<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snakeeyes03 @ Jun 21 2008, 11:00 AM)
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Hey guys,
I recently changed my community 35g tank into a Planted tank. Now I'll be honest and say I have no clue what all I have in it, but that it cost a lot of money :wacko:
I have not used any plant food since doing this, and the plants are doing ok. I really want them to start growing, so my question is....Do I feed the plants certain foods??? Or do I just let it sit there???
Mike[/b]
What a great answer this'll be....sorry ahead of time!
It depends. 
Why?
You can have a tank chock full of low light easy growing plants, and they'll be very easy and low maintainance. You can set up a higher light tank with more delicate species, and you have to closely watch fert levels and CO2 levels, keep it all in balance.
Balance is the key. Balance the light levels to the plants' needs, and the "other stuff" - like ferts and CO2 levels - become more important to be balanced the higher the light levels go. Low light levels and a tank full of Anubias and Java Fern is extremely easy to keep. High light levels and a tank with Erio's and Tonina's and such can rival a saltwater reef in its complexity.
An easy way to relate how to look at a planted tank is to compare it to vehicles. GoKarts, Normal sedans, and Race cars. Just like the different vehicles have a broad range of differing needs even though they are all vehicles, same with planted tanks.
Lights are the engine of our vehicles. Adding ferts, CO2, and balancing them is the maintainance of our vehicles. Growth rates, and the number of plant species you can keep, is reflected in how fast the vehicale can potentially go - how high the light levels are.
GoKarts putt putt along, take tons of abuse, barely need the oil changed, and don't care what gas they get. This is a low light tank - lower light levels, easy/slow growing plants only, no CO2 needed. It'll take the nutrients it needs from fish waste and excess food.
Normal Sedans need at least decent gas, need regular routine maintainance, but are overall pretty easy to keep. This is a moderate light system. Some stems and some faster growers, but not keeping the delicate/hard stuff - basic ferts routine with flexibility and a certain "as needed" ability, CO2 really starts to benefit the system.
Race cars are highly tuned, precision machines that change tires before during and after races, and have the engine precisely tuned, running on special fuel, overhauled constantly, all those things. High light tanks. They can keep all the delicate species, they can get the best growth and coloration - but they also grow algae at phenomenol rates if the system is not in balance. CO2 needed, ferts needed, and careful control and balance of all three - lights, co2, ferts - is needed.
Hopefully it makes sense why "It depends" anyhow.
