gravel question

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vadim

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Mar 24, 2004
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I have 20 g aquarium in which I am starting to add plants. As I just found out, gravel which I have is not very good for plants. I have gravel which is about 4-6 mm redish in color. It is sold in 25lb bags (I don't remember name of the gravel) in most LFS and petco around here.

I am not going for heavily planted aquarium, just some plants for my fish to swim in between. Do I need to add better gravel/sand?

Thanks,
 
What types of plants are you wanting to add? Java ferns, bolbitis (african fern) and anubias can be anchored to large rocks, wood, or in loose gravel (think the roots need to be in the water column, and the rhizomes can be buried). These are also low light plants that need very little to thrive. Crypts will also work--I've had them in gravel and sand, and they've always done very well for me--spread like mad, grow into huge clumps that have to be split up.
 
I am open on plants. Last week (based on recomendation of LFS owner) I got 1 Anubias and grass-like tall plant with long leaves 1/4" wide, which I put along the back of the aquarium. I also wanted to get Anacharis for my Dwarf Gourami.

But I am open for recomendations.

For lighting I just got 18" Coralife Nutri Grow Plant Lamp (15W).

Thanks,
 
The plants I mentioned should all do fine in your tank. I have anubias and crypts in a 55 with less than 1 wpg, and they are all growing and flowering.

The grass like plant--depends. There are a few grass-like crypts, but many need higher light setups to thrive. If it starts losing leaves, or turning brown, I'd take it back. It sounds like wide leaf sag, and IME, it needs more light than you have.
 
Anubias loves to have its roots in the substrate, but is likely to rot if the rhizome is buried. It is an emerse plant which grow so slowly submerse that it never "realizes" it is underwater, so is good for years to forever so long as the rhizome is okay.

I have grown Java Fern with the rhizome just barely or almost buried, but only if I start it that way from a baby plantlet. If I try to bury an older rhizome grown in the water column, it rots. This plant has no real vascular roots, holdfasts only.
 
Ah...I get them confused. The furry ones are the rhizomes, right? Mine has lots of both, but are all on wood or rocks, so I'm not as familiar with planting them. Thanks, RTR!
 
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