how long can a planted tank sustain itself?

[MacD]

Just something I'm wondering, as I'm new to planted tanks. Can a planted tank just go on indefinitely? I mean, at a certain point (6 months? a year? 2 years?), regardless of what type of substrate is in the tank, won't all the nutrients be used up? When this point is reached, can the plants still thrive on liquid ferts alone? I'm curious to know from people who have been doing planted tanks for a long time, what's the longest that people have kept a particular planted setup up and running? I'm hoping all the work I've put into my 29 gal. so far will last beyond a couple of years. Any input/experiences would be much appreciated.

[JustOneMore20]

If properly maintained, I believe a planted tank (or any tank for that matter) could go on for years and years. You'll still need to dose nutrients and do water changes, so it won't really sustain itself, but it could go on like that for awhile.

I change things up too much to keep one planted tank running the same for too long. My 55g planted has only been with its current substrate for a couple years, but the plants in it have changed a few times....I get tired of the same thing, so have to change things up every now and then.

As long as you keep dosing your ferts and doing water changes, your tank and plants should last well beyond a couple years.

[mgamer20o0]

yes.... as long as you keep up with the up keep it should last for years to come.

[jones57742]

Mac:

Ditto JOM:
Dosing with a liquid fertilizer will be necessary (I recommend Excel for several reasons).

"regardless of what type of substrate is in the tank"
I do not know about the "regardless business" but a substrate with 1" of gravel overlaid by 2" of laterite overlaid by 1" of gravel will sustain plants for at least two years without the use of fertilizer tabs.

This is way "out in left field here" and is not necessarily in accordance with the literature but IMHO
vacuuming of the surface of the substrate does not remove all of the plant nutrients and with "right size feeding" (for non-poo generating machines) bottom vacuuming in a planted tank should be accomplished very rarely
BUT
do not "even think about this one" unless a significant quantity of active biological media is present in the filtration process.

TR

[girth vader]

To answer your question in short. No a planted tank will not sustain itself, but that doesn't mean that some of your plants wont survive. Everything in a tank needs food with no exceptions.

Zig.