Ok the time has come where I may want to try some easy plants in my 54 corner. I don’t have special lighting, just the LED that came with it, and have sand substrate. I have read Vallisneria is an easy one that doesn’t require root tabs or special lighting? I know eventually I will have to trim but is there a moss or something that my shrimp will like? I have a bridge decoration I could put that on maybe?
Easy Plants
- Thread starter railer20
- Start date
I would tell you vals need substrate ferts.
Consider Annubias and java ferns. Both can be attached to wood or rocks or other decor. Look into some stem plants but get ones that can thrive in lower light.
My favorite site for plants related info is: https://tropica.com/en/ All the info there is excellent, I have been using Tropica liquid ferts since 2002. Ckicj on the link for plants there. Then. on the left side of the page under search where it says "Difficulty" chose easy and then click the black search box with the word Search in white text. Then have fun reading.
Consider Annubias and java ferns. Both can be attached to wood or rocks or other decor. Look into some stem plants but get ones that can thrive in lower light.
My favorite site for plants related info is: https://tropica.com/en/ All the info there is excellent, I have been using Tropica liquid ferts since 2002. Ckicj on the link for plants there. Then. on the left side of the page under search where it says "Difficulty" chose easy and then click the black search box with the word Search in white text. Then have fun reading.
I love cryptocorynes!! They are mostly easy to grow & come in many colors & leaf shapes. They can grow in sand but will need a root tab near them to be happy, as do vals. They may "melt" (an alarming change of environment reaction) but if the roots are healthy they will recover in a week or 2. Scary but no big deal.
Like 2tank said, anubias & ferns are easy, almost any of them. I'm not a fan of mosses but they can be easy...be careful...they can spread out of control!
Stem plants are more needy & if happy can grow FAST!! As in they need trimming at least once/week, maybe twice...it gets old.
Everyone talks about "ground covers" but that's not really how most grow. Don't have that be a goal...it might be a nice surprise
but don't plan for that.
Go for a more relaxed attitude...if it grows well, great!! If it doesn't try a different but similar plant or 1 that fills a similar area of your tank
We can help...
Like 2tank said, anubias & ferns are easy, almost any of them. I'm not a fan of mosses but they can be easy...be careful...they can spread out of control!
Stem plants are more needy & if happy can grow FAST!! As in they need trimming at least once/week, maybe twice...it gets old.
Everyone talks about "ground covers" but that's not really how most grow. Don't have that be a goal...it might be a nice surprise
but don't plan for that.Go for a more relaxed attitude...if it grows well, great!! If it doesn't try a different but similar plant or 1 that fills a similar area of your tank
We can help...
Egeria densa is a good one to try, can leave it floating or anchor it in the sand and it's not super fussy.
You can grow nearly any plant in sand substrate. Root tabs are handy, but you can also get by with a quality liquid fertilizer or dry fertilizer (id go liquid, dry is a little more advanced). Plants will utilize both sources for nutrients--substrate and water column. What matters more is making sure they have what they want. Tabs are a great "safety net" for those who may not feel they can keep up regular dosing with other methods, and you can even use both together. So long as your nitrates aren't sky rocketing.
A list of easy beginner friendly low light plants:
Anubias (tie to rock or wood, do not plant in substrate)
Bucephalandra (tie to rock or wood, do not plant in substrate)
Egeria densa (float or plant)
Guppy grass (float or plant)
Hornwort (float or tie to suction cup and attach to glass, do not plant it)
Java fern (tie to rock or wood, do not plant I'm substrate, but also note your water source--this plant does like extra potassium if your water lacks enough of this nutrient)
Sußwassertang (tie or leave loose, it's a moss, stuff will grow in ambient room light) [pronounced "seuss-wass-er-tang"]
Cryptocoryne (some species get large, such as aponogetifolia and usteriana, so avoid these in smaller tanks, they reach 3-5' long over time, but many other smaller species are fantastic low light plants)
Echinodorus sp. ("Amazon swords". Most are easy but do need a lot of nutrients, hence why most people like to use root tabs with them)
Water sprite (float or plant)
Hydrocolotyle leucocephala (only in the brightest spots though, it will grow okay with kit LED lights but don't let it get shaded out. Float or anchor to something is best.)
But, you can experiment with several other kinds too. What works for one person may be really difficult for another (I kill water sprite, supposed to be super easy stuff lol) and you may find that something "difficult" for others is easy for you.
You can grow nearly any plant in sand substrate. Root tabs are handy, but you can also get by with a quality liquid fertilizer or dry fertilizer (id go liquid, dry is a little more advanced). Plants will utilize both sources for nutrients--substrate and water column. What matters more is making sure they have what they want. Tabs are a great "safety net" for those who may not feel they can keep up regular dosing with other methods, and you can even use both together. So long as your nitrates aren't sky rocketing.
A list of easy beginner friendly low light plants:
Anubias (tie to rock or wood, do not plant in substrate)
Bucephalandra (tie to rock or wood, do not plant in substrate)
Egeria densa (float or plant)
Guppy grass (float or plant)
Hornwort (float or tie to suction cup and attach to glass, do not plant it)
Java fern (tie to rock or wood, do not plant I'm substrate, but also note your water source--this plant does like extra potassium if your water lacks enough of this nutrient)
Sußwassertang (tie or leave loose, it's a moss, stuff will grow in ambient room light) [pronounced "seuss-wass-er-tang"]
Cryptocoryne (some species get large, such as aponogetifolia and usteriana, so avoid these in smaller tanks, they reach 3-5' long over time, but many other smaller species are fantastic low light plants)
Echinodorus sp. ("Amazon swords". Most are easy but do need a lot of nutrients, hence why most people like to use root tabs with them)
Water sprite (float or plant)
Hydrocolotyle leucocephala (only in the brightest spots though, it will grow okay with kit LED lights but don't let it get shaded out. Float or anchor to something is best.)
But, you can experiment with several other kinds too. What works for one person may be really difficult for another (I kill water sprite, supposed to be super easy stuff lol) and you may find that something "difficult" for others is easy for you.
Just as an fyi- there are probably over 100 low light plants listed on the Tropica site. However, many of these are duplicates on some plants. This happens if you can buy them loose, or attached to wood, or attached to a rock or in pots. So you may see several ways to get aa single plant species.
The nice part is for every one they tell you a lot of needed info on care. Here is an example of the info for Hygropila polysperma a stem plant:
Hygrophila polysperma from South-East Asia is one of the hardiest aquarium plants available. Stems becomes 25-40 cm and 4-8 cm wide.
It is particularly good for beginners because it grows in almost all conditions. It normally grows so fast that it is important to prevent it crowding out other plants. The shoots must be pinched out regularly. Leaves lying on the surface form small new plants.
Hygrophila polysperma varies considerably in leaf shape and colour, depending to some extent on the light supplied.
Plant info
You can find this sort of info for all the plants suggested by Noodle above.
The nice part is for every one they tell you a lot of needed info on care. Here is an example of the info for Hygropila polysperma a stem plant:
Hygrophila polysperma from South-East Asia is one of the hardiest aquarium plants available. Stems becomes 25-40 cm and 4-8 cm wide.
It is particularly good for beginners because it grows in almost all conditions. It normally grows so fast that it is important to prevent it crowding out other plants. The shoots must be pinched out regularly. Leaves lying on the surface form small new plants.
Hygrophila polysperma varies considerably in leaf shape and colour, depending to some extent on the light supplied.
Plant info
| Type: | Stem | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin: | Asia |
|
| Growth rate: | High |
|
| Height: | 20 - 30+ |
|
| Light demand: | Low |
|
| CO2 : | Low |
|
From the US Fish and Wildlife Service
https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/f...l-Risk-Screening-Summary-Indian-Swampweed.pdf.
https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/f...l-Risk-Screening-Summary-Indian-Swampweed.pdf.
railer, where do you live? (in a vague way) If you're near me I can give you some starter plants but I don't want to mail any. dougall belongs to an east coast plant club, I have a west coast 1. Fish clubs are also a good source. Are you near a big(ish) city? Look around, clubs are fun! Even if you don't go often or even join, most let you "visit" as a guest (you can buy but not sell). Road trips can be fun!
If your LFS sells plants, write down names of interesting 1s & we can help.
Apparently only hygro. polysperma is a forbidden weed. You can buy named varieties like "sunset" etc. & other hygro species are not as noxious as polysperma.
For an easy stem plant rotala indica works for me. Egeria (anacharis of old) has never been happy for me. Many varieties like cooler water & maybe hard water?
If your LFS sells plants, write down names of interesting 1s & we can help.
Apparently only hygro. polysperma is a forbidden weed. You can buy named varieties like "sunset" etc. & other hygro species are not as noxious as polysperma.
For an easy stem plant rotala indica works for me. Egeria (anacharis of old) has never been happy for me. Many varieties like cooler water & maybe hard water?
F
fishorama
T
TwoTankAmin
Cats
Ok reviving this for a different plant/aquarium question. I know small tanks are a pain in the butt, but my son won a little 2 gallon Arium and he wants to do a shrimp only tank. If I put a sponge filter in my big aquarium how long does it take to properly seed that sponge filter? I know shrimp do best in a well seasoned tank so curious if I fill it with water from my existing 54 gallon tank and throw a “ball” or 2 of Susswassertang in there, along with the decoration he picked, can I let that stuff just sit without any aeration or anything while my filter is seeding, or should I run a small air stone to keep water movement for the plant? I also have a few marimo moss balls on the way to put in there as well. Side note, I let my sponge filter hang out in my existing tank for four weeks and evidently that was not enough to seed it to cycle the small aquarium because I tested the water yesterday and it was not good, which is strange since I used existing tank water that has good water conditions and has been running for 3 yrs now.
Ok reviving this for a different plant/aquarium question. I know small tanks are a pain in the butt, but my son won a little 2 gallon Arium and he wants to do a shrimp only tank. If I put a sponge filter in my big aquarium how long does it take to properly seed that sponge filter? I know shrimp do best in a well seasoned tank so curious if I fill it with water from my existing 54 gallon tank and throw a “ball” or 2 of Susswassertang in there, along with the decoration he picked, can I let that stuff just sit without any aeration or anything while my filter is seeding, or should I run a small air stone to keep water movement for the plant? I also have a few marimo moss balls on the way to put in there as well. Side note, I let my sponge filter hang out in my existing tank for four weeks and evidently that was not enough to seed it to cycle the small aquarium because I tested the water yesterday and it was not good, which is strange since I used existing tank water that has good water conditions and has been running for 3 yrs now.
