Wanting to know about planted tanks

[joemomma456]

I know planted tanks are harder but i was wondering what was involved and what plants would be a good choice for a beginner (im not a beginner at tanks i have a thriving 10 gallon) just at plants

 

[dcutl002]

I know planted tanks are harder but i was wondering what was involved and what plants would be a good choice for a beginner (im not a beginner at tanks i have a thriving 10 gallon) just at plants

A 30 gallon long is an excellent tank for beginners. EHEIM 2211(Classic 150) filter, heater, CaribSea Eco Complete or equivalent quality substrate.

For LED lighting: Finnex Ray2, Finnex Planted +, Current LED, Buildmyled.com,or Kessil

For Flourescent lighting: AquaticLife T5HO, Catalina Aquarium T5HO

Plants: Cryptocornes, Amazon Swords, Hornwort, Anubias

 

[Aqua_Goddess]

I'd suggest a banana plant because they are tough fellas,java moss will thrive in any lighting,water onions are good too.DONT DO BAMBOO even though pet stores do it.

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[Aqua_Goddess]

Java ferns are good.these plants are invincible really,though a banana plant prefers no high current, they release pads to the surface of your tank.speaking of surface water.....duck weed thrives like nuts ,I tend to like it some people don't ,I like that it seriously helps keep things clean because of its rapid growing

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[azmodan]

I know planted tanks are harder but i was wondering what was involved and what plants would be a good choice for a beginner (im not a beginner at tanks i have a thriving 10 gallon) just at plants

Welcome to planted tanks! There are two types of planted tanks: high tech and low tech. Low tech tanks tend to have weaker lights, no pressurized co2 and generally less maintenance and cost. High tech tanks feature pressurized co2 and typically high light. When you're starting off with plants it's recommended to start off on the low tech side of things just to get the hang of everything.

First off, what sort of lighting do you have? The lighting will determine what you can do and if you don't have anything yet we can suggest all sorts of options. If you're not sure what sort of lighting you have then trying posting picture/info of the bulbs or LEDs you have.

The most basic beginner plants are Java fern, Java moss, and anubias. They are pretty indestructible and are perfect beginner plants because they do not need to be planted in any substrate. Just tie them to any decor/driftwood and they'll gradually attach themselves while drawing nutrients from the water column. There are many different variations of Java fern and anubias so you can get different types to give your tank some variety. Crypts are perfect beginner root plants, and they'll do well in most substrates as long as you give them a root tab for nutrients. We can give you more info on fertilizers when the time comes. For now though research the plants I mentioned and also let us know what your lighting situation is. Hope this helps!

 

[FishCr8zy]

Welcome to the planted tanks joemomma456!

+1 to the suggestions azmodan made.

Anubias, marimo moss balls, java fern, most mosses, wisteria, and crypts are a few of the plants are really easy to keep. Each plant likes different environments. What type of plants are you looking for (foreground, mid-ground, background, carpeting, etc)? If you want to start off with simple plants, equipment, etc, I suggest getting some cheap CFL bulb hood. If you want to go a little bit more high tech but not yet high light, I would get either the Finnex Planted+ or the Current USA LED+.

 

[joemomma456]

This is my lighting

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[dcutl002]

You have the right spectrum (6500K) for plants; however, I cannot tell how many Watts that the bulb is. But, I believe the low-light plants mentioned above will work for you. I have a 10 gallon with a regular hood and a 6500K bulb and my Crypts covered the bottom with runners. Nice and green too.

 

[joemomma456]

Ok thanks

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