Plants That Don't Require A Nutrient Substrate

[Mack]

Hi All,
 
 
My tank currently looks like this (click to enlarge):
 

 
 
Its a 55L and has 1 Honey Gourami and 7 Ember Tetras.
 
The plants you see are plastic and I'd like to start to replace them with live plants, which don't require any special substrate. (I currently have a silver sand substrate, with no heating cable).
 
I'd like to make a nice aquascape with easy plants and probably more wood.
 
I don't want to go down the route of injecting CO2, although would be happy to feed the plants with ferts as required.
 
 
Any help is much appreciated.
 
Regards
 
Mack

 

[stanleo]

Anubais, java fern and java moss. No co2 required and you can attach them to wood with a bit of fishing line or rubber band until they take root in the wood. The moss you can even attach to that lovely rock formation you have. With anubais and java fern if you plant them in any substrate they will die.
 
But you can also get grasses and swords. Just use some root tabs and they will be fine in your substrate. They don't require co2.

 

[Mack]

Would Anubais, java fern and java moss require fertilizer?

 

[stanleo]

It would always help. I suggest Seachem Flourish Excel. Its liquid carbon that you dose everyday. I JUST learned that you should do it every morning before the lights come on. Also JUST learned to use Seachem Flourish micro ferts everyday as well.
 
This is a great place to have a read about plants. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/416755-pressurized-co2-equipment-flow-and-fertilization/ I just found it today and it is very informative.

 

[tmoney7]

i have anubias plants and i have them buried in my substrate which is just fake black gravel and i was wondering if i should move them since you said they will die if planted but i did not know if it made a difference if it was real or fake substrate

 

[stanleo]

If the rhizome is buried then it can't get the nutrients it needs from the water. the rhizome is the part of the plant that the plant grows out of. The roots can be buried but the rhizome has to be out of the substrate. I had an anubais that I planted in the substrate on my 10gl and it never grew another leaf but the one in my 29gl is attached to the wood and grows like crazy.
 
I'm not sure of the difference between real and fake substrate. I think and don't quote me on this but I think that root tabs will work in fake substrate.

 

[Shaddex]

Vallis grows well in sand no ferts etc.

 

[DrRob]

I've grown most things, including several of the harder plants that require hefty high tech systems, in gravel and sand.
 
Most aquatic plants will take nutrients from the water column mainly. Substrates are good for anchoring them and for holding the nutrients (this is what people are going on about when they talk about high CEC). Some plants have a reputation for being reliant on fertile subsrtates, such as swords. I have one growing happily in a playsand tank and one struggling on a planted media.
 
The substrates help, they even out nutrient levels and are designed to provide a good rooting medium. They also help iron over gaps in your fertiliser regime by trickling out what they came with.
 
There will always be plants that do better, but for most plants, give them a go.

 

[tmoney7]

When i say fake gravel it is pretty much man made colored gravel.  At the moment its the best that i could afford 

 i hope to get some stuff that is a mix between sand and gravel it is pretty much just ground up gravel but not quite granules like sand.