Easy, low tech planting suggestions for sand substrate?

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

nikirushka

AC Members
Jan 28, 2013
53
2
8
I've got a new 30g tank, and for a change I want to have a planted tank as unlike my others, this one is more of a display tank in my lounge so I want a focal point :) Usually I do amazon biotopes so no planting in the main, I just have water lettuce but I want to do something different this time.

Substrate is 100% play sand, less than an inch atm but only because I ran out! Off to get some more in a bit to get it to an inch or two. The tank is unheated (I keep coolwater tropicals, this one will have cories and either rhombo or odessa barbs). Filtration will be external canister with fairly gentle flow I think.

I'm not going to do CO2 injection, and the lighting is one 30" daylight bulb. So I'm looking for plants that don't need mega light, are happy at around 22C and will root ok in sand. The decor like my other tanks will be wood, leaves and rocks.

Thanks :)
 

Fish_Bone

AC Members
Jun 14, 2012
965
1
16
40
Central Illinois
Real Name
Samual
You should try anachris and java fern. Both are easy to care for and low light is enough for them.

Sent from my XT1058 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

Byron Amazonas

AC Members
Jul 22, 2013
986
2
18
73
Pitt Meadows (within Greater Vancouver, BC) Canada
Real Name
Byron
All of my tanks are similarly set up, and for illustration I will include photos of three of them. Substrate is play sand, depth is 1.5 inches overall (i.e., when level at first) in the 33g (first two photos) and 70g (third) and 2.5-3 inches in the 115g which houses larger plants. No CO2. Weekly water change of half the tank, with plant fertilizer [Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement and Flourish Trace] added afterward. Lighting is low/moderate, with two 48-inch T8 tubes over each tank, using "daylight" 6500K tubes by Silvania and GE. I have found that the cheaper tubes are OK in pairs, but over my single-tube tanks were inadequate light intensity. In your case, with one tube, I would suggest going with the better tubes, such as the Nutrafin Life-Glo or ZooMed's UltraSun (I'm assuming T8 here). I have a Life-Glo over my 33g 3-foot tank with a single 30-inch T8 tube.

Plants that will thrive in this setting include many of the green-leaf swords (red-leaf plants require more intense light). The chain swords, Helanthium tenellum or H. bolivianus do well; the photo of the 33g shows the tank thick with this latter sword. You could use one of the "larger" swords as a single plant, Echinodorus grisebachii [usually seen under the name E. beleheri or E. amazonicus perhaps]. The stem plant Brazilian Pennywort will work, and you can have this floating too which will provide some cover but not thick like some floaters. Crypts should be OK. Java Moss, Java Fern and Anubias attached to wood.

I'd be glad to exp[lain anything further, just ask.

Byron.

33g June 6-12.JPG 33g June 29-11.JPG 70g Feb 27-14.JPG 115g Oct 17-13.JPG
 

asukawashere

AC Members
Apr 2, 2010
83
0
0
35
Fairfield, CT
asukawashere.com
Real Name
Amanda Wenger
Vallisneria are great low-light plants that thrive in cool water (and warm water, for that matter... they're really not particular). Also, since you'll have driftwood and such, consider tying some Java ferns, Anubias, and mosses to the hardscape. Bolbitis heudelotii is another strong candidate for driftwood attachment; it likes cool water and doesn't need much light at all.

You could use sword plants (genus Echinodorus), but I generally recommend using root tabs for the swords if you're going to use pure sand, as swords like to feed heavily at the roots. Ludwigia repens or repens x arcuata are good candidates for a hint of red, both are very easy to grow and take most of their nutrients from the water column, making substrate fairly irrelevant.

Sagittaria subulata would be a good candidate for a carpet plant... it's not terribly picky about substrate.
 

ZorroNet

AC Members
Sep 21, 2013
510
0
0
45
Paxton, FL
flfarmersmarket.com
Real Name
Dave
I'll second the vals... They really are versatile and resilient. Water wisteria is also a tough one. It can handle low to high light, and it helps combat algae by growing quickly soaking up extra nutrients. I've heard hornwort does the same.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

wesleydnunder

Discus Addict
Dec 11, 2005
2,752
167
66
Gulf Coast Texas
Real Name
Mark
Vals, Crypt wendtii, crypt spiralis, all anubias, bolbitis, java fern, java moss, lilaeopsis, bacopa, water sprite have all worked for me in low/med light with sand substrate.

Mark
 

ktrom13

AC Members
Feb 4, 2013
1,238
0
0
boston
Real Name
Kyle
You mentioned an amozonian biotope. If you want to be specific and use plabts and fish from that river system you should probably stay away from java moss. All mosses for that matter. I was doing research and every source i found couldnt identify the origins of any mosses.

All other suggestions are great. Swords( green leave swords), crypts, and vals( though im not sure of the origins of these). I noticed floating plants werent mentioned. I could name a few but i have a thread( called floating plants) that you could look up and use for reference.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

Byron Amazonas

AC Members
Jul 22, 2013
986
2
18
73
Pitt Meadows (within Greater Vancouver, BC) Canada
Real Name
Byron
The initial post didn't specify authentic biotope, so all of our collective suggestions are relevant.

The Java Moss, species Taxiphyllum barbieri, is native to SE Asia, as the common name might suggest. Most aquatic areas have mosses of some sort, and I doubt I could tell if this moss is much different from that moss in a tank. Mosses are useful for creating a very natural-looking aquascape.

Byron.
 

ktrom13

AC Members
Feb 4, 2013
1,238
0
0
boston
Real Name
Kyle
True. I reread the post and realized that the OP was talking anout the other tank. Where did you find that java moss was from SE asia? Ive been looking forever.
Another lowlight plant is lucky bamboo. You can grow them out of the tank. I have a large one in my brothers tank.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

Byron Amazonas

AC Members
Jul 22, 2013
986
2
18
73
Pitt Meadows (within Greater Vancouver, BC) Canada
Real Name
Byron
Where did you find that java moss was from SE asia? Ive been looking forever.
I wrote a profile of this (and several other) aquarium plants a couple of years back for another forum, and my research identified the true Java Moss species as originating in SE Asia.

In much of the literature, "Java Moss" will be described as the species Vesicularia dubyana, but this is actually another very similar but distinct species sometimes known as Singapore Moss. T. barbieri is the species that is most prevalent in the hobby, as "Java" Moss, according to my research. Common names are of course not official in any sense, except to the person using it, lol, so they may and often do refer to several different species.

Byron.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store