one and it just sits on top of the substrate, you want to turn it over occasionally so the bottom doesn't die.
Hope that helps a little
These plants should be fine in low light (but you probably want to get the salt out): (Floating) Dwarf water lettuce, duckweed, hornwort, (attached to driftwood or rock) anubias nana, java fern, bolbitis, java moss, (planted) Elodea/anacharis (this can also be floated), vallisneria, cryptocorynes, swords (some of these can get quite big like amazons but in a monster tank that isn't much of an issue), dwarf sagittaria, aponogetons (again some can get big like ulvaceus and you want to research these since some can be picky), watersprite, moss balls are another easy one and it just sits on top of the substrate, you want to turn it over occasionally so the bottom doesn't die.
Hope that helps a little
I ad salt so my protein skimmer works. Maybe I could use brackish plants? And I have a silver tip shark that needs some salt in the water.
I don't think you're going to have a fun time if you are trying to start doing plants in a tank starting from a brackish perspective. You do realize as well that the silver tip cat is going to be brackish to almost full sea water at some point right?
What size tank is this and what fish specifically are in it?
What size tank is this and what fish specifically are in it?
The tank is 150 gallon. Are you sure he needs full salt water I saw fully grown ones in brackish water.
The Silver Tipped "Shark" (catfish) actually spend their juvenile stages in brackish water, and then they'll spend their adult lives in mostly saltwater, going back and forth between saltwater and brackish. Information provided in the link...
http://www.fishlore.com/profile-columbianshark.htm
http://www.fishlore.com/profile-columbianshark.htm
I have java fern and moss in my tank and sump. I use one cup of salt per one hundred gallons and they seem to be doing fine and have for a few years now. I don't think they would handle the amount of salt needed for your silver tip cat though.
I've had my silver tip shark for 6 months now and he has grown alot. Will he die If I don't give him a brackish environment?
I believe that you will have to go high end brackish for this fish to thrive as an adult (full marine as an adult may be recommended). They handle FW fine when young, but require salinity increases as they grow. I'd figure out the ideal Specific Gravity, and then see what plants will be able to survive those conditions. FW plants won't survive in SW, but there might be some exceptions, if you keep it high end brackish.
I think that you will have a very short list of plants to choose from.
I think that you will have a very short list of plants to choose from.
