"EASY" Plant Recommendations?

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Jill-O

All American Girl (all grown up)
Can you all recommend some easy to maintain plants for aquariums?

We've started adding some to our tanks, but could probably use some advice.

We have driftwood in our tanks and gravel. I'd like to add plants to all our tanks except for the goldfish tank (unless there's something you could recommend that would not be consumed ala a salad bar).

We had no special lighting and at this time, just the regular strips that come with aquariums, and am not looking to to change that situation (just looking for easy).

Up to this point, we have just used plastic plants but started adding some real plants about a week ago.

Our tank situation is in my signature, in case that's a factor.

Thanks!
 

hage0245

AC Members
Dec 8, 2010
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Minnesota, baby!
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Shane
Cryptocoryne wendtii is a good one. It was the first plant I ever got for my 55 gallon, and at the time I only had 30 watts of light and it grew just fine. It is strong-rooted, but doesn't like to be moved around once it's established in the tank.
 

Ashes2ashes

Smash the owl!
May 4, 2010
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Ash
Anubias, crypts, ferns (especially java), water sprite, water wisteria, swords, mosses (java). Most of these plants are not picky about lighting or care and easy to keep alive. Good luck. :)
 

platytudes

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Nov 4, 2006
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Nicole
Java fern and Anubias can be attached to driftwood or rocks with fishing line or cotton thread (which will dissolve over time). Moss of all sorts can be used, I really like mini pellia (Subwassertang is similar) in my small tanks.

The thing about any stem plants is that most plants don't grow very well in gravel. It's not just the nutrients issue (you can add root tabs to rectify that) but that the substrate is so coarse, the roots don't spread very well. It kind of depends on your gravel's grain size. Do you by chance have a close up so we can see it? Some gravel is almost like river rock or small pebbles, others are much finer.

Vallisneria, water wisteria and Crypt wendtii are good choices...if your gravel is very coarse, you can probably use ceramic pots. Most of them are fish safe.

Floating plants like Amazon frogbit and Najas grass are super easy as well. Good luck!
 
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