Adding plants / wood

[TheNamelessPoet]

Thinking of adding plants.

I honestly know NOTHING about keeping them alove tho. See my signature for the fish I have. I have just a standard floressent light in teh hood of the 20 gallon. I was thinking of going with a ground cover like mossy thing sorry to be so vague here but im relativly new to this whole fish scene as most of you know. the tank is cycled and full pretty much to the max (tho I will be getting some chery shrimp once my LFS has them in stock.)

I need to know...
#1) What type of ground cover can i use with gravel?
#2) Do I need to change my lighting?
#3) Is too much light going to be bad as sometimes I have the light on for more than 12-15 hours?
#4) what would go well with my tank?

as for the rock in the pictures of my tank... it may be comming out and replaced with a piece of wood (to give a better place for my shrimpies to hide if they feel the need. What do I need to do to make the water not so cloudy when the wood is placed in the tank (if I dont go with fake). I thought I remembered here somewhere I needed to boil it but I cold be WAYYYYYY off.

Also 1 last question.... I HATE when the water level in the tank drops below the "frame" and I can see the top of the water where "The Professor" makes his bubbles. can I keep water that has been declorinated in a 1/2 gallon jug unde the tank and add as needed or will the water "go bad" with bacteria and such without the benefit of a filter?

 

[FastFly67]

most "groundcovers" take very high lights, ferts and CO2
more than likely you have an 18 watt bulb in your hood which will probably grow next to nothing.
www.plantgeek.net is a good place to start looking at plants.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Click it to see the actual web page its from I didnt wnat to just take the pick
Thats the kind of ground cover I would like

(and thanks for the link FastFly67)

 

[FastFly67]

definite hi lite, CO2 setup with probably an ADA aquasoil or some other fertilized soil. that's big bucks right there

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

definite hi lite, CO2 setup with probably an ADA aquasoil or some other fertilized soil. that's big bucks right there

Rats


I know there are lots of lowlight plants but if I need to upgrade to more light I can change the bulb (Do I need to change the balast as well?) and how do I tell what I need to get for it?

What about lots of little spikey plants that are very small... would i still need the co2 stuff?

I know it looks like im trying to cut corners here but I dont pay the electric bill my lld does and with his sister throwing a 55 gallon tank in with basicly no warning the electric bill went up considerably. I just won't want my rent to go up too lol. Plus I dont have the uprfont $$$ to start with

 

[FastFly67]

Rats


I know there are lots of lowlight plants but if I need to upgrade to more light I can change the bulb (Do I need to change the balast as well?) and how do I tell what I need to get for it?

What about lots of little spikey plants that are very small... would i still need the co2 stuff?

I know it looks like im trying to cut corners here but I dont pay the electric bill my lld does and with his sister throwing a 55 gallon tank in with basicly no warning the electric bill went up considerably. I just won't want my rent to go up too lol. Plus I dont have the uprfont $$$ to start with

I would definitely ask fort384. I'm more of a DIYer, cross my fingers and hope it works type of person.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

I would definitely ask fort384. I'm more of a DIYer, cross my fingers and hope it works type of person.

lol love the honestly thanks Maybe ill have to see how expensive it would be to set up the CO2 lol... and maintnance... I dont wnat to go crazy... I like the maintnance now.

Water change every 1-2 weeks (I could go 3 based on my levels but I dont want to over stress the fish.) Plus I have heard plants help with teh nitrites so maybe I can push it to a month lol

 

[missileman]

Java moss and fern grows well in low light with any substrate.
Here is an online store with a good list of low light plants.
Low Light Plants

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Java moss and fern grows well in low light with any substrate.
Here is an online store with a good list of low light plants.
Low Light Plants

thanks a ton

I like this pic of it what that little tree thing lol

 

[joy13]

Riccia makes a good ground cover if you super glue it to rocks. Java moss is another thing you can use the same way. I have a bowl on my kitchen counter with riccia and moss glued to rocks growing out nicely. You might could try marsilea I know on a few other forums some with low tech tanks can grow it nicely.

The height of tank has a lot to do with the type of lights you are going to need. The more light you have the more you are going to want to use CO2 and fertilizers. Leaving lights on 12 to 15 hours a day won't help the plants grow if they aren't getting enough light but it will make the algae grow nicely.

On a 20 gallon you can use excel or a DIY CO2 pretty easily. Excel can cause problems some plants vals is one I have had melt.

The little tree is probably driftwood with flame moss.

Here is a link on low tech tanks Low Tech Journals

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

the more I look at pictures with java mss the more I am growing to like it... a lot lol.

Now... to make myself sound foolish... is it literaly as easy as just "planting" it in the rocks or is there a trick to keep it from floating?

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

btw this stuff has all been very helpfull thank you.

 

[joy13]

One thing about low tech tanks what works for one might not work for another set up just about the same way.

 

[fort384]

Java moss ought to do just fine in your tank. No ferts/CO2 necessary for it.

FastFly was right though, ground covers are pretty demanding in terms of nutrients, light, and CO2.

You could also grow some anubias, java fern, some crypts, and a few other low light plants without much issue.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Im trying to stay away form adding CO2 as I know nothing about that and I am trying as I said before to go as low maint. Will these other plants along with the Java Moss be ok without the added CO2 or ferts. And if Ferts are needed... how expensive are they and what are the best plants who DON'T need them... (tho the list above sounds like you have already given me the info on that )

as for the "planting" them... is there a trick?

 

[missileman]

Java moss you can tie to a rock or driftwood with fishing line it roots quickly.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Java moss you can tie to a rock or driftwood with fishing line it roots quickly.

good to know thanks

Java moss out to do just fine in your tank. No ferts/CO2 necessary for it.

FastFly was right though, ground covers are pretty demanding in terms of nutrients, light, and CO2.

You could also grow some anubias, java fern, some crypts, and a few other low light plants without much issue.

would just increasing the light help? And how can I do that, Can I just buy one of the stronger bulbs I see in the store, or do I need to change the ballast as well

 

[fort384]

Ferns and anubias can also be tied to rocks or wood with fishing line. Crypts u can plant directly in the substrate. They would benefit from some root tabs u can buy at most lfs. No other ferts would be required. Flourish excel might be good to dose as a carbon source and as a bit of algae control, but not required.

 

[fort384]

You could safely increase light to around 2wpg without the need for ferts and co2. That still isn't going to be enough to grow compact ground covering very successfully.

You can't buy a "stronger bulb" if it is florescent lighting. You would want to get a bulb that is the proper color temp to grow plants though. Look for a bulb that is 6500-10000K.

To increase wattage u would need to build or buy a new fixture.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

You could safely increase light to around 2wpg without the need for ferts and co2. That still isn't going to be enough to grow compact ground covering very successfully.

You can't buy a "stronger bulb" if it is florescent lighting. You would want to get a bulb that is the proper color temp to grow plants though. Look for a bulb that is 6500-10000K.

To increase wattage u would need to build or buy a new fixture.

So its the color temp thats more important? should I look to invest in the higher color bulb, or would that not really be much help without the ferts?

As for the ferts... is it something I can put in the water, or like a pill (for lack of a better term) to put in the gravel near the plant?