New to plants need help!

[Blos85]

Hello everyone! Thanking everyone in advance for all the future advice! Im new to this forum and fairly new to the fish scene. I have a 55gal with 5 red minor tetras, 2 blue gouramis, 1 powder blue gouramis, 1 dwarf gouramis, and my favorite 2 pictus cats and 2 columbian sharks and a pleco. Its a lot for the tank size i know but im gonna move some to allow room for the cats and sharks. A 55t with 2 clown loachs and 8 angel fish(another favorite). Anyhow ive done some reearch on live plants and im getting confused because some say a grow light ain't necessary with some plants as some say its required. Some say to plant straight in your gravel and some speak of special substrates. Im in it for the fish and i know plants are beneficial to your aquarium as with the oxygen adding to the filtration. I quess what i want to know is it possible for me to add plants without upgrading the tanks? I just don't want to have to fight algae in the future thats all. THANKS ALL!

 

[ShadyBrig]

Just a suggestion for adding plants. I'm new to it too and lost a few by planting them in the substrate. I now planted them in a clay pot and its working very well. I like the fact that I can move them around too without having to dig them up.
Here's a couple of pics. I used substrate for "dirt".

 

[Blos85]

That is a pretty good idea....its better then having to change the gravel out. What substrate did you use in the pots??

 

[ShadyBrig]

I had substrate and small gravel in my aquarium. I wasn't using it anymore so I used that. Its like colored sand. I got the idea from a book, but they said to use real potting soil. I did try that initially but it wasn't working. Thank God I tried in a separate bucket first .... the soil was a complete mess! Substrate works much better. I don't know what else to call it... that's what it says on the bag
Good luck!

 

[Krissycakes]

You could get anubias or java fern, you dont have to bury them, just tie them to drift wood or a heavy pebble. They look good in a tank and are low lighting plants.
Anacharis is also a good plant=)

 

[reefdiver]

Use fluorite substrate. But like the earlier poster said Anubias and ferns are your best bet since they don't need much care. Fast grower water sprite is also a good beginner.

 

[ShadyBrig]

You could get anubias or java fern, you dont have to bury them, just tie them to drift wood or a heavy pebble. They look good in a tank and are low lighting plants.
Anacharis is also a good plant=)

I've done this also... tied Java Fern to my driftwood. It does work very well. I also love floating plants. They are extremely low maintenance and many fish love them. I just like variety so that's why I did the pot thing. So far so good

 

[Blos85]

Thanks everyone youve been a lot of help!