Okay well, I've kept aquariums off and on for around five years now, but never have I had live plants in my tanks
. So I was getting ready to start up my 29 gallon again and wanted to know from your experience what are some hardy, easy to keep, but still attractive plants to get for my tank.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Advice on Plants.
15 posts • Page 1 of 2
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yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
anubias plants are the hardiest plants...anubias grow quite slow, but if kept well, in about 2 years, the plants will have grown and via runners (under the gravel), will spread out plus any leafs that sprout from the plant above the gravel line
anubias comes in a variety of types: barteri (many subtypes under this), coffeefolia, nana (best when attached to wood), caladiifolia, gigantea, gilletii, gracilis, hastifolia, heterophylla, pynaertii, and afzelii.
Best way to go about it is buy malaysian wood with nana attached to it (online, runs about $25.00); hastifolia and coffeefolia can be planted in the gravel (actually all anubias can be buried into the gravel)
To begin you should place a layer of flourite/red clay on the very bottom of the tank (then add gravel, sand or whatever you plan to use on top). The flourite is a stable porous clay gravel for natural planted aquariums with mineral-rich substrate that improves aquarium plant growth. Once it is placed in the aquarium it never needs replacing.
Now there are those that say, you should add iron supplements. I disagree. The fish poop and any leftover foodstuffs that may accumulate on the gravel will slowly seep into the gravel forming the much needed fertilizer for the plants.
Let mother nature take care of the natural process of live plant growth.
You need further information, I/we are here to help you
anubias comes in a variety of types: barteri (many subtypes under this), coffeefolia, nana (best when attached to wood), caladiifolia, gigantea, gilletii, gracilis, hastifolia, heterophylla, pynaertii, and afzelii.
Best way to go about it is buy malaysian wood with nana attached to it (online, runs about $25.00); hastifolia and coffeefolia can be planted in the gravel (actually all anubias can be buried into the gravel)
To begin you should place a layer of flourite/red clay on the very bottom of the tank (then add gravel, sand or whatever you plan to use on top). The flourite is a stable porous clay gravel for natural planted aquariums with mineral-rich substrate that improves aquarium plant growth. Once it is placed in the aquarium it never needs replacing.
Now there are those that say, you should add iron supplements. I disagree. The fish poop and any leftover foodstuffs that may accumulate on the gravel will slowly seep into the gravel forming the much needed fertilizer for the plants.
Let mother nature take care of the natural process of live plant growth.
You need further information, I/we are here to help you
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natalie265 - Site Admin
- Posts: 746
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm
My favorite easy-to-care-for plants are cryptocoryns. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Cryptocoryn wendtii is a good one and comes in several color strains. You don't need any special substrate to grow these, and they are able to survive under low light conditions and even without the addition of fertilizer, though i still recommend one for maximum growth.
http://www.azgardens.com/c-51-cryptocor ... lants.aspx
http://www.azgardens.com/c-51-cryptocor ... lants.aspx
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bangme33 - Posts: 25
- Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 6:53 pm
easiest is cambia grows liike mad red or green types anubia is a gd 1 slow but very hardydwarf swords also good starter plant
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stingraysrule - Posts: 271
- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm
anacharis, water sprite, hornwort, anubias, wendenti, java moss, java fern.
and weed can't grow under water.
and weed can't grow under water.
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MayhemMonkey - Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:15 am
thanks guys for all the info. i think 'that fish place' has pretty much everything listed. on my next trip i'll get a close up look of them and decide exactly which ones i want. but i really like the java moss, java fern, & hornwort. some sites say that hornwort inhibits algae growth, is that true?
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yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
hornwort is a free floating plant (it is not planted in the gravel).
The reason is helps with algae is it prevents some light getting into the tank for it rests on the water surface and it takes up nutrients in the water column thereby depriving the algae of certain nutrients to grow.
Personally, I grow natural algae in the tank I have. It is cladophora. It is made simply with light and water. I permit it to grow as much as it likes, though every Sunday I prune it if it tangles itself too much in with the other live plants.
On the other hand, other types of algae, unless there are living species in the tank to eat at the algae, can become quite the nuisance. So outside of cladophora (which is really half-plant), hornwort can HELP inhibit algae but it will not completely rid your tank of algae.
Hope this helps
The reason is helps with algae is it prevents some light getting into the tank for it rests on the water surface and it takes up nutrients in the water column thereby depriving the algae of certain nutrients to grow.
Personally, I grow natural algae in the tank I have. It is cladophora. It is made simply with light and water. I permit it to grow as much as it likes, though every Sunday I prune it if it tangles itself too much in with the other live plants.
On the other hand, other types of algae, unless there are living species in the tank to eat at the algae, can become quite the nuisance. So outside of cladophora (which is really half-plant), hornwort can HELP inhibit algae but it will not completely rid your tank of algae.
Hope this helps
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stingraysrule - Posts: 271
- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm
I also have cladophora growing in my tank, but not by choice.
I believe it was already in some java moss that I bought. It is ONLY in the moss.
I am not into it like you are and would like to get rid of it, but cannot since it just tears up the java moss when I pull it out. It is the ONLY algae I have ever aquired, besides some gsa, and some diatoms.
IMO Hornwort does NOT have to be a free floating plant, and can be planted in the gravel if you wish.
Hornwort is considered a fast growing plant, and because of that, it can help inhibit algae since it eats some of the extra nutrients in your tank... it demands the nutrients because it grows so quickly, like water sprite and anacharis.
anyhow, there are many other things that need to be considered when setting up a planted tank.
Your wpg, watts per gallon..... LIGHTING is the number one culprit of an algae issue. Too much light, no CO2, and you got yourself an algae farm.
I do hefty water changes in my planted tanks, keep a balance of fast growing plants with slow growing plants,
CO2 in a high light tank, lights on no longer than 8 hours, dose with micro and macro ferts, trim my plants, and I am good to go. No algae issues. I have 4 heavily planted tanks and only have cladaphora in 1 tank.
I have both, a high ligh tank, 4wpg, down to low light tanks, 1wpg.
I believe it was already in some java moss that I bought. It is ONLY in the moss.
I am not into it like you are and would like to get rid of it, but cannot since it just tears up the java moss when I pull it out. It is the ONLY algae I have ever aquired, besides some gsa, and some diatoms.
IMO Hornwort does NOT have to be a free floating plant, and can be planted in the gravel if you wish.
Hornwort is considered a fast growing plant, and because of that, it can help inhibit algae since it eats some of the extra nutrients in your tank... it demands the nutrients because it grows so quickly, like water sprite and anacharis.
anyhow, there are many other things that need to be considered when setting up a planted tank.
Your wpg, watts per gallon..... LIGHTING is the number one culprit of an algae issue. Too much light, no CO2, and you got yourself an algae farm.
I do hefty water changes in my planted tanks, keep a balance of fast growing plants with slow growing plants,
CO2 in a high light tank, lights on no longer than 8 hours, dose with micro and macro ferts, trim my plants, and I am good to go. No algae issues. I have 4 heavily planted tanks and only have cladaphora in 1 tank.
I have both, a high ligh tank, 4wpg, down to low light tanks, 1wpg.
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yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
it is true about cladophora, it can get tangled into the moss and it is very hard to distangle it without destroying the moss you want to keep in the tank
cladophora is a managable algae (really half-plant, cell wise)...as long as it is pruned back every so often, cladophora is a great addition to the tank.
On hornwort, true it can be placed in gravel, but it is best if left floating to the top where frogs, fish lay fry or eggs, it can block out unwanted sunlight or cool the water and it will help inhibit algae, but it will not stop it.
I agree also that light will quickly speed up the process of algae, especially the unwanted kind like brown algae (diatoms), green algae (algae bloom), green spot algae, blue-green algae, green-slimy green surface film, thread algae, hair algae, staghorn algae, beard algae, fuzz algae, brush/red algae, green dust algae, you name it there is an algae. Of course some invertebrates and fish will eat certain algaes, but still those algaes named (except for cladophora) can wreck havoc on a new or established tank if not managed well.
stingray, good to see you have your algae in your other tanks under control. We must all find our way in the fishkeeping world, so to speak - I have decided to go as natural as possible or to mimic the fish world as close as possible with no chemicals, few gadgets (2 filters, 1 water flow pump, 1 heater) and only stone, wood and live plant...others like yourself have gone the route of man-made gadgetry to help mimic the fish world (streams, rivers, oceans, seas, etc). It's just a matter of taste.
Anyway, it is good to see this thread moving along. Anyone who likes to share more please do so.
cladophora is a managable algae (really half-plant, cell wise)...as long as it is pruned back every so often, cladophora is a great addition to the tank.
On hornwort, true it can be placed in gravel, but it is best if left floating to the top where frogs, fish lay fry or eggs, it can block out unwanted sunlight or cool the water and it will help inhibit algae, but it will not stop it.
I agree also that light will quickly speed up the process of algae, especially the unwanted kind like brown algae (diatoms), green algae (algae bloom), green spot algae, blue-green algae, green-slimy green surface film, thread algae, hair algae, staghorn algae, beard algae, fuzz algae, brush/red algae, green dust algae, you name it there is an algae. Of course some invertebrates and fish will eat certain algaes, but still those algaes named (except for cladophora) can wreck havoc on a new or established tank if not managed well.
stingray, good to see you have your algae in your other tanks under control. We must all find our way in the fishkeeping world, so to speak - I have decided to go as natural as possible or to mimic the fish world as close as possible with no chemicals, few gadgets (2 filters, 1 water flow pump, 1 heater) and only stone, wood and live plant...others like yourself have gone the route of man-made gadgetry to help mimic the fish world (streams, rivers, oceans, seas, etc). It's just a matter of taste.
Anyway, it is good to see this thread moving along. Anyone who likes to share more please do so.
