How many plants can a 20gal hold?

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GuppyLover

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
903
Location
PA
Hi,

The lady at my LFS said I can only have 2 live plants in my 20gal, So I bought 2 fake and 2 real, I don't believe her though. So how many plants can I have in my 20gal?:confused:
 
You can put as many in there as you can cram in there. Don't put so many that your fish can't swim anywhere, but there's not really any limit.

Also, make sure the plants you got at the LFS are true aquatic plants. It's not uncommon for chain LFS's to sell non-aquatic plants as being safe in an aquarium.
 
Agree 100% with Neilan. Check out PlantGeek.net - Your Aquatic Plant Resource and make sure the plants you got are not on the "not aquatic list". If the LFS told you you could only have 2 live plants, they don't know much of anything about a planted tank... so it wouldn't surprise me if they are selling non aquatics as aquatic plants--a common phenomenon unfortunately.
 
Right now I have a Narrow Leaf Chain Sword and some un-known plant that I was told would look nice. It only has one leaf left that is barely alive and I have no idea what kind of plant it is : /

Thanks for your help, I will definitely get some more plants!
 
I looked over the list and I have a Brazilian sword, Going to go rip it out.
 
That is unfortunate, but like I said, all too common.

Plant away!!

Keep in mind though, a lot of plants have additional requirements to survive in an aquarium... a big one being a decent amount of light. For more advanced plants, higher light, co2 injection, and fertilizer can become necessary. So it is a good idea to know the requirements of the species you pick out prior to purchasing.
 
Yeah, I am looking over all the plants and there requirements on the link you provided.
 
Here is my wish list of plants:

Amazon Frogbit
Anubias barteri 'marble'
Asian Ambulia
Fine leaf corymbosa
Hornwort
Lace Java Fern
Nymphoides sp. 'Taiwan'
Pygmy Crypt
Water Sprite
Alternanthera
Ammannia senegalensis
 
Looks good. Some of those will be hard to find... but you may find some variations that are very close to what you are looking for.

The lace java fern, hornwort, water sprite, and crypts are pretty common. You may want to post a "Wanted to Buy" ad in the classifieds section of the forum. I know that a lot of the members here grow several of those plants, and they would probably be willing to send you trimmings for next to nothing. I would myself, but unfortunately don't have any of those species at the moment...
 
Thanks for the info, I'll put up a wanted ad asoon as it gets above freezing here :)
 
yes... but it has to grow emersed... so the top needs to be out of the water. If not, it won't survive.
 
rule number one never listen to the lfs. i believe amulia is now on the fed ban list its at least banned in many states.
 
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