I have a 55 gal freshwater community tank with fake plants, rocks, and a piece of driftwood. I was wondering if I could swap the fake plants with real plants without changing anything. I don't know much or anything about real plants other then I heard you need better lights and maybe co2? Also if I was able to do this swap is there anything else I need to be aware of or do I have do anything special with the live plants?
Real plants questions
- Thread starter FishRus
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FishCr8zy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Lol. Only less than 5-8 species of live plants need co2. High light is not required for some species either. What type of lighting do you have? How many watts? Fertilizers is prob the only real difference you will need with most live plants.
What kind of plants are you planning to get?
What kind of plants are you planning to get?
Wow really? It seems like everyone has co2 in there planted tanks, well that's a relief ha. I've tried looking up what type of lighting I have and the watts but I'm coming up with nothing. I'm sure it says all of that in the instructions manual but I'm not currently home. I'm not even sure what kind of plants I could get so I didn't want to start looking at them and start liking some and come to find out I can't get it. My tank is a marineland 55 gal 48w x 13d x 20h with a 350 penguin bio wheel and a 200w heater if that helps at all?
Get some java fern, maybe amazon sword, some of those grass ones (no idea what they are called!). I'm listing what plants I have in my tank. I don't use co2, I do have T5 lights though. I don't even use any ferts. My plants are doing good. Just look for low light, easy plants. Just because they're easy doesn't mean they don't look good in the tank!
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Try-na
Aquarium Advice Activist
These are my tanks. I have stock Aqueon lights in both, no fertilizers ever.
55g planted community, 24 different types of plants
15g Column, 13 different types of plants
My plants range from beginner low light to difficult high light & they are fine. I'm told I'm a freak & this should not be possible but the proof is in the pictures! As for buying plants, if I like the looks of then I buy them. That's it. I say try it with a couple if plants with your system as is, no ferts, no CO2 & see what happens. Maybe just don't buy the expensive plants right away. Good luck!
55g planted community, 24 different types of plants
15g Column, 13 different types of plants
My plants range from beginner low light to difficult high light & they are fine. I'm told I'm a freak & this should not be possible but the proof is in the pictures! As for buying plants, if I like the looks of then I buy them. That's it. I say try it with a couple if plants with your system as is, no ferts, no CO2 & see what happens. Maybe just don't buy the expensive plants right away. Good luck!
Your 15g is STUNNING! (Your 55 is lovely too!)
Try-na
Aquarium Advice Activist
Thanks. The 15 is a little over grown but I'm not sure what I want to do with it. I kinda like the wild look
FishCr8zy
Aquarium Advice Addict
I usually use t5 lights as well. But high light plants prefer led lights.
Some low-med plants:
1. Java Fern
2. Windelov Java Fern
3. Narrow Leaf Java Fern
4. Java Moss
5. Green Hygro
6. Rotala Rotundifolia
7. Rotala Rotundifolia sp. Green
8. Rotala Indica
9. Hornwort
10. Parrots Feather
11. Moneywort
12. Brazilian Pennywort
13. Crypt Wendtii
14. Crypt Balansae
15. Pygmy Crypt
16. Guppy Grass/Naja grass
17. Anubias barteri
18. Anubias barteri 'marble'
19. Anubias barteri v. 'glabra'
20. Anubias nana
21. Coffeefolia anubias
22. Crypt retrospiralis
23. Crypt spiralis
24. Golden anubias
25. Narrow leaf nana
26. Petite nana
27. Philippine Java Fern
28. Crypt Becketii
29. Pelia
30. Bacopa
31. Hornwort
32. Hydrocotyle sp.
33. Anacharis
34. Cabomba
35. Jungle val
36. Vallisneria
37. Xmas moss
38. Wisteria
39. Chain Pygmy sword
40. Hygrophila pinnatilda
41. Taiwan moss
42. Willow moss
43. Amazon sword
44. Frogbit
45. Duckweed
46. Ludwigia ( only some species )
47. Flame moss
48. Banana plant
49. Microsword
50. Dwarf hairgrass
And lots of others......
FishCr8zy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Try-na
Aquarium Advice Activist
Lol. Overgrown!! It looks fine and really good.
It's just the chain sword won't stay rooted so it floats away all over the place & makes it look a little crazy
Ok I'll check out my lfs this Friday and check out there java fern and amazon sword and some of the grass plants. That's very true!
foshizzle11
Aquarium Advice Freak
Ya, we add some plant fertilizer once in a while but the real difference is out light. That really makes the big difference. Our plants grow like crazy. One good thing about the plants is that they use the fish waste for food, so it's good to have for the fish too. Some fish will eat and nip so good to be aware that the fish might love a plant and destroy it because they eat it all. But worth it, we have a cichlid, planted tank and they nip at the plants but not enough to destroy them.
Good luck!
Good luck!
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Planted Tanks
Hello Fish...
Good question. Wish there was only one good answer. Water keeping isn't an exact science, a lot of different approaches will work. If you only keep low light plants, you don't need CO2.
I keep several 55 G tanks and all are low (subdued) light. Anubias nana and nangi are good plants. Java fern, Singapore moss, Anacharis (floated) and Pennywort (floated) are too. Just remember that low light typically means slower growth.
Lighting is pretty simple. A couple of 6500K, 48 inch T8s or T12s from the local hardware store will do. GE has a good aquarium plant bulb.
Just a couple of things to get your brain going in the right direction.
B
Hello Fish...
Good question. Wish there was only one good answer. Water keeping isn't an exact science, a lot of different approaches will work. If you only keep low light plants, you don't need CO2.
I keep several 55 G tanks and all are low (subdued) light. Anubias nana and nangi are good plants. Java fern, Singapore moss, Anacharis (floated) and Pennywort (floated) are too. Just remember that low light typically means slower growth.
Lighting is pretty simple. A couple of 6500K, 48 inch T8s or T12s from the local hardware store will do. GE has a good aquarium plant bulb.
Just a couple of things to get your brain going in the right direction.
B
FishCr8zy
Aquarium Advice Addict
I always thought cichlids would devastate live plants! What type of cichlids do you have?
FishCr8zy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Don't get mondo grass though. They are not fully aquatic and will usually turn yellow and die.
So you just have regular lights in yours? I have leds in mine. Would regular LEDs work for some/most plants. I'm not sure what plants would work with my LEDs?
What are high light plants? Would those plants work with my LEDs? Thank you for all the suggestions this is a great help
Ok I'll make sure not to get that ha!
Thanks ill need the help! Thanks for the help also
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