Hardy plants

[light_angel_7]

Does anyone know of any good hardy plants at petsmart? I'm currently doing a fishless cycle and wanted some live plants in my 10 gallon aquarium.

Do I need to have a CO2 infection in my aquarium in order to have plants in it?

 

[Blindmelon119]

I would not invest in a CO 2 system for a 10g. Chances are, you will find yourself wanting a larger tank soon enough. There are several hardy plants that will do fine without CO 2. A few suggestions, Water Sprite, Java Moss, Duck Weed, Crypt Bulbs (Wal-Mart, PetSmart...) Hygrophila and any Sagittaria. All these plants are inexpensive, low-tech plants that will thrive. Give them a good substrate and light, they will grow.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

From petsmart I'd say Swords, Anubias, Cryptocoryne, and Java Fern.

Edit: For the sword and crypt, you'll need root tabs since these plants are heavy root feeders. You'll need a good liquid fertilizer such as flourish comprehensive and flourish excel for the rest.

 

[Rivercats]

Swords except for Micro and Chain Swords really get too large for a 10g tank. I was just in a Pet Smart today and they had 3 different types of Anubia (Nana will be the best for a 10g tank), they had 4 different crypts (2 grow too tall for your tank but Wendtii will do fine), there was Wisteria, Java Fern Narrow leaf and Wendilov, and I think that was it for low light tolerant plants.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I know Amazon Swords can get very tall, like a foot or something. However, despite knowing that, I have one in my fluval edge tank for more than a year. It stays green and looks healthy but never grows leaves taller than the top glass. There must be serious limiting factors in there like light and to be honest, I haven't placed a root tab in this tank in more than a year. Just dose flourish and excel occasionally...lol

The sword is in the right back of the tank.



It's not that I'm advocating to get a plant that can potentially get taller than your tank, go with Rivercats recommendation... but it's probably why I didn't think twice about mentioning it as petsmart available plants that are hardy and easy.

 

[light_angel_7]

Thanks a lot guys I'm thinking that the Wisteria and the Anubia nana would look real nice in the aquarium.

One of the other ones that I noticed was the Anacharis. Would that do well with the low light and be a hardy plant as well.

Also do I need any fertilizer/plant food for the plants?

Would gravel work for the plants above?

My PH is 8.0, would that affect the plants at all?

 

[brennae]

Don't plant anubias in the gravel. Attach it to a rock or driftwood with a rubberband or some fishing line. The rhizome will rot if you bury it. Yes you will need some ferts. For starters I would purchase Seachem Flourish and Excel. I think the major pet stores are carrying them now or your LFS may carry them. I buy mine online for cheaper but that's personal preference.

As for substrate you can do gravel but I don't prefer it myself. I like sand or Eco-Complete or something of that nature.

Hope this helps!

 

[light_angel_7]

I was actually quite surprised that the petsmart I went were out of most of there plants. The only one that they had that I like was the Anubias Nana.

I made sure I got all of the gel off and tied it to a fishing line and laid a rock under the fishing line since I couldn't tie the rock with it.

I think the plant looks healthy with some tiny brown spots here and there.

Do the roots need to be buried or is the anubias fine as is?

 

[Dallascowboys16]

The roots actually aren't roots but rhizomes so they will root if placed under the gravel so you made the right choice in fastening down with fishing line.

 

[light_angel_7]

Here is the picture of the brown spots that I was mentioning earlier.

I also added some nutrafin plant gro in the aquarium.

Do I need to cut any of brown leaves or stems that have the brown spots or can I just leave them as is?

Also will my bubbler affect the anubias or can I just leave it on?

 

[Rivercats]

The bubbler doesn't affect plants and it's planted correctly. You should call Pet Smart and ask when they are going to be getting a plant order in. That way you can go when they are stocked. You can cut any leaves that look bad, torn, big spots or holes, anything major on them. Then the plant doesn't waste energy on those leaves.