Setting Up My First Ever Planted Aquarium

[mrsblack10272]

Sorry didnt really know where to put this topic, I thought here would be safest for now!
Please help me I am hoping to go to my LFS soon to decide and they have all of the plants I will talk about.

I am in the process of doing LOTS of research into good hardy and sturdy beginner plants. I have found so many and now need help choosing between my favourites from some of you more experienced people! Ok so my tank is 20 gallon and I know I want three different background plants and maybe 2 different mid ground/forground ones. For the background I DEFINATLY want Vallisneria spiralis. I would then like one redish plant, either:
a) Ludwigia arcuata
b) Ludwigia repens
c) Rotala rotundifolia
d) Alternanthera reineckii (rosefolia)
Then I would like a green plant that is either fine leaf or not but one of these:
a) Ceratophyllum demersum
b) Ceratopteris thalictroides
c) Hygrophila polysperma
d) Shinnersia rivularis
e) Juncus repens
f) Bacopa Carolina
And for midground/forground plants I need to pick 2 out of these:
a) Cryptocoryne Willisii
b) Staurogyne sp.
c) Microsorum pteropus 'Windeløv'
d) Cardamine lyrata e) Eleocharis Parvula
And lastly floating I was thinking about:
a) Salvinia natans
b) Pistia stratiotes

Eek sorry for such a long list! Any comments on any of the plants will be much appreciated thankyou x

 

[DrRob]

Long list there. Lots of nice plants.

It would help to know what sort of lighting you're using, if you use CO2 and in what way, and what fertilisers you're going to use, if any. Depth of the tank and substrate are also useful info, as is an idea of what, if any, fish you're putting in.

Otherwise, find some you like, and can get (which can be a major deciding factor) and then see what seems to like your water. You'll find experts on here who have failed to grow plants that everyone else can grow, but otherwise produce spectacular displays of plants with everything else.

Oh, and watch the long stuff and floating plants for blocking light for the others.

 

[mrsblack10272]

Long list there. Lots of nice plants.

It would help to know what sort of lighting you're using, if you use CO2 and in what way, and what fertilisers you're going to use, if any. Depth of the tank and substrate are also useful info, as is an idea of what, if any, fish you're putting in.

Otherwise, find some you like, and can get (which can be a major deciding factor) and then see what seems to like your water. You'll find experts on here who have failed to grow plants that everyone else can grow, but otherwise produce spectacular displays of plants with everything else.

Oh, and watch the long stuff and floating plants for blocking light for the others.

Hi and thankyou for replying! Because its my first live plant tank, or will be, I am not planning on using any fertilizer or CO2 unless nessecary. I have been told that it isn't critical to have this with nearly all beginner plants and you don't NEED special substrate for them either. My substrate is fine sand at about 2.5inch deep, it could be made deeper or shallower if need be. My tank depth is around 45cm.
My fish tank light is usually on for around 8-12 hours a day but it varies, not that much though. This could be modified if needed

All the plants I have listed are available from my LFS at the moment so I am only picking from the ones they have that are beginner ones, and of course the ones I like from them!
Hoping to go to the fish store this weekend so advice ASAP would be brilliant!

I will be choosing from the following as to what will be in that tank. My decision changes from day to day!
Celestial Pearl danio, honey gourami, kuhli Loaches, pygmy cory, rummy nose, Otocinclus, peacock goby.

Thanks for any feedback.
P.s. I know it can be unreliable sometimes but not sure I have the money to buy plants to 'experiment' to see if they are ok I was told all plants I have listed, because they are hardy beginner ones, will grow well in most conditions.

 

[DrRob]

CO2 certainly isn't crucial. Fertilisers, depends who you ask.

Without ferts you want slower growing stuff, so less on the stem plants, although a few will be fine.

Hygrophilia is pretty much bomb proof. Crypts are good, as are anubius. Mosses and java fern are also easy to grow, but the latter gets a little tall, given then it has to be on wood or rocks and you only have 45cm, so it would be a central feature probably.

Your reddish plants are going to need a lot of light, which can cause algae problems without CO2 or ferts.

 

[mrsblack10272]

Thank you.

So right now I am thinking:
Background - Vallisneria Spiralis, Hygrophila polysperma and Ceratophyllum demersum, Bacopa monneri
Mid ground - Cryptocoryne willisii, Microsorum pteropus 'Windeløv'.
Foreground - Eleocharis parvula
Other - Java moss
Floating - Salvinia natans, Pistia stratiotes

What requirements do these plants need? There seems to be little information on melting plants what is it exactly and what do I need to look out for?
What can/could I attach the Microsorum pteropus 'Windeløv' onto and what's the safest way to do so?
Does java moss have to be attached to something too?
Xx

 

[DrRob]

Melting is where a plant dies back due to a change in water conditions and then grows new leaves that are adapted to those new parameters. Crypts are known for this particularly, and some plants that are grown in the farms emersed that then have to adapt to their new submerged state (like the amazon swords). Don't worry about it, just clean up any mess before it turns into ammonia, leave the root stub alone.

Microsorum, generally bogwood, but in reality anything you have by way of decor, even plant pots or coconut shells if you like. It'll slowly grow anchor roots. It doesn't like having it's rhizome covered, so don't bury it in the substrate. As for attaching, fishing line, specialist planting line or simply thread. You can use cyanoacrylate (superglue's active ingredient) so long as it's pure, but I personally have never bothered. Java moss will grow on pretty much anything, but is best tied onto the surface of something like a stone or bogwood.

Eleocharis, of any variety, likes a lot of light, particularly if you want a carpet (there isn't much that carpets that well in low tech that I'm aware of, but I'm happy to be corrected), but hopefully you'll be able to grow it.

Remember to put up pictures, we love to see pictures.

 

[mrsblack10272]

Great info thanks. Will any thread do at all? Are there risks of dye leaking into the aquarium or the thread rotting in the water?

 

[DrRob]

Thread rotting, not really, and you're dealing with tiny amounts.

Dye, depends what you use, although I've never had any problems.