Dreaming About Plants

[Stone]

Hi All I'm new. I've had a aquarium for almost a year now and recently I've been thinking about live plants to replace the plastic ones I have. We tried live plants a long time ago and they all died. So what all do you need to keep aquarium plants alive?

Thanks!

 

[DrRob]

Light, carbon dioxide and nutrients.
 
Most tanks have light, lowish levels of CO2 and low levels of essential nutrients. Plenty to support very slow growing plants as long as you don't put too much light in as any excess will simply feed algae.
 
If you want more complex plants or faster growth then you need to start moving up the scale and providing enough micronutrients to maintain growth, then, as light increases more of those and additional CO2 and macronutrients.
 
Beyond that and pruning, you have plants.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Slow growers, easy maintanence:  anubias and java fern.  These don't (and can't) be planted in the substrate.  Their 'rhizome' needs to be kept in the flow of water.  These guys are great for tying (or gluing) on to decor like rocks and wood.  Eventually they will attach themselves.

 

[Zante]

Anubias, microsorum and various mosses are classic beginner plants. Easy to keep and with low requirements.

 

[levahe]

Keeping plants is very easy as long as you follow some general guidelines such as
Research the type of plants you want, choose easy to care for plants initially
Dose fertilsers
Keep the tank clean
Do water changes
Make sure your lights aren't too bright

 

[DrRob]

Some good follow up advice there too.
 
Another thing I will add. Not all of us can grow everything, for no apparently good reason I have never managed to grow ordinary vallis, in any tank, wherever I've lived. Apparently it's easy, but not for me. So don't get disheartened if things don't behave the way you want.

 

[Stone]

Thanks for the all the advice!
Do you NEED too add nutrients?  If so what and how much/how often?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You are adding nutrients every time you feed the fish. 
 
The answer is that it depends on the plants and the substrate. 
 
Some plants are very slow growing, so they don't need a lot of nutrients and fish poo will suffice.
 
Other plants need more than that.  But, if you have an inert substrate (sand, pea gravel, etc.) then there will be no nutrients available to the roots - so they'll have to feed through the leaves - and then you have to add some ferts, either root tabs (for amazon swords) or liquid ferts.