What should i plant in my tank?

[wilkieam]

I have a 10g Marineland aquarium with the LED lights built into the hood. I'm sort of a beginner, so I'd like some easy maintenance plants.

Some things I'd like:
-plants I can plant straight into the gravel
-at least one with broader leaves
-some color variety

I also plan on purchasing API Leafzone and some root tabs.

 

[wilkieam]

Just bumping this up... Here's what my tank currently looks like with the fake plants I plan to remove.

 

[Rivercats]

That is going to be low light so your limited to what you can grow. For a touch of color try Crypt Wendtii, Red or Bronze (it is low light and needs root tabs as it is a heavy root feeder), Anubia Nana or Nana Petite would do good. Java Ferns, any of the types but Wendilov has unique leaves. You might be able to do Water Sprite, I've grown it in some pretty low light tanks. BUT I use a liquid carbon in my low light tanks daily which really helps plants with photosynthesis and growth. The last plant I'd suggest is Bolbitus, or African Fern.

 

[wilkieam]

That is going to be low light so your limited to what you can grow. For a touch of color try Crypt Wendtii, Red or Bronze (it is low light and needs root tabs as it is a heavy root feeder), Anubia Nana or Nana Petite would do good. Java Ferns, any of the types but Wendilov has unique leaves. You might be able to do Water Sprite, I've grown it in some pretty low light tanks. BUT I use a liquid carbon in my low light tanks daily which really helps plants with photosynthesis and growth. The last plant I'd suggest is Bolbitus, or African Fern.

Thanks! I'll see what they have in stock at my local Petsmart, my other LFS doesn't have a great variety of plants...

 

[wilkieam]

Any other suggestions?

 

[azmodan]

You are pretty limited by the strength of your lights and Rivercats nailed most of the best suggestions. Anubias come in a lot of neat varieties so I'd look for different types. I'm also a big fan of java fern "Philippine". Java moss and marimo moss balls also do fine in lowlight tanks.

Also you should supplement API leaf zone with Seachem Flourish comprehensive for a bit more rounded fertilizer dosing.

 

[wilkieam]

You are pretty limited by the strength of your lights and Rivercats nailed most of the best suggestions. Anubias come in a lot of neat varieties so I'd look for different types. I'm also a big fan of java fern "Philippine". Java moss and marimo moss balls also do fine in lowlight tanks.

Also you should supplement API leaf zone with Seachem Flourish comprehensive for a bit more rounded fertilizer dosing.

Do swords work well or would I need better lighting?

 

[azmodan]

Do swords work well or would I need better lighting?

I can't say for sure as I'm not familiar with your light but swords generally need around medium lighting so I'm guessing they likely would not do the greatest. Regardless swords tend to get too big for 10gs anyway, but there are lots of crypts you could probably do instead. Wenditii, lutea, parva are all pretty common. Just remember to use some root tabs with them as they are heavy root feeders.

 

[wilkieam]

I can't say for sure as I'm not familiar with your light but swords generally need around medium lighting so I'm guessing they likely would not do the greatest. Regardless swords tend to get too big for 10gs anyway, but there are lots of crypts you could probably do instead. Wenditii, lutea, parva are all pretty common. Just remember to use some root tabs with them as they are heavy root feeders.

Alright thanks.

 

[Smcoyle87]

From the looks of it, you have an inert gravel (no nutrients for roots). The ferns and anubias can be tied to rocks or driftwood so they would take nutrients directly from the water column anyway. However, if you get crypts or other substrate plants, root tabs will def work but they will need to be replaced again and again... so it might be wise to just switch to a 'planted aquarium substrate'. Lighting is also very very important so do a little research on that as well. Believe me, it NEVER hurts to research a little before buying.

 

[wilkieam]

From the looks of it, you have an inert gravel (no nutrients for roots). The ferns and anubias can be tied to rocks or driftwood so they would take nutrients directly from the water column anyway. However, if you get crypts or other substrate plants, root tabs will def work but they will need to be replaced again and again... so it might be wise to just switch to a 'planted aquarium substrate'. Lighting is also very very important so do a little research on that as well. Believe me, it NEVER hurts to research a little before buying.

Would it throw off my tank chemistry to put in new substrate now? The tank has been established for just under a month.

 

[Rivercats]

Even with commercial plant substrates you still need to use root tabs. Even in my dirted tanks capped with Eco complete I have to use root tabs on crypts, swords, and bulb plants. Personally if your happy with your substrate and with the plants you want I wouldn't waste my money.

 

[wilkieam]

Even with commercial plant substrates you still need to use root tabs. Even in my dirted tanks capped with Eco complete I have to use root tabs on crypts, swords, and bulb plants. Personally if your happy with your substrate and with the plants you want I wouldn't waste my money.

Thanks, that's good to know.