Wy Renegade
Aquarium Advice Addict
As I sit back and survey my fishroom while sipping my favorite adult beverage, I can't help but be impressed by the amount of greenery which currently resides in most of the tanks. Now, I'm not going to lie and tell you that those plants are in perfect health or that I don't have issues with excess algae in any of my tanks, but overall, for someone who doses zero ferts I feel that I am pretty successfully maintaining a nice population of aquatic plants. My biggest disappointment is plants in the paludarium style tanks. Now if you've checked out any of my threads, you know that I've been doing paludarium style tanks for a long time now and I've found a few plants that work, but not many that last long term. I'm always experimenting and looking for recommendations of other plants that will thrive in a low maintenance setting. Anybody up for a rousing discussion of good low maintenance plants to use in a paludarium type set-up?
I've found that Java moss works really well. Its ability to grow both in and out of water makes it a nice addition. While its underwater growth is pretty wild and uncontrolled, its growth pattern on wood and rocks once it begins to emerge from the water is a particular favorite of mine.
Ferns seem to work pretty well due to their ability to grow in moist to wet soil, depending on variety. Some do better than others. I've had one that I've had growing in the bog tank for over 10 years now.
I did get a short variety of water lily from one of the pond sites, and it is doing very well (only about a year old at this point, but lots of growth). Hoping to see it flower.
Home Depots Bonsai trees (probably some variety of Asian tree) has also done well long term.
Dwarf equisetum was a nice addition, but unfortunately only lasts a season or two. It must be a temperate zone plant that needs a cold dormancy period.
Our native Forget-Me-Nots also do well for about three seasons, then need replaced as they evidently need a dormancy period as well.
Terrestrial mosses I've struggled with, as I evidently don't keep the humidity high enough. plenty of moisture in the soil, but that doesn't seem to do the trick.
I've found that Java moss works really well. Its ability to grow both in and out of water makes it a nice addition. While its underwater growth is pretty wild and uncontrolled, its growth pattern on wood and rocks once it begins to emerge from the water is a particular favorite of mine.
Ferns seem to work pretty well due to their ability to grow in moist to wet soil, depending on variety. Some do better than others. I've had one that I've had growing in the bog tank for over 10 years now.
I did get a short variety of water lily from one of the pond sites, and it is doing very well (only about a year old at this point, but lots of growth). Hoping to see it flower.
Home Depots Bonsai trees (probably some variety of Asian tree) has also done well long term.
Dwarf equisetum was a nice addition, but unfortunately only lasts a season or two. It must be a temperate zone plant that needs a cold dormancy period.
Our native Forget-Me-Nots also do well for about three seasons, then need replaced as they evidently need a dormancy period as well.
Terrestrial mosses I've struggled with, as I evidently don't keep the humidity high enough. plenty of moisture in the soil, but that doesn't seem to do the trick.
