Plants for blackwater aquarium?

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LCieParagon

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Oct 25, 2013
Messages
130
Hello all

I currently have a 40G Breeder tank that's cycling as we speak. I'm filtering with peat and using blackwater extract. I have sand now as a base but I will add oak leaves and almond leaves as well. There are also 6 pieces of driftwood.

I have a beautiful Fugeray 2 light with dual 7000K LEDs. And a CO2 system in place.

I know that most blackwater biotopes are devoid of vegetation, but there are some that are heavily planted which I want this to be. What plants can survive the low pH and the tea colored water? Swords? Crypts? Ferns? Any helferi plants? Anubias?

Thanks!
 
Hello all

I currently have a 40G Breeder tank that's cycling as we speak. I'm filtering with peat and using blackwater extract. I have sand now as a base but I will add oak leaves and almond leaves as well. There are also 6 pieces of driftwood.

I have a beautiful Fugeray 2 light with dual 7000K LEDs. And a CO2 system in place.

I know that most blackwater biotopes are devoid of vegetation, but there are some that are heavily planted which I want this to be. What plants can survive the low pH and the tea colored water? Swords? Crypts? Ferns? Any helferi plants? Anubias?

Thanks!

Bump please.
 
Have you boiled any of the wood to remove some tannins? I'm thinking you may end up with water colored like strong tea which will diffuse the light so much that it only penetrates the first few inches of the water column.

Mongabay has some fairly decent info on plants for blackwater divided into regions.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Have you boiled any of the wood to remove some tannins? I'm thinking you may end up with water colored like strong tea which will diffuse the light so much that it only penetrates the first few inches of the water column.

Mongabay has some fairly decent info on plants for blackwater divided into regions.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

I did not boil the wood. A couple of reasons: too large and I want the dark water.

Oh the water is definitely colored like tea. But since it's a breeder tank, it's not very tall. My light pierces through the blackwater quite fine. It's pretty darn powerful. I just can't wait for this piece of driftwood to sink. It's taking over a week now. I'm going to get some oak leaves and almond leaves and really let the pH drop some.
 
Do you have a pic of the tank with the light? I'd like to get a visual of what you're working with, I know lighting has come a long way since t5 flourescents and all of my tanks are predominantly blackwater and I too have a 40 breeder I am preparing to set up, but I am still unsure which way I'm going with it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Hello all

I currently have a 40G Breeder tank that's cycling as we speak. I'm filtering with peat and using blackwater extract. I have sand now as a base but I will add oak leaves and almond leaves as well. There are also 6 pieces of driftwood.

I have a beautiful Fugeray 2 light with dual 7000K LEDs. And a CO2 system in place.

I know that most blackwater biotopes are devoid of vegetation, but there are some that are heavily planted which I want this to be. What plants can survive the low pH and the tea colored water? Swords? Crypts? Ferns? Any helferi plants? Anubias?

Thanks!


Crypts, swords, Java fern, and anubias would all be your best bet. I'd go for narrow leaf or Philippine Java fern in very large clumps for a nice bushy effect. Plenty of nice varieties of crypts could give your tank good leaf variety. You could also try vals or pygmy chain sword as well. For your light do you mean that you have the Ray 2?
 
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