Best foreground plants for my tank

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fishenthusiast

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Hello everyone! I have been putting off getting a new foreground plant for a couple months, but in that time, I've came upon a couple of new plants that I could try. I am deciding between the following plants:

Marsilea crenata
Downoi
Pygmy Chain Sword
Dwarf Pennywort
Staurogyne repens

I have T5 HO lighting and I dose liquid CO2 with PPS Pro ferts. I would like something that doesn't grow too tall since my tank is only 16 inches tall. Which plant is the easiest to take care of? Which plant has the best root structure? I could do a combination of two plants in my foreground too. What is your opinion? Thanks!
 
IMO I would go for chain sword and S. Repens. Both can get a bit tall but you can trim them. Both have nice roots structures but spread differently. The chain sword spread with runners and the repens is "cut and replant".
If you want a shorter plants I would go for the penny wort or marsilea. The marsilea won't fill in as much as the other plants and the roots structures isn't the best but they look nice and are short.
 
IMO I would go for chain sword and S. Repens. Both can get a bit tall but you can trim them. Both have nice roots structures but spread differently. The chain sword spread with runners and the repens is "cut and replant".
If you want a shorter plants I would go for the penny wort or marsilea. The marsilea won't fill in as much as the other plants and the roots structures isn't the best but they look nice and are short.



Also the chain sword is the easiest to take care of. Downoi is the hardest IMO.


Generally, how tall do Pygmy Chain Swords get? I think this plant would do excellent in my tank considering that every sword that I've tried has done fantastic in my tank. I've read online that Dwarf Pennywort can be very hard to maintain, so I don't know if I'd want to try something like it--even if it looks cool. Also, I think Staurogyne repens would look well by my Crypt Undulata 'red' and Broad Leaf Sagittaria. Maybe I'll give it a try.
 
They usually get between 4"-5". I have never grown dwarf pennywort so I cnnot say if it is hard to raise or not. The S. Repens can be formed into a bush. Having a mix of red and green plants in your tank definitely gives your tank more color and depth.
 
They usually get between 4"-5". I have never grown dwarf pennywort so I cnnot say if it is hard to raise or not. The S. Repens can be formed into a bush. Having a mix of red and green plants in your tank definitely gives your tank more color and depth.


I might also consider Crypt Parva too. I know that it grows really slow though.
 
I think I'm actually going to get Marsilea crenata now with either Staurogyne repens or Downoi. I think these plants would add the best variety to my tank.
 
You did me a favor, the last plants I bought had a piece of that stuck to it and it's been floating around my grow tank for a month.

When I read your post I pasted Marsilea crenata in Google Images and.....

Now I know what that plant is :) it looks like a four leaf clover, it's a tough little sucker, I keep on sucking it up the siphon, picking it up and throwing it back in the tank and it's still here.

Wonder if I should let it float or bury it in the substrate?
 
You did me a favor, the last plants I bought had a piece of that stuck to it and it's been floating around my grow tank for a month.

When I read your post I pasted Marsilea crenata in Google Images and.....

Now I know what that plant is :) it looks like a four leaf clover, it's a tough little sucker, I keep on sucking it up the siphon, picking it up and throwing it back in the tank and it's still here.

Wonder if I should let it float or bury it in the substrate?


I would bury it in the substrate. The plant itself should eventually lose its four leaf clover appearance and look like a single node. Here is an example from the internet: ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1401856259.263050.jpg
 
I like that, I'll bury it tomorrow, that tank is currently undergoing an algae blackout but that plant hasn't been affected at all. It's a tough little bugger and it handles hard water well.
 
Marsilea is a neat plant. It takes a while to transition from emersed form, but once it gets going it spreads pretty quickly and is much easier to work with than say, glosso.


I'm sold on it now! Also, I think I'll try Staurogyne repens along with it in my foreground. I hope this attempt will work out. I could never get Dwarf Hairgrass going.
 
Staurogyne repens is a good choice, it's much easier to work with than DHG. If it grows tall just trim it as needed and replant the tops to help fill in.


+1
It looks very nice when formed into a bush appearance or a short hedge.
DHG (IMO) is better looking but requires more work and equipment to sustain.
 
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