First Time Planted Aquarium Recommendations

[Random Fishy]

Trying to find a good plant that will survive the inexperience I have with caring for real plants. I would like a low matenince plant that can live without fertilizer, root tabs, or co2. And maybe it can get nutrients through fish poop? The info below may help? I've had one real plant in the past. It was a moss ball. But my fish ripped it up and caused an algae infestation.

Temp: 78 degrees
Ph: 7.2
Light: Marineland natural daylight 18" fluorescent

Any tips and care info will be apperciated.

 

[Rivercats]

About all you could try is Anubia or Java Ferns.

 

[Random Fishy]

Fine by me. I WOULD try with fertilizer but it all depends on the cost, how frequently I'm going to put it in, and whether it will effect all of my chemical balances and fish. Anybody know how to care for these plants?

 

[Unicorn1]

Anubis definitely, mine has survived 3 different tank blackouts and hair algae.

 

[Try-na]

These are my 2 tanks. No ferts no co2 & only stock Aqueon T8 full spectrum daylight bulbs. I have 24-26 different types of plants in my 55g & 14 in my 15g. Don't be afraid of live plants. They're not as difficult as some people try to make them out to be. My plants grow great. My advice, try it & see what happens. Good luck!

 

[Random Fishy]

These are my 2 tanks. No ferts no co2 & only stock Aqueon T8 full spectrum daylight bulbs. I have 24-26 different types of plants in my 55g & 14 in my 15g. Don't be afraid of live plants. They're not as difficult as some people try to make them out to be. My plants grow great. My advice, try it & see what happens. Good luck!

Cool! It's for my dream tank that I plan for the future. I want a more natural looking tank. So you just placed the plants and that's it? Do the plants live on fish waste and leftover food? (Sorry you just make it look so easy.)

 

[Rivercats]

It can be easy as long as you pick the proper plants that will grow with your lighting. Slower growing plants use and need less ferts just as higher light plants need ferts and CO2 or liquid carbon. Over time as a tank ages nutrient deficiencies tend to occur with plants that aren't given any supplemental nutrients. Fish waste produces nitrates and fish food often adds phosphates into the tank. But plants also need potassium which is usually the nutrient that plants often get deficient in without ferts (you will see pin holes start to develop in leaves) and iron. Since each tanks chemistry and water is unique onto itself means that what works in one tank might not work in another. In a simple low light tank using low light tolerant plants like Java Fern, Anubia, Bolbitus, Jungle Val, Crypts, many bulb plants, water sprite, wisteria, and a few other do well with just adding Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive 1x week after water changes and complimenting that with API's Leaf Zone 1x every week or two to add potassium and iron to the tank. Heavy root feeders such as swords, crypts, and bulb plants need root tabs.

 

[Random Fishy]

thanks for the info! oh boy, choosing a plant is gonna be harder than i thought.