Plant & Scaping Help Please

[kevin82]

CALLING ALL SUCCESSFUL PLANTERS AND AQUASCAPERS - HELP NEEDED

To coincide with the change of fish stock in my tank I'm planning an overhaul of the aquascape, or lack of it. My current setup is a Fluval Roma 240L using 2 x 40W T8's which are on from 4-9.45 daily following by 4x50cm blue LED monlights for 1 hour15mins

I dont use Co2 but would use liquid fertsif they were cheap enough. My current fish stock is in my signature but I will be removing ALL apple snails as they munch anything.

Below is a picture of my current setup, although the Elodea Densa has been removed yesterday after a tank cleanup. The Sagittaria Subulata wil stay and is probably the only plant I've successfully kept in the 4 years of trying. I also have xmas moss and 2 moss balls

I would love to have some broad leaved plants as well as a bushy plant but the main aim is to have something manageable and easy maintenance that would survive in a low light setup with minimal ferts.

You help is much appreciated as per usual guys/gals

 

[mike455555]

bushy plants you could try some types of moss? ... attach them to a rock or something? and swords / java fern / anubias for broad leaf

 

[minnnt]

You won't get much broader than Anubias Heterophylla. As a nice contrast you could plant the foreground (on wood/rock obviously) with Anubias Barteri 'Nana' which stays very small. A great bushy plant that will add a new texture would be Java Fern. You can get needle leaved Java Fern too which looks great. Then add in some of the brown Cryptocoryne's (Crypts) to add a different colour and you will be off to a good start. Try some Elodea and some Cabomba towards the rear along with some straight Vallis and you will be laughing! All of the plants i have mentioned will do fine in a low tech setup and will get all the nutrients they need from your fish.

Do you plan on upping the numbers of your Tetra's? And also, is your substrate gravel? Your Cories would be much happier on sand.

 

[kevin82]

Do you plan on upping the numbers of your Tetra's? And also, is your substrate gravel? Your Cories would be much happier on sand.

I'm getting rid of the current tetras and rainbows in favour of a large shoal. I do have gravel and know the corys prefer sand but have kept them in the past with reasonable success.

My head is battered but the shear number of plants out there. I wish retailers would make if more clear and group plants by lighting levels rather than have us sitting on their site and googling anything we like the look of

 

[minnnt]

Have a look at the Tropica website, i believe it gives you the plants in categories. What large shoal are you thinking of going with?

Another good reason for having sand as that it is better (imo) to plant in.

 

[mike455555]

its only a guide line... im mannageing to grow hairgrass in a low light tank when its recommended for high

i do want another bulb for it thoguh

 

[kevin82]

Have a look at the Tropica website, i believe it gives you the plants in categories. What large shoal are you thinking of going with?

Another good reason for having sand as that it is better (imo) to plant in.

Not sure but that's another thing I'm working on as well as the plants

 

[minnnt]

Harlequin Rasbora's or Red Eyed Tetra's

 

[kevin82]

on the tropica website now, and I like it. The sad thing is that I want to copy the 297L example but it uses Co2

 

[minnnt]

lol... i think alot of us want to copy their tanks...

 

[kevin82]

Just as a starter but I was thinking\of this setup but not sure on quantities of plants if I decide its what to go for


Heteranthera zosterifolia - Star Grass - background Centre

Aponogeton crispus - Wavy Swordplant - background both corners

Anubias Lanceolata - mid centre plus off left & right

Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica' (109E) mid at either end


The front would be the Sagittaria Subulata which is already in there and spreading. This should hopefully increase with ferts

 

[AdamBeat8]

Get a red ludwiga. It will really bring out the colors in the tank. Also pick up some root tabs at your LFS, stick one of the tabs under the substrate of any new plant you get and they will thrive.

 

[AlexG]

Have a look at the Tropica website, i believe it gives you the plants in categories. What large shoal are you thinking of going with?

Another good reason for having sand as that it is better (imo) to plant in.

Sweet #93###!!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

(i've been looking for ages for exactly THAT!)