Advice On Plant Selection

[markandhisfish]

i have a 4ft 100 ukg tank with 2 42 inch 38w arcadia tubes . on the tubes it says " fo38" the plant growth lamp. have been having little or no joy with plants ive got 2 amazon swords which have never really grown and a green berensis which thrived to start with but is starting to turn brown. my substrate is gravel iv e got fertiliser tabs under the roots of them. ( cant remember the name but they are pretty big and cone shaped) they dont seem to help at all. have been looking at plants on sites but the blurb on there can never match your guys experience. im not gonna bother with co2 as im only going for around 3 or 4 real plants and i have 2 severum
so could you help eith the following please 1stly whats the best root tabs to use? 2ndly can you reccomend 4 to 5 plants that will be quite tall ( tank is 2 ft deep)
the plants need to be fast growing very hardy/easy . i intend to use easycarbo or excel along with the root tabs

im thinking maybe giant vallis? any help greatly received as i just cant grow plants

thanks

 

[minxfishy]

I cant help on the techie stuff about plants mate, cos Im only just getting into them myself, however, for plants, yes try the vallis and Ive also found wisteria isnt eaten by the sev, grows large and bushy, easy apparenly if thats any good to you.

 

[markandhisfish]

cheers minxy ive wanted giant valis for a while anyway as i read its easy to grow quick growing and tough. i will look at wisteria too .

 

[aaronnorth]

IMO root tabs are root tabs - i know of no difference but i would expect the cheap products arewill not be as good. API and Tropica capsules are mentioned alot.

vallis, nuphar japonica, some Aponegeton species, crinium thainium, echinodorous sp

They are tough species aswell

 

[markandhisfish]

brilliant cheers aaron would you say i have enough light for those species. and will using domething like easycarbo ar excell help stop the leaves turning brown after a being in the tank for a while? also any other general tips you have would be greatly appreciated

 

[aaronnorth]

Your lighting should be fine.

Most plants are grown emerged so once you put them in the tank they die back and grow new submerged leaves, this can take a few weeks/ months depending on the species so dont worry if they turn brown

 

[markandhisfish]

ok cool should i prune back the brown leaves?

 

[aaronnorth]

yes.

 

[markandhisfish]

cheers for your help aaron i am gonig to take the plunge have ordered a crinium thainium and ginat valis with some api root ferts and some easycarbo. will see how i get on with those.