plants

10 posts

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


vauno
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:29 pm

plants

by vauno

what plants are good for my tank, as it looks like mine could be dying, they going black!!


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

by natalie265

How many watts per gallon do you currently have? How many hours a day are you leaving the lights on? What kind of fertilizers are you using?


vauno
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:29 pm

by vauno

hi, him new to this so just got gravel, but not sure if gravel to big or to small, i wanted to use sand but could not get it clear.

i have two lights that came with he tank cant see the wattage, they are 40" long

they are on for 12hours


vauno
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:29 pm

by vauno

so whats the best??


peterkarig
 
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 am

by peterkarig

Lights that come with tanks are usually only suited for growing the low light varieties, but this is not bad at all.

Some of the best looking plants IMO are the low light varieties such as anubis (nana = small type) (bartari = large type) and there are other anubis varieties as well. Java moss and java fern are also good choices.

Amazon sword is a popular type that requires a bit more light, but it's worth trying. It'll get very large.

Anubis can grow in any gravel or sand, and looks great growing on wood or rocks, as the roots will grow down like jungle tree roots.

Java moss will grow on wood best, but will also just grow as a free floating mass.

Java fern must be grown on wood or it will die.

Amazon sword must have it's roots in the substraight.


vauno
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:29 pm

by vauno

thanks of the advice, found out the lights are 2x 30w. i think they t-8


peterkarig
 
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 am

by peterkarig

Yea, try the plants I mentioned. They're all popular, and there's considerably less problems with algae, water perameters, light replacement costs, etc with the low-light planted tanks.

Amazon sword should be planted toward the back as it can get 3 feet tall sometimes. Usually it stays within the depth of a 12-18 inch deep tank, but it grows fast and can be pruned if it gets too big.

My favorite has always been the anubias.( I just checked the spelling) I plant the smaller variety closer to the front and the larger usually on wood near the back.

Check out www.plantgeek.com for pics of these plants. Look under plantscapes for good pics.


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

by natalie265

I've also found cryptocoryn wendtii to be easy to grow, and there are several different color varieties to choose from.

PK--You stated that java fern must be grown on wood to survive. Can't it also be attached to rock?


peterkarig
 
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 am

by peterkarig

I don't think so, but I'm not positive about this. Maybe.


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

I'm pretty sure java fern is fine as long as the rhizome (bulb type thing on the base of the roots) has full access to the water column (not buried) and the roots are attatched to something - rock or wood. Most people bury them at first (as I did) and wonder why they wilt and slowly die.

That said I've never had good success keeping them - probably because of an abundance of phosphates in my tap water. /shrug

plants

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