Beginner plants

Nak

Nak

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Mar 18, 2009
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Im going to slowly go from fake plants to live plants and will be heading out to the LFS tomorrow and was wondering what are some plants i should look out for. Something that is easy to keep in a low tech tank, oh, and on the topic of fertilizers, do i have to get fertilizers and if so what should i be asking for?
 
Some plants do not really need high liaghts nor ferts----Try Java moss, or Java fern.
 
A common beginer mistake is buying plants that are not compatible with your tank specs (light co2 ferts etc.)

you should do this if you can. Go to the store with pencil and paper in hand. look at what they ahve, write down the names and prices, go home.

look up information about the plants on plantgeek.net to make sure they are 1)fully aquatic, 2) dont require high light, co2, massive amounts of fertilizers, etc.etc.etc.

then go back to the store as an informed consumer and buy yourself some plants! GOOD LUCK!!!

-chris

PS: i say all of this because many of us (myself included) ran out to the pet store and bought plants for the tank that are not aquatic plants, or they are incompatible with what we have etc.etc.etc.
 
Buy your plants from the classifieds on this site. Better stock and prices. There are usually a lot of Low light packages for sale and you can use the person you bought from as a resource on how to take care of the plants if you have trouble.
 
Beware that with Java Moss it can take over your tank!! Crypts and Hygro are also easy to grow.
 
hornwort & anacharis are floating plants that generally grow well in lo-light, and can be weighted down to look like a rooted plant. Water wisteria can be planted and may do well-my luck has been 50/50 with it. I would avoid cabomba...seems to like medium to high-light.

Ditto the java moss & java fern suggestions, you aren't likely to find those @ a big box lfs tho. Java fern can be an infuriatingly slow growing plant til it gets established, tho it is darn hard to kill. Java moss OTOH grows quite readily :)

Swords and anubias would be worth trying.

I would avoid crypts for a first plant. They tend to 'melt' and can be disappointing initially, though very satisfying once established.

All of the above live quite fine in my tank without ferts; they do get a root tab or a little iron added "when I think of it", but mostly they live off the nutrients in the water.
 
i would start with an amazon sword or two, depending on the tank size and dimensions (swords like to grow fast). swords should not require ferts, co2, or any special lighting. i have one in my 55 gallon with an open top (no lid) and just plain Eclipse brand 'daylight' fluorescent lights and it grows very well. mind you, i did buy it big and it was very healthy and in a pot, so that may have something to do with how well it has done.
 
Nak said:
Im going to slowly go from fake plants to live plants and will be heading out to the LFS tomorrow and was wondering what are some plants i should look out for. Something that is easy to keep in a low tech tank, oh, and on the topic of fertilizers, do i have to get fertilizers and if so what should i be asking for?
Click to expand...

All the plants mentioned above will probably work. On the cabomba, I had the opposite experience -- had to take all mine out of the high light and put them in the low light tank where they are much happier.

Whether you fertilize is a personal choice, some people feel the fish add enough. There are ferts made by seachem found in most lfs that are a simple and easy choice.
 
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