Considering live plants....

D

dewilde2

Illinifish
Aug 8, 2006
253
0
0
43
St Louis
I am thinking about starting to replace the plastic ones with some real plants in my 10 gallon. I have been trying to read up on plants, but I was hoping I could get some direction.

It is a 10 gallon tank with guppies, panda cories and otos. I don't have any plants I definitely want or have to have- I like swords and grass-like ones; not too much about the anacharis.

1. Suggestions for plants appropriate for this tank?

2. Substrate: currently white gravel, considering a change, especially for the cories. I've seen lots of people posting about Flourite, but I'm not really sure what that is and haven't seen it at the store.

3. Lighting: currently has what I believe it is the ten watt Mini Compact Fluorescent (I'm at work and can't check, but that's what it looks like on petco.com :-) ). Is this appropriate or would a certain type of light be desired?

4. Additives: I am still learning about the whole CO2 thing and am very confused. I don't know if I need it or any chemicals, etc.

Thanks so much in advance for any suggestions and advice anyone can give me. I have a discount day coming up at petsmart so I thought I would try to figure out everything I need before I get started! THanks again!
 
1) For beginner setups, let's stick with low light hardy plants so these are the options:

java moss & fern
anubias nana
hornwort
marimo balls
cryptocorynes (wendtii, beckettii, willisii)
anacharis
marsilea (water clover) can form a groundcover, not grass but small round leaves. Not many ground cover options for a low light tank.

With a little more light you can also try water wisteria and water sprite. Sword plants will grow too big for your tank and they usually need more light.

2. A plant substrate will help some plants like crypts and clover, but it isn't critical. Flourite is one such substrate. Most of the plants I listed don't need a special substrate. If your gravel is deep enough, you can use fert tablets instead.

3. 10w of CF light is very low light, lower than what I'd work with. A cheap way to increase the wattage is to buy a incandescent hood with a screw-in socket and buy those energy saver screw-in CFL bulbs. 2 10w or 1 20w bulb, depending on how many sockets you have, should be enough.

4. CO2 and light are the biggest factor for plant growth. If you supply alot of light, you also need to supply alot of CO2. Since we are setting up a low light tank, CO2 isn't as important and you don't need to add extra.

Plants also needs nutrients. A low light setup isn't very demanding on nutrients since plant growth is slower. Most water sources have small amounts of minerals in them and fish waste can supply the rest, so you may not need to add anything else aside from a weekly water change. However, it's a good idea to have some fertilizers handy in case you see your plants needing them. Something like Seachem's Flourish comprehensive fertilizer should be all you need.

http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Flourish.html

Note that Seachem has alot of Flourish products like Excel, Iron, Potassium, etc. You want the one simply called Flourish.
 
I my self have a 20 gallon low tech tank-it's a good way to start.
I have florabase gravel mixed with my regular gravel, no co2, and compact screw in bulbs. just under 2 wpg.
I have Hygrophilia Difformis, various crypts, Hemianthus MIicranthemoides, Various Echinodoris Species, hydrocotyle leucocephala , mosses, Ricca, Sagitteria Subulata, Nymphea, & microsorum pteropus
have had Bolbitis Heudeloti, hygrophilia polysperma, Rotala roundifolia, Alternanthera Reinecki, Anubias, cobomba
I fertilize 1-2 a month & change water 25% 1X week
plants will grow slow but then you wont have to trim as often. Its a good way to start and then you can move on to a more complicated tank.
The ones in green I have found to be very easy.
Cindy
 
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