New to plants!

[MarkW19]

I'm just starting a [acronym:3501092d9e="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:3501092d9e] tank (had a [acronym:3501092d9e="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:3501092d9e] one for 2 years), and want to get into living plants.

I mainly want some tall green ones, but I want them to be as easy to keep as possible.

My tank is 55USgallons, and I'm going to be hopefully using the 9,500k 39w white T5 lights (x2) I used on my [acronym:3501092d9e="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:3501092d9e] setup. I'm advised these will be ok and I won't need to inject [acronym:3501092d9e="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:3501092d9e].

I think I need to add fertiliser into the substrate - how often is this usually added?

The main thing is I want the plants to be easy to maintain and keep - I don't really want to be messing about with balancing the chemicals in the water for the plants, I'd just like to be able to plant them, add fertiliser when neccessary, trim them when/if neccessary, and do the usual water changes.

Is this possible, and has anyone got any advice on which easy plants to get?

Thanks!

[Simpte]

You don't need to add fertilizer to the substrate. In the end plants will deplete it and draw from the water column first anyways. For easy plants I recommend Wisteria, Watersprite, java ferns, and just about any of the hygrophilia species (difformis, balsamica, ceylon, corymbosa ect...) African ferns are pretty easy also. With the amount of lighting you have, I think you could get by with using tropica's mastergrow or seachem's flourish. I would also use flourish excel for an added source of carbon. If you want an easier red plant that I have grown with less than 2wpg I would go with Alternanthera reineckii. They will grow slower but that can be a blessing.

[MarkW19]

Thanks.

So I just add the Seachem Flourish directly into the tank water? How often does it have to be dosed, and how often does the excel have to be dosed too, and what advantages would it give if I used it as well?

[Simpte]

Dosing directions are on the bottles. Adding excel will give your plants the added carbon they need. You will see better growth and healthier plants. It will also help keep algae at bay.

[MarkW19]

Can I put my plants in as soon as I set my tank up, while it's cycling? Or will the Flourish and Flourish Excel mess up with the pure ammonia I'll be using to cycle?

[Simpte]

Add them as soon as possible. They will keep Nh4 and No2 spikes down by utilizing what the bacteria cant. Bacteria will always get the food source first but the plants will eat the "leftovers".

[Zezmo]

If you are cycling with pure ammonia, I am not sure that adding plants will help things. Others can speak to this better than I, but I think the plants will simply utilize the Ammonia as a nutrient. Also, the ferts you add, will include Nitrate. Some of this will be also be consumed by your "bacteria".

Some plants are root feeders, like Amazon Swords and Cryptocorynes, these plants do best with a fertilized substrate. Put a root tablet under each plant or plant group. These must be replaced about every 6 months.

[azn_fishy55]

An easier way to fertilise the substrate is buying eco-complete or flourite. I use root tabs myself and I think flourite or eco-complete would work much better.