new to planted tanks

[lovemyguppies]

my husband and I are new to aquariums in general and when setting up our tanks we randomly picked out live plants that we like, I don't know what any of them are. We just have aquarium sand as our substrate. I recently bought api co2 boost, and seachem flourish comp. Yesterday we bought t5ho lights for our 55 gallon. Is there anything else we should be doing, or anything else we should know about plants? when we bought them we figured we'd just throw them in there and they would grow lol.

 

[lovemyguppies]

Does anyone know what any of the plants are, or have any suggestions on how to better care for them?

 

[FishingMouse]

Maybe get a close up on the individual plants, they're kind of hard to see....

 

[lovemyguppies]

Ok i got some pics idk if my phone will let me post them though

 

[lovemyguppies]

Does anyone know what they are?

 

[Rivercats]

Picture 4 the one with flowers is Rotala Indica in it's emmersed growth form (leaves grown above water). It will change how it looks as it's growth changes to immersed growth (underwater). Picture one isn't very good but might be Brazilian Pennywort. Not sure about 2 and 5. Four again it's kind of hard to see the plant good but could be Micro sword.

 

[lovemyguppies]

Thank you! And for those plants is there anything else i should be doing?

 

[lovemyguppies]

Oh also sorry about the quality of the pics, the only camera i have is the one on my phone.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Last pic

Last pic is wisteria I think... I love the tank and good luck!

 

[lovemyguppies]

Thank you

 

[Rivercats]

Oh also sorry about the quality of the pics, the only camera i have is the one on my phone.

Hey I have a camera and we won't talk about some of my pic's!!!! What I meant is I just can't see enough detail.

 

[Rivercats]

Thank you! And for those plants is there anything else i should be doing?

I would get some Flourish Comprehensive and some API Leaf Zone and dose them according to directions, which is once or twice a week. Also you could dose a liquid carbon such as Excel or API CO2 booster which will help with photosynthesis and plant growth.

What type of lighting do you have?

 

[dwayne.aycock]

Listen to Rivercats when she speaks. Rivercats speaketh the TRUTH and has saved my but on several occasions. I don't know what kind of substrate you are using, but I have to tell you it is not as simple as tossing the plants in and watching them grow. If you only have gravel with no trace minerals, your plants will show it very shortly. Your plant choices will affect your fish choices and vice versa. The tank temp will be a big factor as well. I owe the surviving plants I have to Rivercats....she is my Coach.

 

[lovemyguppies]

I'm using flourish comprehensive and api co2 boost already, i have t5ho lights.

 

[lovemyguppies]

Oh I'm also using sand as my substrate.

 

[Rivercats]

Eventually if you get more and more plants you may want to look into dry ferts which is a much more complete micro and macro dosing system. Also if you get any Swords or Crypts you will need to get some root tabs as they are substrate feeders. Be sure to dose the liquid carbon daily as it breaks down in solution in 12-24 hours. Also be sure to stay away from buying any anacharis or Jungle val's as they tend to melt when liquid carbon is used. I do suggest getting the API Leaf Zone as that contains potassium and iron.

 

[dwayne.aycock]

There are no nutrients in sand. You may need to get some root tabs ASAP. There are other methods, but root tabs are the best. liquid ferts encourage algae growth...the kind you don't want. Co2 boosters work in the short run, but if your substrate has no nutrients, your plants will eventually die..... Dwayne

 

[lovemyguppies]

Thanks you guys. This is a lot of great info. I'll go to the lfs tomorrow to try and get some root tabs and leaf zone.

 

[Rivercats]

Only root feeding plants suffer without root tabs generally. Don't know what picture two is but it looks like it should be a root feeder.

 

[lovemyguppies]

Ok, well is there any harm in putting the root tabs in if its not a root feeder? I also have a banana plant to now, is that a root feeder?