Adding Plants For Gourami Cover/hiding

[ZoddyZod]

Morning,

I've got a few silk plants in my tank, but since the addition of a dwarf gourami I'd like to add some tall plants at the back of my tank so that he feels more secure and has more to interact with.

I'm thinking about straight vallis or amazon sword, something not difficult to grow/maintain but also something that will grow to 40cm and provide wide coverage.

I have two T8's in the tank which are on for 5 hours a day. Only other plant in there is a smallish java fern.

Which plants do you recommend for the background?

With a small addition of plants (thinking 2-3) and current light levels, which ferts would I need and do I need to add CO2?

cheers!

 

[Curiosity101]

I think your ideas are both very good ideas already.
Vallis - Straight or Twisted, I think straight grows much taller though.
Amazon Sword - Never seem to stop growing...lol
Cabomba, Elodea, Hornwort etc are also good ideas as they're all stem plants so just grow and grow...not sure if they really have a maximum size...you just trim them to whatever sized you want.

Oh and as for ferts, you may or may not need them. I need to add ferts as my nitrates and phosphates are too low, on top of that I have super soft water where I live so that means even more nutrients missing.
As such I used TPN+ as my fertiliser.

I also have 2 x 20W T8's over my tank, with arcadia reflectors, mine are on for 8 hours (give or take) a day.
Aswell as TPN+ I add AE Liquid Carbon. I don't really think I NEED the liquid carbon. But a little bit every now n then doesn't seem to be causing any harm.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Will either the amazon sword or the vallis spread themselves out? Excuse my lack of plant language, but do they they 'divide' to produce new stems/plants? Was thinking of buying maybe 3 stems/plants and then letting them spread to cover the back wall.

What's the full name of TPN+ (Tropical Plant Nutrition)? I cant seem to find that via searches.

 

[Truck]

the vallis will propagate via runners and it does so very quickly! and i believe the amazon sword does also

 

[ZoddyZod]

the vallis will propagate via runners and it does so very quickly! and i believe the amazon sword does also

Runners......that's the term I was looking for! Perfect, might treat myself to a couple of each.

one more thing, I believe that a gravel only substrate is fine for these plants?

 

[Curiosity101]

Well I have sand only, and they seem to be doing fine in that (With the addition of TPN+)
I found that my swords REALLY appreciated being given root tabs, so perhaps investing in a small pack of those wouldn't hurt.

And you are right, TPN+ is Tropica Plant Nutrition + and I get mine from Aqua Essentials. Not sure where else you can get it from but Aqua Essentials seems the cheapest online. And none of my local fish shops seem to carry it.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Ahhh, Tropica, not TropicaL.....that's why I couldn't find it!

Hmmmm, just found that my BN may very well find the amazon sword a bit tasty