Sand Tanks

[drobbins27]

What are some great plants for a 90g sand substrate tank filled with lawn mowers and a mover (Silver Dollars and an Oscar) Also, how would I plant them?

Edit (will not have a huge amount of light either )

Plz dont be a tough guy and say fake plants

 

[babyfish]

Anubias and cryptocorynes are low light plants

 

[babyfish]

And they usually have very vigorous roots

 

[AquaSeaFoam]

Java ferns are usually left alone by fish that eat plants. THey attach their roots to rocks and driftwood instead of being planted in the substrate. Planting them in the substrate is actaully bad for them, their roots need the circulation. Java moss is great too... it isn't planted either. you could lay it in a thin layer on rocks or driftwood and it will eventually take hold, or even on the ground, although i'm not sure how well it will hold to sand

 

[drobbins27]

Do you know of any foreground plants which ccould thrive in the conditions I had mentioned earlier?

 

[fish_r_great]

Maybe java moss?

 

[Stryker]

When you have sand choose plants that take their nutients in through the leaves. I'm not sure of which ones but there are many plants whose roots are nothing more than an anchor so compressed sand is not of an issue.

I think java fern is one such plant. (plant people, jump on me if I'm wrong)

 

[Dragonscales]

Plz dont be a tough guy and say fake plants

<--------- *Being a tough guy* "Buy some fake plants" rotfl jk jk
... on a serious note though, how about some banana lillies? They are tough little plants, fast growers(several shoots growing overnight is not uncommon, even to the point of throwing full grown leaves overnight!), not fussy about water conditions and they seem to sit flat on the bottom more so than other plants. You don't even have to bury their roots if you don't want! The roots are a highlight of the plants so I keep mine half buried and half showing, but they will do fine even if the plant is 100% uncovered.

 

[EddieW]

Drobbins,

There happens to be an article on plants in P.F.K. this month and one part might be of interest:

Should you have voracious herbivores, the best bet is to choose fast growing plants such as the Shinnersia species, Mexican Oaks. THese plants can grow up to 25cm/10" a day, and so won't suffer if fish chomp through a few inches...

Can't give you any specific help on plants with SDs, but I have several planted sand tanks. After trying different methods I have found the best bet is to firstly make sure there are plenty of roots. If the roots are short you can encourage them to grow longer by floating the plants in water for a few days - the roots will then search out nutrients. Next I wrap a small strip of aquarium safe lead around the stem just above the roots - this helps to stop the plant floating away from the bottom before the roots can establish. Then I push the roots well into the sand making sure I don't cover the base of the plant itself as this will encourage it to rot. Also make sure the roots are well spread out and not in a clump - sometimes I find that an odd bit of root ends up sticking out of the sand but this doesn't seem to bother most plants. After a week or so the roots should have dug well into the sand and the lead can be carefully removed if you wish, or can be left in place if not unsightly.

HTH, Eddie