I'm new to planted tanks

[murphymt]

Hello~

I'm interested in adding a plecostomus and some plants to my aquarium to keep my loach and molly company. I know they mainly like to suck on the algae and driftwood, but are there any particular plant types I could put in for a pleco to chew on? Hopefully with as little cost as possible on lighting/CO2 equipment if what I have will not suffice.
Here's the specs of my tank...

-20H Aquarium (20 Gallon High)
-Perfecto Hood supports 1x18" 15 watt NO bulb (currently a GE Aqua Rays Fresh & Saltwater Bulb)
-Standard Wal-Mart substrate
-6" air stone
-Visitherm automatic heater
-power filter
-chunk of driftwood

The water is pretty hard, neutral Ph.

I appreciate any help, I noticed you guys have a lot of info on this forum pertaining to the parameters for plants, just hoping for some straight answers for my individual setup and needs.

 

[Jchillin]

Welcome to AA!

For the most part, pleco's will not eat plants of any kind (which is good because I have several of them in my tank).

Pleco's do like and need vegetable matter so a diet of raw zucchini, cucumbers, squash along with algae wafers is fine.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Be careful choosing the type of pleco, most grow to 18", some will get to 30"+

Bristlenose pleco's stay small (~3"), as do rubber lipped (AKA Bulldog)

And mine only uproots plants, it doesn't eat them.

 

[Simpte]

Common plecos will destroy plant leaves (not on purpose) but when the graze on the algae, they tend to rasp off edges of leaves. Wizard's idea is a good one. Rubberlipped, bushynose are both good choices.