Planted Aquarium Stuff

[DanielKeepsFish]

I own a 20h tank with a very tiny red tail shark and a dwarf gourami. I ended up buying the typical black gravel at Petco. I wanted to start a planted aquarium, but I'm not sure what to do because my gravel doesn't provide nutrients or keep rooted plants on the ground. Should i start a new tank? Do a gravel change? please help 
 
 

 

[DrRob]

Most simple plants will grow happily in gravel. Some of the finer carpets can struggle, but for a lot of plants you'll be fine, and they'll root down quite happily. If anything some of the aquasoils can be a bit light and struggle to keep plants down until they've got their roots settled properly. What were you thinking of growing?

 

[DanielKeepsFish]

Just some beginner plants like anubis, java fern, and some other easy to care for plants. Im kind of a newbie when it comes to plants.
 Thanks for the help

 

[DrRob]

Well anubias and java fern will really not care, as they latch onto decor and will rot if buried in the substrate.
 
Otherwise simple things like crypts, vallis, hygrophila and such like will do fine in gravel, so long as they're not pushed too hard with powerful lights and given a top up of microfertiliers (the one with the trace elements in) so that they don't strip all of the nutrients out of the tank.

 

[DanielKeepsFish]

ok ill check out those kinds of plants. I bought some volcanic rock at my local petco, would that be a good thing for java ferns/anubias to latch on to?

 

[Byron]

I concur with what Rob has posted.  Some other suitable plants that I find very easy are the chain swords (Helanthium tenellum or H. bolivianus, sometimes still seen under the former classification as Echinodorus tenellus and E. quadricostatis or something).  These are fast growing once settled, and have no issues like crypts (the latter can be fussy and melt).  I have one or other of these chain swords in all of my tanks except those restricted to Asian biotopes.  Very nice plants.
 
These plus the others already mentioned in this thread will also do fine under less light.  Avoid stem plants as here you are in to very fast growing plants that need more light and nutrients.
 
BTW, you are aware that your red tail shark is not going to last long in a 20g tank?  This fish attains six inches, and as it matures it frequently becomes nasty to certain other fish.  Individuals vary, but in general this is not a good community fish, and will certainly need a much larger space very soon.  Unless a larger tank is a definite, I would re-home this fish now rather than later; for the fish's sake, sooner rather than later is better.
 
Byron.

 

[DanielKeepsFish]

Yes i am aware of the size my redtail will get, i have a 45g tank that i'll move him to once he outgrows the 20g
thanks for the info

 

[DrRob]

ok ill check out those kinds of plants. I bought some volcanic rock at my local petco, would that be a good thing for java ferns/anubias to latch on to?

 
To be honest, they won't care all that much, so long as they can get themselves latched on and keep their roots from being covered up. Personally my way of thinking is to consider anything that you could grow moss on, if it'd take moss lying around in the garden then it'll take anubias and java ferns in the aquarium.
 
Pygmy swords are indeed good plants, I've just planted a section of a tank with them from a propagator as they're wonderful for growing in summer in emersed. Overall there are many plants that we used to grow under T12's back in the day that didn't need much light and grew perfectly well before we'd even head of aquasoils, back when Diana Walsted was creating heavy growth, when we though that CO2 was something that appeared on dance floors to create smoke, that will grow in very basic conditions. I actually struggle with vallis in my high tech tanks, but can grow it in my low techs, as it's nutrient heavy in high light (I suspect it's calcium dependent) but fine in low light.

 

[DanielKeepsFish]

Today i bought an anubias plant and latched it on to my rock. It's going pretty well so far. 
 
An unrelated question: Do you think that a 36x18x16 tank (45g) is big enough for 3 denison barbs? They seem like cool fish but i never thought i had the space.

 

[Byron]

An unrelated question: Do you think that a 36x18x16 tank (45g) is big enough for 3 denison barbs? They seem like cool fish but i never thought i had the space.

No.  First reason is the fish's size; at six inches and being a good swimmer (i.e., active) it needs at least a 4-foot tank, though many reliable sources will say nothing under five feet.  And second, you need a larger group, at least eight to minimize aggression within the group.  Aside from this, they have different environmental needs from most of our basic tropicals, such as cooler water and more current to provide their high oxygen need.  This is a species that really is best in a species-oriented habitat aquarium.
 
Byron.

 

[DanielKeepsFish]

 

An unrelated question: Do you think that a 36x18x16 tank (45g) is big enough for 3 denison barbs? They seem like cool fish but i never thought i had the space.

No.  First reason is the fish's size; at six inches and being a good swimmer (i.e., active) it needs at least a 4-foot tank, though many reliable sources will say nothing under five feet.  And second, you need a larger group, at least eight to minimize aggression within the group.  Aside from this, they have different environmental needs from most of our basic tropicals, such as cooler water and more current to provide their high oxygen need.  This is a species that really is best in a species-oriented habitat aquarium.
 
Byron.
 

Ok thanks.