How Does This Set Up Sound

[CKutz]

20 gallon (high) tank.
unfortunately it only came with a 15 W bulb 8000K
aqua tech 10-20 120 gph (might add a filter for a 10 gallon also)..or I could probably use my old 30 gal filter if i buy a new impeller for it, i think that was 150 gph.
heater.

flourite or laterite? capped with play sand.
this florinmulti fertilizer...or something here

no co2.

will be planting with "low" light plants...here's what i have access to locally...if you could give suggestions that'd be great.
I'd really like a tiny foreground plant that carpets..a few mid sized plants for the sides, and then something like cabomba..or watersprite or something, for the background
foreground: anubias nana? micro sword?

i have a spare light fixture for a 10 gal tank (15W t8), i'm thinking about cutting out a spot in the hood for it or something, to get in more light. i don't have the money to buy a fancy fixture.


I really appreciate any advice! thank you!

 

[CKutz]

any thoughts? need to go to lfs today..

 

[aaronnorth]

flourite/ laterite is your choice, have a mix if you want.

the florinmulti should be fine, if you see yellow leaves or stunted growth then you will need to find a fert that contains Nitrogen & phophorous (or buy the seperate bottles)

cryptocorynes, hygrophillia, egeria, echinodorus, moss balls, moss, anubias, cabomba, bolbitis, vallisneria, saggitara

some easy species

 

[Ben M]

i thought that cabomba needed higher lighting?

 

[natalie265]

i thought that cabomba needed higher lighting?

People sometimes refer to cabomba as an easy plant to grow, but i haven't had any luck w/it myself. I've tried planting it twice and both times it was completely dead w/in a week. My other plants are fine.

 

[CKutz]

thanks for the replies guys!

idk about my lfs..i mean i think they are really good...but their "plant descriptions" made it really difficult to feel secure in what i was picking..i made a list of ok plants beforehand: hornwort, anubias, crypts, swords, hygrophila, java fern...but i still didn't know what i wanted. looking around didnt help..some of the plants said like 3-4 wpg.. i really wanted to find something like bushy for the background...but couldn't really.

here's what i went with:
Clinopodium brownei "Mint Charlie"...impulse, it said low light and i wanted something taller and leafy so i went with it...is this aquatic? can't find any info on it?
ruffled sword
watersprite
barteri round leaf
water wisteria

good choices?
i'm going to start a journal i guess. i'll post the link once i get it started..i'm going to school in a few days so i'm not sure how this is gonna work haha

 

[aaronnorth]

C.Brownei is non-aquatic, but the picture they show on their website is of bacopa monierii, so if it looks like that then you should be fine.

the rest are ok. Just avoid plants with two toned leaves, aquatic plants with two toned leaves generally blend into one another, whereas if you look at draceana for example, you can see two seperate colours divided quite clearly.
Another tip is if it can support its own weight out of water then it may not be aqutic either, there are exceptions though such as crypts (which are bog plants anyway)

 

[CKutz]

how do i tell the difference..finding decent pictures isn't working too well. it does have a minty smell when out of water..the stems are somewhat brittle. they snap..but can be bent without breaking.. is this the aquatic one? because it's leaves look more oval than my plants..my plants leaves are more tear drop shaped

thanks for all your help..is there any specific way i should plant these things? like do the anubias need the little bulb thing above the sand?

do you think these plants will look good together? i have no experience with this so i was just picking w/e fit my lighting, and looked cool haha.

 

[aaronnorth]

yes that is aquatic,
it is hard to tell the difference, but with research and looking at aquatic plants you can soon see, for example both of these can stand out of water, but the 1st is non-aquatic, it is a lot more rigid, whereas the 2nd leaves tend to fall outwards.

planting depends on the plant, stems & rossettes planted in the gravel. Rhizomatuos tied to wood, or bury the roots leaving the rhizome sitting on the substrate, moss tied to an object

all plants look good together, its just how you combine them to make the whole tank look good that is the hard part which comes with experience.!

 

[CKutz]

check out the journal

thanks for your help