Plants for the newb

[insecurity]

Howdy. I'm putting together a 20g tank to accept 4 freshwater dwarf puffers, and I want the tank to be planted.

From the help of the stickies and resources, I've figured a lot out, but I have a few more questions.

1) Taking in mind I don't want to have a CO2 setup and the size of my tank (20g)- what kind of plants would you recommend?

2) Is the Fluval U4 internal filter going to provide too much current for a planted tank, or should I drop down to a U3? Other options?

3) Some plants I like that I'd like in my tank are Jungle Val and Wisteria. Thoughts?

 

[Rivercats]

Easy plant with a low light tolerance would be anubia's and java ferns for tying onto driftwood, Corkscrew val (it stays much smaller than jungle val), wisteria or water sprite, narrowleaf temple plant, crypts, and dwarf sag. You don't need CO2 with any of these but adding some liquid fertilizer and liquid carbon (Excel or API CO2 booster) would help the plants alot.

 

[insecurity]

Sweet deal, thanks Rivercats. I looked into a CO2 system at Petsmart and I honestly thought it was going to be more expensive than that.

 

[nereksnad]

greetings.

there are very cheap CO2 systems, but what is most important is the method of getting the co2 into the water. the cheapest co2 systems i've seen is a tiny co2 canister and a tube into the water, that's not an effective way. i can recommend making a dyi co2 setup, it seems harder to do than it is.

sincerely,
nereksnad.

 

[Rivercats]

Those little CO2 systems aren't very expensive, they get you on having to keep buying the little CO2 canisters. Even on my big 220g I don't use CO2, just glutaraldehyde, a liquid carbon. Check out my tank and see what you can do even without CO2 http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/220g-planted-newly-rescaped-231568.html

Another thing what is your lighting? LED, T5HO, stock hood light? That also influences how much fertilizer, liquid carbon or CO2, and what type plants you can grow.

 

[insecurity]

Those little CO2 systems aren't very expensive, they get you on having to keep buying the little CO2 canisters. Even on my big 220g I don't use CO2, just glutaraldehyde, a liquid carbon. Check out my tank and see what you can do even without CO2 http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/220g-planted-newly-rescaped-231568.html

Another thing what is your lighting? LED, T5HO, stock hood light? That also influences how much fertilizer, liquid carbon or CO2, and what type plants you can grow.

Starting with a Stock Hood, put I'm going to upgrade to T5 spotlights later

 

[Rivercats]

Starting with a Stock Hood, put I'm going to upgrade to T5 spotlights later

Then for now you want to stick with low light tolerant plants. Crypts, swords, anubia, java fern (regular and Wendilov), narrow leaf temple, dwarf sag, and water sprite are some that would well to start with under those lights. Then you can add higher light plants once you get your new lights.