Plant Recommendations

[Darkehorse]

Hi folks,

I currently have a 30 gallon community tank with 1 Golden Wonder Killi, 4 Praecox rainbows, 2 Bolivian Rams, 1 american flagfish, 1 otto, 1 bumble bee catfish, & 1 (soon to be 2) Peacock Goby.

I'd like to take the plunge and eventually convert all of my plastic plants to live. However, I'd rather not put soil in my substrate. So I need recommendations for plants that can grow in regular substrate or in little pots.

Any recommendations? I'm probably not going to want to try any fertilizing or special lighting so they have to be hearty/easy to grow.

Thanks in advance!

-Darke

 

[reggieschuey]

java fern is your answer! . these plants do have black spots on them if they are ill deficent in nutrients but they are very hardy and easy to grow. Also these plants don't need to be planted in soil (they shouldn't ! or else they die) tie them on rocks or wood.

 

[nry]

Plants will require fertilising - most will grow OK without specific substrate providing there are enough nutrients in the water column. What lighting do you currently have (watts) and how long is it on for each day? This will determine the best types of plant that will do OK. Fertiliser wise, something like Tropica Plant Nutrition (or possibly Nutrition + if you have a low fish load) would be fine, it is simple to add as per the instructions on the bottle.

 

[Darkehorse]

Plants will require fertilising - most will grow OK without specific substrate providing there are enough nutrients in the water column. What lighting do you currently have (watts) and how long is it on for each day? This will determine the best types of plant that will do OK. Fertiliser wise, something like Tropica Plant Nutrition (or possibly Nutrition + if you have a low fish load) would be fine, it is simple to add as per the instructions on the bottle.

I'm not sure about the wattage. I will check and get back to you. I do have it on a timer so the light is actually on only about 3.5 hours a day (other than room light) which is to help control algae growth.

I'll check these out today. Thanks for the recommendation.

-Darke

 

[nry]

Hmm, you'd likely need to up that to ~8 hours if you want live plants, even low light ones would probably not appreciate that little amount of light per day.

 

[Darkehorse]

Hmm, you'd likely need to up that to ~8 hours if you want live plants, even low light ones would probably not appreciate that little amount of light per day.

Right, which is fine. It is my understanding that when you have plants, they use the nutrients that the algae would normally use. So I could have a full days worth of light but the algae shouldn't be a problem because of the plants, right? Or am I oversimplifying the issue?


-Darke

 

[afishdude]

if you have it fully planted then you wont have any algae. if you have just a few plants you will have LOTS of algae.

 

[Musho3210]

if you have it fully planted then you wont have any algae. if you have just a few plants you will have LOTS of algae.

incorrect, plants need a balance of light, nutrients, and CO2. If the balance is ruined or if there is no balance at all, then not all the nutrients are used up and algae takes over. So lets say you have 5 ppm nitrate, but 50 ppm phosphate (exadurating) the plants will take up the nitrate but cannot take up all the phosphate. The leftover phosphate will cause algae. You need to find a balance. EI dosing, high light, pressurized CO2 with 30 ppm CO2 is a very common balance people use for high light tanks. These tanks, if maintained well wont have much algae.

if you look at my tank, Ei dosing, medium light, no artificial CO2 (i have 4ppm of CO2 in my tank) and i have algae. Im too poor to afford a pressurized CO2 and i would rather have a stable CO2 than have an unstable one so no DIY

 

[nry]

Why dose EI with no CO2? Is it the full dose or a vastly reduced one?

 

[Darkehorse]

Okay to update, I bought 2 Corkscrew Vallisneria plants and 2 Anubias plants. I also purchased a product called Flourish that I will use twice weekly. My light is 20 watts, well underpowered I'm certain. I suspect I will need at least 50 watts for a 29 gallon tank. That will be next on my list of things to upgrade.

I will check my plants after a month to see how they are doing. Perhaps at that point I might consider a home made CO2 solution.



-Darke

 

[Underwurlde]

and i would rather have a stable CO2 than have an unstable one so no DIY

Not necessarily true, IF you can afford a second 'kit' to achieve stability, run 2 in parallel, changing one on a Saturday and the other on a Wednesday for example. (Fit check valves as well). I am in the same boat as you, skint skint & thrice SKINT.