Do plants need a heater?

[inck243]

Hi,

I have a 3 Gal freshwater tank.. No fish yet because we just set it up, but we have 3 plants.. The lady at the fish store said that they are tropical but she didnt know anything else except for that..

Here is a pic of the plants The one on the left side of the rock is one that we had in our pond during the summer.. we didnt buy that one.

So, do i need a heater? The lady said they are tropical.. The water is room temp.

I have a 100 watt Tronic heater.. lol which I think would be too much for a 3 gal. right? I don't think it's submersible... And its too big anyways.. if i were to stick it in there i would need to dig out a hole in the rocks lol. And my tank is plastic.

Also, is it safe to cycle the tank by adding amonia when there are plants in the tank?

Thanks

 

[djlen]

I'm guessing that the purple one on the right may not be capable of living in a submersed state. I may be wrong and if someone can ID that plant and correct me please do.
I'm also guessing that the plants you bought will out grow your tank fairly quickly.
The one on the left looks like an Aponegeton of some type and the one in the middle looks like an Anubia, possibly lancelota. Does the middle one have a rhizome instead of a stem? If so it's an Anubia and should not be buried in the substrate, but rather attached to the back of that rock it's behind. They tend not to do too well if planted in the substrate....the rhizome may rot.
In answer to your question, the two on the left should be fine at about 70°. If the other is what I think it is, it doesn't matter what the temp. It will decline over time and die off.
Keep in mind that you will need to buy fish that can handle cool temperatures for that tiny tank.
Also, I would suggest looking for plants with small leaves and ones that stay small. Basically plants that are termed 'foreground plants' for the front and 'mid-ground' plants for the back.
Do you know any of the parameters of your water....pH, kH, gH etc.? Is the other object in the tank a shell? What is the wattage of the lighting over the tank?
If you answer these question we will be better able to help you.

Len

 

[will5]

I'm guessing that the purple one on the right may not be capable of living in a submersed state. I may be wrong and if someone can ID that plant and correct me please do.
I'm also guessing that the plants you bought will out grow your tank fairly quickly.
The one on the left looks like an Aponegeton of some type and the one in the middle looks like an Anubia, possibly lancelota. Does the middle one have a rhizome instead of a stem? If so it's an Anubia and should not be buried in the substrate, but rather attached to the back of that rock it's behind. They tend not to do too well if planted in the substrate....the rhizome may rot.
In answer to your question, the two on the left should be fine at about 70°. If the other is what I think it is, it doesn't matter what the temp. It will decline over time and die off.
Keep in mind that you will need to buy fish that can handle cool temperatures for that tiny tank.
Also, I would suggest looking for plants with small leaves and ones that stay small. Basically plants that are termed 'foreground plants' for the front and 'mid-ground' plants for the back.
Do you know any of the parameters of your water....pH, kH, gH etc.? Is the other object in the tank a shell? What is the wattage of the lighting over the tank?
If you answer these question we will be better able to help you.

Len

The pruple plant will die if left under water. It is a bog plant. Now the other plant on the right side is a type of ANUBIAS and the one on the left is a type of APONOGETON.

Here is a link where you can read about both of them.

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=7&filter_by=7

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=7&filter_by=4

But they Both will do fine with out a heater.

 

[inck243]

Ok Thanks

Ooh and that dumb store had lots of those red plants under water in their tanks lol. Ill take mine out though and put it in an above water fish bowl that i have.. then just put it in my pond this summer if i still have it..

The light is a 6 watt fluorescent
And yes that is a shell, i think its real.. its one of those kinds that you buy to get a hermit crab to live in.
And i forgot to get the water testing things yesterday.. i plan to get them the next time im close to the pet store.
Thanks for the help

 

[sumthin fishy]

Search for "purple waffle". A got suckered into geting one, and after some research its living emersed in my mudskippers tank(roots below water, leaves above). Really neat plant.

 

[djlen]

It's shameful that they sell those plants to unsuspecting people. In any other profession it would be called fraud.

IMO, one really should know what comes from his/her tap in the way of kH, gH, pH and any N or P as well. You can get them tested at your LFS, usually for free unless of course it's the same rip-off LFS that sold you the purple plant. Then it will probably cost you your first born child to have it tested.
Knowing your parameters out of tap is where it all begins, IMO. And don't forget to let it gas off for a few hours before testing or having it tested.
That shell will raise the hardness of your water and is generally not recommended for fresh water aquaria unless you'll be keeping shrimp or snails.

Len

 

[fresh_newby]

As for a heater, if your fish are ok in room temp, there is no need to add a heater. The plants will adapt. You will want to take out the purple waffle plant though. It will rot and ruin your fish's water quality. You will do well taking the shell out, and maybe adding some java moss or fern in the place of that bog plant.

 

[inck243]

ok thank you everyone I took all of that stuff out

I'm still wondering if its safe to cycle the tank with ammonia with the plants in there, And also, we are wondering if it is safe to put snails in the tank too (when we add fish) Or will they eat the plants?

I don't really know what kind of snail...they are from our pond... I can take pictures but they just look dark grey/green grey ish in color.

Thanks

 

[inck243]

Ooh my purple plant is all shrively now do you think it got over dryed because it was used to being in water? Some of the leaves close to the stem are under water and they look nice. but not the ones out of the water..