Live Plant Beginner

[TheMurrays]

What size tank are you working with? I may have missed it, sorry.

It's a 30 gal... Just got a free one from a friend!

 

[BfishLpond78]

That's awesome, nothing better than free...well i mean someone could pay you to take it and that would be better...lol

How big of a light do you need, don't know the dimensions of your tank.

 

[TheMurrays]

That's awesome, nothing better than free...well i mean someone could pay you to take it and that would be better...lol

How big of a light do you need, don't know the dimensions of your tank.

Actually I don't know yet. We should be picking it up tomorrow. I have seen the tank before, and I believe it's a 30 gal long. I can post the measurements after I find out.

 

[Naturesbarbiegirl]

I've never had luck with plants either.

 

[Aquakyle]

Mix some "flourite red" with pool filter sand like I did and your plants won't ever die!

 

[mfdrookie516]

Mix some "flourite red" with pool filter sand like I did and your plants won't ever die!

Sorry, but I must disagree.

 

[TheMurrays]

I'm pretty sure we used some of that flourite red stuff, but we didn't have good lighting. Our plants grew for a little while, and then died.

 

[TheMurrays]

Also, do these low light plants do ok in brackish water?

 

[jetajockey]

depends on how brackish. Seems like some plants have a higher tolerance than others but its something you'd have to play with.

 

[TheMurrays]

My tank is going to be half water, half land for fiddler crabs. I was thinking of getting some plants that may grow up and out of the water. The only plant that I know of like that is bamboo, but I'm sure there are others like that. Does anyone know what kind of lighting bamboo needs? We actually have some in a pot in a room that gets a little natural light, and it does fine. Are there other low light plants that can grow up and out of water?

 

[mfdrookie516]

A lot of the plants we keep in aquariums grow emersed or submersed. You won't have any issues finding cool plants to grow both under the water, and up out of the water.

 

[TheMurrays]

A lot of the plants we keep in aquariums grow emersed or submersed. You won't have any issues finding cool plants to grow both under the water, and up out of the water.

Really? Ok that's great.

 

[jetajockey]

Lucky bamboo in the pet store is actually a type of dracaena. Other types of dracaena will work also, but I don't know the specific lighting requirements.

 

[TheMurrays]

That's awesome, nothing better than free...well i mean someone could pay you to take it and that would be better...lol

How big of a light do you need, don't know the dimensions of your tank.

My tank is 36X12X18; 30 gal

 

[TheMurrays]

The tank I have has a hood, I'm just not sure that it's good enough lighting for plants. The bulb is flo. and says 20W T8. (I know that's 20 watts, don't know what the "t" stands for). It's only 24 inches, and the tank is 36. I would worry about the light reaching the bottom. Would it be possible to use this hood with a more powerful flo. bulb?