Getting Plants

[BlackSwords11]

I want to get some live plants for my 55g tank. I wanted to know if there is anything special I need to do for the plants such as plant food, etc. Or will they just get the nutrients they need from the water?

 

[Beemeeup]

from my two years of a planted tank (45 gallons) i'm still trying and to some extent succeeding in making a successful planted tank..
i have a diy co2 sytem - bottle with an yeast mixture (See pinned info)
Plenty of light - 2watts per gallon and i also put in a weekly liquid dose of plant food.

there are great pinned articles in this section which will guide you.

the bottom line, as i see it, to have a successful planted tank you need to have fast growing plants - keep them happy with enough food and light and try and achieve an 80% volume of the tank with plants to avoid or minimise algae.

 

[BlackSwords11]

what are cheap, hardy, small plants to get for a community tank?

 

[Wolfenrook]

Most of the hygrophila family (including water wisteria), most ludwigias, java fern, most green amazon swords and marimo balls are all very easy and hardy plants, as are vallisneria spiralis and torta (prefer harder water).

Ade

 

[BlackSwords11]

I do like amazon swords but do they get big?

 

[Wolfenrook]

I do like amazon swords but do they get big?

That depends on the species. The name amazon sword is often used to describe the family, as well as to describe THE amazon sword. The plants usually called amazon sword are echinodorus paniculatus/bleheri, and these get BIG fast! Other swords however vary from the quite small size of echinodorus tennelus (dwarf chain sword) up to the size of belheri, so it depends on what kind of size, shape and colour you are wanting which one you go for. A good, easy to grow, medium sized sword is echinodorus parviflorus, I have a very mature one of these and it is about 7 inches tall by about 9 inchs in diameter. This has grown in very low to high light quite happily for many years. In lower lighting they tend to stay smaller, which you can say for all of the swords really even bleheri.

Ade

 

[BlackSwords11]

Thanks.

I have a 55g community that I'm trying to make more natural. I have imitation logs and things but I wanted something real.

Just wondering, are there any red sword plants?