Hard Water Plants

[Toro Driver]

Just set up (weeks in progress) a cichlid tank. I placed some corkscrew vals in it because I have them coming out of my ears. They are not doing well, low light-hard water.

Any suggestions on plants for hard water low light and sand.

45 gals thirty watts
kh 11
ph 8.2
temp 80 degs.

Dont want a ton of plants, just something to add to soften the rocks.

It is stocked with 4 Demasoni Cichlid and 1 Synodontis Ocelliferydontis

 

[Somethingsfishy]

Java Moss and Java Fern.

 

[Toro Driver]

Thanks those were my thoughts after posting the question.

 

[Lazonby]

Hard water will not affect your plants in any way, so don't worry about that. I think you will find corksrew vals a little difficult to grow in low light tanks. Your other tank with 2.5 wpg is about right. I've had my best luck with this plant in higher lighting conditions. Might I suggest regular val (Val Americana)? This is a great, tough plant for cichlids. I use them myself in my own cichlid tank with great success.

If you could bump up the light to about 2 wpg, I think you would have a very nice variety of plants to choose from that would be appropriate for a cichlid tank. Crypts, Anubias, swords, and the aforementioned (by you) plants would all be possible. While you may not want them all, certainly a plant from each family would be a nice touch