Extremely low maintenance plants?

[Aqua315]

I'm looking to build a 5gal desktop tank for a dwarf puffer. I know they like heavily planted tanks but I've had the worst luck with plants in the past. Since it will be at my desk at work I need small, low maintenance plants. I would prefer not having to get special substrate or lighting. This is the tank I was looking at getting: Fluval Spec 5.6 Gallon Nano Aquarium - Sale - Fish - PetSmart so I'm not sure what the options are with this tank for keeping the plants healthy. I chose this tank because there is almost zero chance of leakage and I can't damage my desk. I was really hoping I could just do fake plants but every source I look as says that they should have real plants. Would fake plants be okay?

 

[Billbug68]

Crypts would be a decent choice. Just place some root tabs under them and you're good for a few months. You can also dose something along side the root tabs like seachem flourish comprehensive once a week just to be safe. They're heavy root feeders though. You don't need a special substrate, a natural looking sand will do just fine. Add some natural looking stones and driftwood and you'll have a great looking desktop tank.

 

[Aqua315]

What are the best root tabs to use? Thanks!

 

[Billbug68]

What are the best root tabs to use? Thanks!

Seachem's root tabs should suffice. I think you can find them at petsmart, along with the comprehensive liquid supplement.

 

[Aqua315]

Thanks so much! Just adding in some tabs will make plant maintenance a lot easier!

 

[Billbug68]

Thanks so much! Just adding in some tabs will make plant maintenance a lot easier!

Yup! they'll probably be pretty slow growers in that tank, so you won't have to worry about trimming or anything for a long while. And when they do fill out, overgrown tanks look much better and more natural, IMO... Haha

 

[Rivercats]

We have 2 of the Fluval Edge's and the LED lighting which if I remember is about the same as the Spec's. It's pretty low light and found the real trick to getting plants to grow is using Excel or another liquid carbon daily. I dose 1ml Glutaraldehyde (which is the same as Excel) per every 2 gallons of water and it makes all the difference in the world. They still grow slow don't get me wrong but after acclimating they do much better and look much better and some like the Ambulia and Water Sprite grow at a decent rate. That and I add a touch of Flourish Comprehensive weekly after a WC and that is about all I do. One thing I can tell you is all Crypts except for Crypt Parva IMO grow too tall and lanky in these little tanks. I just removed one from one of the tanks last week. Growth was poor because the leaves grew long reaching out for the light and effectively blocking what little light was available to the rest of the tank and plants. I have found Java Fern Wendilov to work well as it's leaf growth is fine and divided making the plant more suited in size to the tank. Bolbitus also does wonderful and that along with the Wendilov do good when used in the darker corners of the tank. Ambulia, once acclimated to lower light when using liquid carbon actually grows nicely and is easily clipped off when it grows too tall. Water Sprite also grows great, nice and full. Dwarf Chain Sword has done well also.

 

[Aquamandan]

Crypts would be a decent choice. Just place some root tabs under them and you're good for a few months. You can also dose something along side the root tabs like seachem flourish comprehensive once a week just to be safe. They're heavy root feeders though. You don't need a special substrate, a natural looking sand will do just fine. Add some natural looking stones and driftwood and you'll have a great looking desktop tank.

+ 1 on the crypts.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Yeah crypts would be awsome I'm a tank like that and maybe even some Val's for more cover?

 

[bud29]

For root tabs, there are less expensive options than seachem or API. There are both clay root tabs and osmocote plus root tabs that will work well for a fraction of the cost. Here are a few links to some:

Ru Tabs root tabs (50 pack) - Peabody's Paradise LLC

O+ root tabs 50 pack! - Peabody's Paradise LLC

35 150 Fish Aquarium Live Plant Fertilizer Root Tabs Osmocote Plus Size 00 | eBay

Osmocote Plus Fertilizer Root Tabs for Live Aquarium Plants | eBay

 

[Coursair]

You can often by DIY Root Tabs here in the Mart or on the Planted Tank for VERY cheap from other hobbyists. Same for plants

 

[Jev12]

I would do java fern windelov or regular because they work great for me