Plants that don't shed often???

[kmny34]

I am wondering if you guys/gals can give me a list of hardy plants that do not shed leaves that often????

My lighting is a duel t5 hood with 79 total watts on my 30 gallon. I have regular aquarium white sand that I put root tabs in and I dose with api leaf zone once a week.

Another question that I have. Would my plants grow a lot better if I used a liquid co2????

Plants that i Have in there now:
1 amazon sword
1 moss ball
1 spiral crypt
1 crypt parva
1 hygro compact
some dwarf sag
some water wisteria

I have problems with every plant except the crypt parva growing. For some reason the crypt parva is flourishing but nothing else is. Thats why I am wondering if a liquid co2 will help????

PLEASE ANSWER ALL OF MY QUESTIONS!!!

 

[Luananeko]

Liquid CO2 or pressurized CO2 will almost always help. I found my plants didn't really flourish with just the weekly fert dosing until I did daily Excell dosing. Once I added that, they seemed to take off. Potassium is another one that's helpful to dose daily, and there's no harm to the plants or tank if you give more than they need, even if you're dosing way higher than you should (your pocketbook may complain however, so obviously just dose as directed). When I started doing both Excell and Potassium is when I saw the best growth in my plants under similar lighting to yours.

Dual T5 isn't super strong lighting but none of the plants you listed are high light plants... So they should be ok once you add the carbon. Ludwiga Repens is another one that seems to do well under that lighting without causing a mess of leaf shedding.

 

[kmny34]

As for co2. Which should I use seachem exel or API co2 booster??? Or does it matter???

 

[Luananeko]

Doesn't matter, both are good liquid options. Excell has the added benefit of being an algaecide too, not sure if the API one does that. Just make sure you dose daily either right before or right after the lights turn on since the carbon only stays in the water column for 24 hours.

 

[Mebbid]

They are both the same thing. I use metricide 14 day sterilizing solution and dose half as much as I would use excel since its 2x as strong.

You should also look into getting dry ferts in either a pps pro or ei fertilizing schedule. That would greatly help out your tank.