List your favourite plants and why.

[Caliban07]

I'm hoping this will help people who haven't had experience with a large portion of aquatic plants when considering different options and scapes.

So if you have a plant that is your favourite and always makes your scapes submit your findings on why. you may also want to mention your least favourite plant too or plants that never really took off in your tanks.

I'm going to let someone else kick this off and I'll chime in later.

Cheers.




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[fishiness]

It seems to be a less common plant (I had some trouble finding it to purchase), but I love Cryptocoryne albida. I really dig Crypts to begin with, but the markings on C. albida's leaves are incredible. I have the brown variety, which looks like this:

 

[Caliban07]

Wow that is pretty stunning. I have a similar variety re the markings but not with colours like this. Expand on how you find keeping it and the parameters/conditions you have/are using to keep it looking healthy.

Thanks


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[fishiness]

Mine's a bit more subdued than that one, I just find that it's a great photo.

I keep it in a dirted tank, soon to try out plain old sand with Flourish root tabs. My tap water is soft and is about a pH of 7.1 - 7.2, and I try not to mess with changing those kinds of water parameters much. Temperature about 76, and I have it in higher light. It seems to grow fairly slowly but can get some strong roots on it. It also appreciates iron dosing. Seems to be sensitive to Excel like I've heard most Crypts are, but I try to keep the dosage low around Crypts anyway. I'll be setting up pressurized CO2 sometime this week I believe so if there's any significant improvement I'll give an update!

 

[Caliban07]

Mine's a bit more subdued than that one, I just find that it's a great photo.

I keep it in a dirted tank, soon to try out plain old sand with Flourish root tabs. My tap water is soft and is about a pH of 7.1 - 7.2, and I try not to mess with changing those kinds of water parameters much. Temperature about 76, and I have it in higher light. It seems to grow fairly slowly but can get some strong roots on it. It also appreciates iron dosing. Seems to be sensitive to Excel like I've heard most Crypts are, but I try to keep the dosage low around Crypts anyway. I'll be setting up pressurized CO2 sometime this week I believe so if there's any significant improvement I'll give an update!

Thanks for the write up


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[Caliban07]

I think so far mine is probably lagenandra meeboldii



This is not my image and mine are not as red yet. I've had it a while. It looked best when I first added it. I admire it's resilience and it's always bounced back despite the changes in conditions. It's starting to grow back now and the gorgeous almost coppery velvety leaves are my fave. I think it's related to a crypt but resembles some kind of bucephalandra whilst being as hardy and less demanding as Anubias. The perfect plant in my eyes.

Currently kept in co2 injected (15-20ppm) under two t5 fluorescents with reflectors at a distance of 20 inches. Full EI dosing and a dirt substrate capped with gravel. Kh about 6 (buffered) naturally soft water low in minerals. TDS with EI about 250ppm. Temp 24 degrees.

My biggest bug bare plant wise are Amazon swords. They just do not like my water and in my experience are not as hardy as people would have you believe. They sulk and melt for fun without co2 and don't grow particularly fast with. The best growth I get out of these small squat excuses I have in my tank is when the glut goes in. I want huge bushy swords!


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[fishenthusiast]

My favorite stem plant is Limnophila aromatica. It's quite easy to grow and can become very lush in a high tech tank. It usually requires medium light or more, and fertilization and CO2 are key to keeping it lush.



I've also grown to like Bucephaldra. These are a collection of brownie varieties. They are slow growers, and can be grown in low to high lighting. I think they are best suited in low light tanks, but can also do really well, and have more color, in higher light if the tank is balanced and the plants aren't exposed to too much light. Ferts and pressurized CO2 assist in growth and color.




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[rcsguy]

Ludwigia Broad Leaf, dwarf sag. I love the shape of the leaves of that particular ludwigia and the dwarf sag makes a nice forest carpet.

I love the look of Indian red swords, but mine is just stunted and won't grow well. That's my fault, tho because i kept it in awful conditions for so long.


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[Caliban07]

Really like the limnophila aromatica. That's what I meant to buy but ended up with limnophilia sessiliflora.

Also never tried the bucephalandra. Not sure where to get them from round here. Would probably have to order online.


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[Coursair]

I love Crypts. I've had several species.
C wendtii "Mi Oya" is one favorite

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[Autumnsky]

I love a few...

Subwassertang
This was a little stone I tied some onto and it was just starting to grow

It doesn't like Glut.

My parameters are -0- KH (I add a little calcium to keep it measurable) Low GH about 53-90 ppm or 3-5 drops depending on what time of year (is different water source)

Temp is ~78F

PH is about 6.4-7.4 depending on the water source / time of the year.

Low tech and low ferts and low-mid light

The other favorite plants are Anubias Nana and nana petite and micro! (Although I have been told it prefers a higher pH) They aren't really fast growing but they don't need trimming and always look good.

Here is Pinto I got about 6 months ago and they are expensive but still alive!!!

Bigger leaf varieties are excellent surfaces for Anglefish to lay eggs!

And they can have flowers

And my other one Bolbitis heudelotii aka African Water Fern - It always looks good grows on DW and has some stems but looks frilly and has a nice different texture to the tank

Here is a pic of the tiny one not easy to find and I have killed mine 2x Cuspidata

 

[Caliban07]

I love Crypts. I've had several species.
C wendtii "Mi Oya" is one favorite

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I like this crypt. Not sure if I have seen it before which is the whole point of this thread. Introducing other to different plants. The larger shaped leaves are unusual for a crypt based on what I have seen so far.

How are you keeping this plant? What parameters etc.


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[Caliban07]

I love a few...

Subwassertang
This was a little stone I tied some onto and it was just starting to grow

It doesn't like Glut.

My parameters are -0- KH (I add a little calcium to keep it measurable) Low GH about 53-90 ppm or 3-5 drops depending on what time of year (is different water source)

Temp is ~78F

PH is about 6.4-7.4 depending on the water source / time of the year.

Low tech and low ferts and low-mid light

The other favorite plants are Anubias Nana and nana petite and micro! (Although I have been told it prefers a higher pH) They aren't really fast growing but they don't need trimming and always look good.

Here is Pinto I got about 6 months ago and they are expensive but still alive!!!

Bigger leaf varieties are excellent surfaces for Anglefish to lay eggs!

And they can have flowers

And my other one Bolbitis heudelotii aka African Water Fern - It always looks good grows on DW and has some stems but looks frilly and has a nice different texture to the tank

Here is a pic of the tiny one not easy to find and I have killed mine 2x Cuspidata

Interesting plants! I didn't know there were so many different variations of Anubias. Do they really work to complement each other or are they almost too like for like? Do you find any of them more demanding than the other?

Subwassertang im not sure about. Seen lots of posts where this has been mentioned. Pardon my phrase but it almost looks a little snotty. Almost algae-esque. Interesting plant nonetheless and great heads up on the glut.


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[Coursair]

I like this crypt. Not sure if I have seen it before which is the whole point of this thread. Introducing other to different plants. The larger shaped leaves are unusual for a crypt based on what I have seen so far.

How are you keeping this plant? What parameters etc.


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This was in my 10g Shrimp Jungle tank. It was my centerpiece. Parameters ? Low Light, weekly water changes. DIY Root Tabs, API LeafZone,
Ph ? 7.4 ? I kept SS grade CRS alive for years, so it was a stable tank.

https://youtu.be/aptmdICahvM

Old vid. I crashed the tank when I got really sick.
It is still up and running, but doesn't look like this. I am growing Crypts, but no show pieces for now.

I have kept
C lucens
C retrospiralis
C wendtii : brown, green, Mi Oya, etc
C ponditerifolia
C balansae
C keei
C undulata
C nurii Pahang Mutated
C affinis Metallic Red

These are the ones I remember. There are a ton of different Crypts

 

[Caliban07]

This was in my 10g Shrimp Jungle tank. It was my centerpiece. Parameters ? Low Light, weekly water changes. DIY Root Tabs, API LeafZone,
Ph ? 7.4 ? I kept SS grade CRS alive for years, so it was a stable tank.

https://youtu.be/aptmdICahvM

Old vid. I crashed the tank when I got really sick.
It is still up and running, but doesn't look like this. I am growing Crypts, but no show pieces for now.

I have kept
C lucens
C retrospiralis
C wendtii : brown, green, Mi Oya, etc
C ponditerifolia
C balansae
C keei
C undulata
C nurii Pahang Mutated
C affinis Metallic Red

These are the ones I remember. There are a ton of different Crypts

I don't doubt that your tank was stable I just want people to list their parameters so we can hopefully see a wide range of conditions said plants can be kept in.

The queen of crypts by the sounds of it ?

Edit: or not kept in.


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[Autumnsky]

Subwassertang reminds me of something from the sea and I really like it for that reason. I have another pic, at least I thought I did (can't seem it locate it in hundreds of pics, it isn't in the albums) of it in a billowy mass in my 6.6G Edge. It will get a oval sort of shape and just keep increasing in size.

As for the varieties of Anubias there are lots. Dustin from Dustin's Fish Tanks came to our Colorado Aquarium Society meeting awhile back and brought a vining Anubias!!! He said it needed higher pH than I have. So I saved myself 19.99 and didn't buy it any way and try to kill it.

There is Coffeefolia variety with a darker colored leaf very nice, and Hastiolia has pointed / ovid leaves which seems to need something I don't have in my tanks because I slowly kill it any time I try it, and I have lower pH so that may be it.

Probably one of my favorites of the Anubias is the micro petite The whole plant is around the size of a quarter to 50 cent piece, and it can grow long like other Anubias, but since I have lots of nano tanks I LOVE it.

The Pinto is varigated Nana pretty cool and crazy priced.

My opinion is that there are great ways to use all the Anubias in a tank. There are a few huge leaves and the taller Hastifolia which would not be correctly sized for smaller. tanks.

Buecephandra is my next venture into plants, am slowly learning about these easy plants (don't have them just as I don't have any time for new projects right now).

 

[Caliban07]

Thanks Autumn ?

Anymore ppl?


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[fishenthusiast]

One of my new favorite plants is Staurogyne repens. I've found it to be one of the easier foreground plants. It can do well in a wide range of pH conditions and hardness levels, and can be grown in low tech tank. It appreciates ferts and CO2, which makes it lush. If you can't keep it in the substrate at the beginning of planting, let it float and it'll develop roots and side shoots. I've had no success with buying it from tissue culture packs, so I suggest for one to buy it from a hobbyist in its submersed form.



Also, I enjoy any type of Java Fern. Trident Java Fern is a unique Java Fern that can do well in a wide range of conditions (low tech to high tech).






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[Autumnsky]

One of my new favorite plants is Staurogyne repens. I've found it to be one of the easier foreground plants. It can do well in a wide range of pH conditions and hardness levels, and can be grown in low tech tank. It appreciates ferts and CO2, which makes it lush. If you can't keep it in the substrate at the beginning of planting, let it float and it'll develop roots and side shoots. I've had no success with buying it from tissue culture packs, so I suggest for one to buy it from a hobbyist in its submersed form.



Also, I enjoy any type of Java Fern. Trident Java Fern is a unique Java Fern that can do well in a wide range of conditions (low tech to high tech).



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What is the pH - and gh/kh for the Staurs if you know that? Ferts?

I had a pretty nice crop of them (originally from tissue culture) but they melted away (could have been a light issue) except for one sad one, got lost when I rescaped, tried them again big tank and a different small tank and all died really quickly... They look great in a carpet though!

 

[fishenthusiast]

What is the pH - and gh/kh for the Staurs if you know that? Ferts?



I had a pretty nice crop of them (originally from tissue culture) but they melted away (could have been a light issue) except for one sad one, got lost when I rescaped, tried them again big tank and a different small tank and all died really quickly... They look great in a carpet though!

The pH is 7.6; I don't know the exact hardness value as I'd have to dig up my water company's water report (and I don't have a GH/KH test kit). I do know that my water pipes get calcium deposits from time to time, which illustrates a high general hardness. I use PPS-Pro daily with phosphate bring tripled in the formula mix. It seems like many AAers have had Staur repens melting problems before.


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