Care-free plant suggestions?

I'm new at this planting thing, but from what I've read, been told here, and my short experience, you will need a finer gravel/sand substrate to grow any type of stem or rooted plant. What is the diameter of your substrate now? If I remember right (someone correct me if I'm wrong) I think you need at least 1mm in diamter for sand.

For vacuuming, it's pretty much the same, you just don't "hoover" it if you know what I mean. You don't dig the vacuum into the substrate, but rather run it slightly above the substrate, and particalls will be lifted up by the siphon.

Crypts are always suggested as a hardy, low light plant, easy care plant.

I know someone will ask you this, so I'll get it over with... How much light do you have in your tank? Light is one of the most important factors in growing live plants.

I disagree that you will need to change your gravel. It should be fine, not the best but still ok.

Crypts and anubias are really easy, probably lowest light requirements except for java moss and fern. You will be very limited to plants because your tank is so tall. It would quite a bit of light to penetrate its depth and grow a lot of plants. Anacharis (egeria densa) may be a possibility.

Check out www.tropica.com for plant info on every type.

Hex tanks tend to be tough for planted tanks.

You could make a "mountain" reaching up in the middle of small branchy pieces of driftwood radiating outward.

To this wood, add Java fern and java moss.
Get at least 40-55w on the tank, preferably a powercompact light.

You can use Excel instead of CO2 or you can use DIY CO2. Both are fairly easy to use.

Both plants are easy to grow, add some traces weekly or 2x a week. Feed fish well.

The two plants suggested can look very nice indeed, I would not snuff my nose at those plants on wood, many folks would be jealous if you got them doing well.

There are other plants like Anubias, Bolbitus, but the java fern/moss combo looks good and you can always sell those plants and they are not so slow growing that they get algae easy.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Along with anubius, also look into some anarchis. I have some in all my tanks, some with CO2 some without, some with lots of light, some with very little..and it grows great in every tank. Its pretty much a plant it and forget it kinda plant as it doesnt really need much. I trim it about every 2-3 weeks and plant the trimmings elsewhere in the tank. I started with 1 12" plant a few months ago and now i have over 10 6-12" plants. Its been pretty tollerant to hard water(i keep some with my Mbuna) and heat doesnt really seem to affect it despite what some people say about it being a colder water species of plant...its REALLY cheap too.