Low Maintenance Plants No Co2

[rdp50734]

Hi I would like to have some live plants in my tank but I have no idea where to start! I don't want to use co2, and I would like to stay away from fertilizers if possible. I have been told java fern and vallis are a good start, are there any others? Tank is a gravel substrate! lighting is 2x 30W T8 distance between lights and gravel 18". Thank you.

 

[drobbyb]

Anubias, java moss, java fern, vals are all easy plants that don't require CO2. If your lighting is 1 watt per gallon or better there are more plants that do well without CO2. Basically you are looking for plants that do well in a low tech planted setup.

 

[Goodygumdrops]

Anubias and mosses are lovely for no co2,I've also grown Hygrophila Polysperma and Sagittaria Subulata well without co2,and floaters like Amazon Frogbit.

 

[Honeythorn]

Plenty of plants to choose from that require very little. Quite a few types of Echinodrus do well, Cabomba, Elodia, Hygrophillia Polysperma, Aponogentons, Crypts, Java fern, Java moss, Moss balls, Ricca is a floater that will easily grow of course.

One tip I would give you, is to use a layer of pond soil capped with sand or fine/small gravel I use about 1 cm of soil toppped with a couple of inches of sand . I've been growing plants pretty well in that for years with absolutely no additional ferts, or CO2, and a single 25 watt tube .

 

[rdp50734]

Thank you I will look them up today!