Which Plant Should I Use?

[Paavn]

im still cycling my tank and i wanted to get the plants in before i got the fish... this is what my tank looks like and i wanted to have some plants on the top parts of the black slate to add some green to that side of the tank. i was thinking something along the lines of a lawn effect on the slate but dont know which plants to use. i tried looking around at different plants but its all too confusing still lol

if anyone has any other suggestions, they are most welcome

 

[Goodygumdrops]

If you want a 'lawn' effect on the slate,check out the sticky thread at the top of this forum for attaching and growing java moss.
Also,just imo mind,you could do with some tall plants behind the slate,maybe a sword or some vallis?And some shorter plants middle (going down in a reverse triangle sort of).You could maybe get an anubias and attach it to a piece of slate and have it middle/back.
It wouldn't be heavily planted but two or 3 plants would make a big difference,anubias and moss are easy to grow too,sword may need root tabs.(get these at your lfs)

 

[Paavn]

thanks Goodygumdrops. i like the idea of having some plants behind the slate but i was planning on putting a bubble wand behind there to add more oxygen to the tank since i plan on having a pleco. and wouldnt the pleco need space to swim around the bottom of the tank? its a 30 gallon tank (till i move to place that isnt upstairs)

 

[Truck]

dont go for java ferns they are heavy root feeders, i would try vallis, cryptocorynes, java moss, anubias, cambomba.

 

[Goodygumdrops]

Java ferns are not heavy root feeders,they are a very easy plant to grow,they should be attached to hardscape and NOT planted in the substrate.

 

[Goodygumdrops]

While I'm going to say that 30g is a reasonable size,it really depends on which plec you are going for.Bear in mind,these guys will utilise the whole tank,not just the bottom,I don't mean swimming everywhere,but I often find mine hanging from the glass,filter,etc (but more often than not they're trying to chomp the bogwood!).
I happen to like an open look in a planted tank,but I don't think one sword,or a bit of vallis at the back right,would be overbearing in yours,I think it would look nice,even if you had the air curtain coming up in front of it.

 

[Paavn]

i just moved the slates forward so now there is about 3 inches of space back there
i like the look of the caboma and the vallis so far. but i was wondering if the vallis needed to be in a pot if i have gravel.... i dont mind going and making a pot that would fit my tank.

i read in one of the other threads that ricca? (rica?) is hard to find especially at LFS' is that still true?
the way it grows seems to let it grow in a mat like form that would be easier to mold to the shape of the slate

 

[Paavn]

or i'll just stick to java moss i should be able to get my hands on some of that

 

[Goodygumdrops]

Riccia is a nightmare to take care of.Vallis gets planted straight in the gravel (not in the pot).

 

[Paavn]

hmm.... i'll just stick with the java moss then, seems easier to maintain as well
alright thanks! the gravel it is then