Freshwater Plants

[Fresh_Water89]

Hello and thanks in advance for any response/advice!!

I am getting back into aquariums, and have a lot of previous experience with fish, but not so much plants.

My friend told me that Anubias, Java Ferns, African Ferns, and Watersprite are all very good beginner plants, and require very little care, and almost no extra C02 besides what the fish exhale.

Also if this is true, should I put the plants in first? Or do I need fish in with them exhaling their needed C02?

Any advice would be great!

 

[Plague]

Plants first. If you don't want to use pressurized/DiY Co2 then look into Flourish excel. It is a carbon substitute that you dose the tank to get almost the same results. All the plants you've mentioned will do fine with Excel.

 

[Fresh_Water89]

Plants first. If you don't want to use pressurized/DiY Co2 then look into Flourish excel. It is a carbon substitute that you dose the tank to get almost the same results. All the plants you've mentioned will do fine with Excel.

Another question I had... this is probably a dumb one but.. When I start my nitrogen cycle, I was going to do the method where I drop droplets of ammonia in to match the gallons of my tank, do I need to do this before I plant the aquarium as well? Will those pure ammonia drops kill the plants?

And thanks for the previous advice!

 

[Ashes2ashes]

I have Anubias, Java Ferns, and Watersprite. All of them are indeed very easy plants to keep. I am not sure about the pure ammonia drops, so someone can correct me if I am wrong here, but I think it would be fine. I don't know that you will neccesarily have to look into flourish excel or anything else on those plants either. It wouldn't hurt, but isn't necessary. I have never had to use them and my easy plants do fine. Hope that answers a few of your questions. Good luck.

 

[Hurley]

You can cycle your tank, with whatever method you choose, after you add the plants. Actually, in a heavily planted tank, you can do a silent cycle because the plants use the ammonia and nitrates as a food source.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

Plants first. If you don't want to use pressurized/DiY Co2 then look into Flourish excel. It is a carbon substitute that you dose the tank to get almost the same results. All the plants you've mentioned will do fine with Excel.

low light tank you really dont even need that.

there is co2 in the water already. mind you its very little but its there. plants help cycle a tank so i would add them first. if you have trouble finding low light plants local send me a pm.

 

[captaincaveman9]

low light tank you really dont even need that.

there is co2 in the water already. mind you its very little but its there. plants help cycle a tank so i would add them first. if you have trouble finding low light plants local send me a pm.

exactly what mg said, plus changing how long your light on will help balance out the plants over algae growth (with the exception of diatoms, which will grow no matter what, just scrape them off)