Plants For A Small Tank

[Alexis]

OK, so following the advice from Paulioo in a different topic, I am starting a new one!

Basically, I have a US 9 gallon tank. I LOVE planted tanks, but I don't necessarily want to turn it into a whole big thing. I just want to be able to successfully grow plants in my tank, without having to resort to fake plants, because I don't particularly like the way they look.

Currently, the only light I have is the light that came with the tank, which is about 2.5-3 WPG. I also have very basic, generic gravel substrate. I was intending to go look into investing in a good substrate on the weekend. Is a 9 gallon tank hard to grow plants in? I am a total noob at all this stuff, but I love the way real plants look, and I really want real plants to grow!! So can someone please help?!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Qays]

no ofcourse it is not, people grow plants in 1g tanks.

i reccomend plants like Java fern, anubias nana, anachris, hornwort, vallis, java moss. All of which are easy to grow.

Your lighting is sufficient for them to grow in.

2.5-3wpg seems a bit too high for a tank without co2 though, you might have algae issues.

 

[Alexis]

Qays: I just checked out your 11 gallon and it looks great! You use NO fertiliser, or anything?!! HOW?!!! Tell me how!! LOL.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting a bit of a lower watt bulb for my light...

But how do you grow stuff without fertiliser and CO2 and stuff?!

 

[George Farmer]

3 wpg in a 9 gal. is not a lot of light - CO2 is not necessary although it will help all plants.

The wpg "rule" only effectively applies to regular size (15 to 60 gal.) and regular shape tanks. A good rule of thumb is 4 x T8 tubes spanning the length of the tank for high light, 2-3 tubes for medium light and 1 tube for low-light. This assumes a regular shape tank i.e. not a hexagon or very tall tank.

My advice to plant a low-tech 9 gal. would be to get a decent substrate; Flourite, Ecocomplete etc. etc. there's plenty out there. Fit a decent reflector to the light. I assume it's fluorescent? If not then change it, incandescent are rubbish for plant growth, very ineffecient. If the tube is old then change it, they deteriote.

PLANT HEAVILY - cover at least 75% of the substrate, mainly with weeds like Hygrophila polysperma at the start (for a list check out the pinned algae thread). Filling a new tank with slow growers like ferns, moss, anubias will likely result in algae. The aim is to get as much plant growth as possible, this deals with algae issues early on. If you have a mature filter this will help combat algae. Ammonium is a big algae trigger so in a new tank fast plant growth is essential to uptake this nutrient until the filter can deal with it. Stocking lightly with fish is a good idea for the same reason.

I'd be tempted to DIY CO2 as well. This will improve growth and give you a lushness that cannot be acheived without CO2. Less algae risk too.

 

[Alexis]

gf225: Wow, thanks heaps! I checked out the pinned algae thread, and, as good as your articles are, they're really intimidating! (I don't mean that in a bad way!) There's just so much info. to take in for someone as new to this as I am! =P But basically, I should plant fast growing plants to combat algae growth?

Is the light I currently have OK? Or should I replace it with something else?

 

[Qays]

yeah, hygrophila polysperma is good, i have some in my tank, but i am looking for more to combat an possible algae.

My tank isnt finished yet, but thans for the comment

 

[George Farmer]

gf225: Wow, thanks heaps! I checked out the pinned algae thread, and, as good as your articles are, they're really intimidating! (I don't mean that in a bad way!) There's just so much info. to take in for someone as new to this as I am! =P But basically, I should plant fast growing plants to combat algae growth?

No probs. There's a lot to take in but forums like this should hopefully make it a little easier. That's the idea anyway.

Planting heavily from the start is the key to prevent early algae issues. 95% of newbies don't do this and wonder why they get algae. Stuff the tank full of plants, stem plants grow the quickest generally - you've read the list. Once the tank has established you can then pull out some of the less desirables and replace them with slower growers that are less maintenance and perhaps prettier i.e. ferns, mosses, crypts etc.

Is the light I currently have OK? Or should I replace it with something else?

What type of light is it? What wattage? What does it look like if you don't know what type it is? Is it fluorescent?

 

[Alps]

gf225: Wow, thanks heaps! I checked out the pinned algae thread, and, as good as your articles are, they're really intimidating! (I don't mean that in a bad way!) There's just so much info. to take in for someone as new to this as I am! =P But basically, I should plant fast growing plants to combat algae growth?

No probs. There's a lot to take in but forums like this should hopefully make it a little easier. That's the idea anyway.

Planting heavily from the start is the key to prevent early algae issues. 95% of newbies don't do this and wonder why they get algae. Stuff the tank full of plants, stem plants grow the quickest generally - you've read the list. Once the tank has established you can then pull out some of the less desirables and replace them with slower growers that are less maintenance and perhaps prettier i.e. ferns, mosses, crypts etc.

Is the light I currently have OK? Or should I replace it with something else?

What type of light is it? What wattage? What does it look like if you don't know what type it is? Is it fluorescent?

I also have a 10g tank and Alexis, you might have a difficult time deciding on plants that will fit your tank (scale wise). Does anyone have advice on plants that would fit smaller tanks better?

 

[Alexis]

Umm, I think the light is fluorescent. 2-3 WPG and... that's all I know for now. >_<

And yeah, I didn't know you should plant heavily at the start. I was just going to start small and work my way up. But now that I have a list of plants I should buy, that definitely helps, as opposed to just going into a shop and picking out things that I think look pretty.

Alps: Hmm... that's a good point. Although if it makes any difference, my tank is taller than it is wide. So I'm OK when it comes to tall plants.

 

[Alps]

you should start a journal so we can see pics

 

[Alexis]

HAHA, I think I might wait for that. LOL. I kinda want to learn the basics before showing people. LOL. There's so much to take in!

 

[Alexis]

OK, I have another question. I didn't really know where else to ask, or find this, but: currently, in the tank I want to put plants in, I have 2 platies. I want to replace the substrate and plant new plants ETC... does anyone have any advice on how to do this with 2 fish in there? Should I take them out?

 

[Alexis]

Oh, one more thing: my WPG got calculated wrong. Apparently, I only have 1.1-1.2 WPG. >_< So I'm hoping to buy new lighting as well.

Wait, no, scrap that... it's 2.42. LOL.