Easy plants for beginner.

[Flash081]

I just picked up a 40g long and really want to do some live plants.
I've heard here and there that Water Sprite and Java Fern are fairly easy to keep and don't really need any added co2 with a decent amount of fish in the tank.

I don't really need them to grow rapidly or anything, but I'd like them to provide cover for my fish and be healthy.

Any recommendations, tips, or advice would be appreciated.

 

[barterking85]

Those two will work great plus Marimo balls(moss balls) and java moss all low light and they all look great

 

[absolutangel04]

I have had luck with amazon swords, and gold ribbon plants. They just went in the tank and thrived. No CO2, nothing special, I just put them in there and they did well.

 

[barterking85]

What type of lighting do you have?

 

[Flash081]

f20t12 20 watt 24". two of them

 

[barterking85]

I would stick with the low light plants listed above and search for more low light plants

 

[Flash081]

Okay thanks. Would those plants do okay in 1.5" deep pool filter sand?

 

[barterking85]

I think it will do fine I like a minimum of 2" but that's just preference 1.5 should be fine

 

[Flash081]

2" in a 40g long would be about 60lbs of sand, right?

 

[absolutangel04]

Okay thanks. Would those plants do okay in 1.5" deep pool filter sand?

Yep. (I have to add this to make the message longer).

 

[Coleallensmom]

I have had luck with amazon swords, and gold ribbon plants. They just went in the tank and thrived. No CO2, nothing special, I just put them in there and they did well.

Gold ribbon plants are not an aquatic plant and will eventually die if left submerged in your tank.

Great low light plants for beginners (and usually easy to find at your local Petco or Petsmart) would be anubias, java fern, and Echinodorus amazonicus (Amazon sword). As previously mentioned, java moss is great for a low light tank as well.

Great list of low light plants that you might want to check out-
PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide

 

[Flash081]

Thanks for the link Coleal!
Also, thanks everyone for the input!

Edit: Love your tank btw Coleal.

 

[HAVAMAL]

Those two will work great plus Marimo balls(moss balls) and java moss all low light and they all look great

Huge fan of marimo balls

 

[reefdiver]

Anachris Is nice to.

 

[Keybler]

java moss tied to a peice of diftwood with fishing string is easy and in about a month, starts to look pretty. couple months later you can remove the fishing line or leave it up to a year I think.

 

[absolutangel04]

Gold ribbon plants are not an aquatic plant and will eventually die if left submerged in your tank.

Great low light plants for beginners (and usually easy to find at your local Petco or Petsmart) would be anubias, java fern, and Echinodorus amazonicus (Amazon sword). As previously mentioned, java moss is great for a low light tank as well.

Great list of low light plants that you might want to check out-
PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide

Wow, good to know. I bought gold ribbons 8 months ago and they have been doing very well in my tank. I will have to look to see if they were mislabeled or watch for them to start dying. How long should it take for a non-aquatic plants to die underwater?

 

[alLexX]

java moss hornwort and anubias are all great plants

 

[Coleallensmom]

Wow, good to know. I bought gold ribbons 8 months ago and they have been doing very well in my tank. I will have to look to see if they were mislabeled or watch for them to start dying. How long should it take for a non-aquatic plants to die underwater?

It's hard to say..if you don't want to take them out now, then just keep an eye on them and remove them if you start to see any sins of decay. Petsmart is very tricky with their section of plants that they sell in the little plastic tubes. Many of them are terrarium type plants and not meant for fish aquariums. There are some mixed in that are aquatic however- i.e. the anubias and sword I mentioned.