Crash course for java fern and anubias in a 55g cichlid tank

[manoosie]

So I bought one java fern and one anubias. I am aware that cichlids can tear plants, but some said these two can work and so far they havent tried eating them or anything. Here is the light I have:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_sku=13941


It gives me a little over 1 wpg. The guy at the lfs said I need plant food. What is the best food for these plants?

I included a picture of where I have them in my tank right now. I have tied them to rocks under the sand. How much of the plant must be exposed to the light?

What other plants can I add to my tank?

What water conditions do I need to watch? lfs said I need to watch if my nitrates get to high. Anything else?

Thanks for your help. I told myself if i was going to do plants they would be real, and I am excited to learn more about how to take care of these... Thanks.

 

[BrianNY]

Both of those plants are terrific for someone starting a low light tank. The thing is that neither of those plants should be rooted in the substrate. They aren't root feeders and their rhizomes shouldn't be buried. You can tie them to a rock with some cotton thread until the roots take hold of the rock. This can take quite some time for anubias but it's worth the wait.

At your lighting level those plants will do fine. You don't need plant food as the plants will be getting their nutrients from the fish.

As far as other plants, you might try water sprite and jungle val. Both of these plants do well in low light conditions for me and I think they look great.

Is your tank fully cycled?

 

[manoosie]

hmm, so they will do better attached to a rock or wont survive unless attached to a rock? I have tied them to a rock under the sand, but it sounds like I need their "rhizomes" exposed. What is that? Thanks...

My tank is fully cycled and has 10 happy fish.

 

[Tiffi]

You don't have to attach them to a rock. I had java fern and it grew all over the place without being attached to a rock. The anubias can live without a rock as well.

The rizome is the horizontal part of the root that you can see. It has to be over the gravel, everything else lower than that can be buried. It might take a while though, until the roots are long enough so they stick to the gravel and don't float back up.

Plant fertilizer is fish poop, food leftovers etc. You will only need store bought fertilizer, if you have much higher ligh or maybe heavy root feeders.