First time plant owner, needs advice!

J

jdheff1982

No you're not! I'm Sparticus!
Aug 17, 2002
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Wichita, KS
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I bought a few plants for me new, redone tank. Here is what I got>

2 medium amazon sword plants
4 bundled anarchis plants

I have a sand substrate and bought some fizzy tabs that is supposed to be good fertilizer. Anywho, this tank has been up for 2 days with

0 ammo
0 nitrates
0 nitrites
7.4 pH

Any plant keeping advice will be very helpful thanks!!
 
I am using a 15 watt spectramax flourescent bulb with a 37 gallon tank. The fizzy tabs are made by Jungle called Plant Care Fizz Tabs. It was recommended by an associate at PetSmart.
 
I think PetSmart woulda been better off recommending you some more light than fizzy tabs right offhand. :) You are going to end up needing more light to keep the plants going. I'd say 1.5 to 2 watts per gallon. The 37 is a high tank, isn't it? If so, then probably closer to 2.

There are other issues to think on with a new tank than just dropping in a couple of plants though. Do you have any fish in the tank yet?
 
What are the domensions of your tank? That affects a few things.

Usually you want at least 1 watt per gallon minimum for plants. At and over 2 wats per gallon you start needing to look at c02 addition which is a whole different story in my opinion.

I have never heard of these fizzy tabs, but if after adding them you were still at 0 nitrates they were probably trace element tablets

The best measure is what the plants look like. How are the leaves? Color? Texture? Are they seeming solid or partially transparent? I have always known those plants to do ok in moderate light scenarios. (in my personal experience)

I would recommend getting at least 30 watts of light over the tank. That puts you just a shade under 1 watt per gallon. This is usually a dual strip light fixture for a tank the size of yours.

Without going into overshock on you with the chemical jargon (I know I was scared off the first time someone tried to describe PMDD dosing and fertilizing to me) the easiest solution might be to just read off what, if any, details the fizzy tabs give you.

If you want alot of good reading material check out http://www.aquabotanic.com/aquamenu.htm or http://www.thekrib.com
 
I looked up the fizz tabs.. They provide some trace elements and CO2. I doubt the CO2 will stay in there very long once the tabs stop fizzing but the trace elements will.

Swordplants and Anarchis aren't exactly considered low light plants. I really don't think 1 watt per gallon of light will suffice for them.
 
Skippy, the anarchis are actually kind of browning out a little and the leaves on the swords are kind of brittle and the are curled in on a few leaves. There are also holes and tears in the leaves. I don't know if they were like that when I bought or what. Any temporary lighting setups until I can get my own??
 
This is turning out to be more expensive then I had hoped for. I thought adding plants would really cool and a nice change of scenery for fish and all. I do not have the income to start buying al of this eqipment and I don't want dead plants in my tank when I finally do get the funds for the stuff. I guess I'll have to stick with plastic and silk plants for now..... :( :mad:
 
Silver-- They were probably already that way when you got them. Sometimes I can get a decent plant at Petsmart if I *hurry* and get there not long after they get them. (All snails are free by the way. :D)

There are retrofit kits for hoods but I found it cheapest to order a glass cover from DrsFoster & Smith and set up strip lights above it. My glass cover for my 55 gallon was less than 20 dollars.

I ordered most of my plants online. The best places I have found locally are Fins & Feathers and SeaDreams. In the lights per gallon range of between 1 and 2 watts per gallon, low light plants such as java ferns, java moss, cryptocornes grow well. I've even got Cobomba growing decent at 1.5 watts.
 
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