LowTech Planted Tank: Starter Plants for Goldfish

Thanks, RC! I'll look into it for sure. Both LED fixtures were the same white and blue LEDs, I think, but there were many more of them... still lots of reading to be done!
 
I added lots of anubias plants to our goldfish tank... a month or 6wks ago. The plants are thriving and are not being eaten by the goldfish :)
 
Excellent! - I'll take a look now, RC. J-O I think that's going to be a main component in my upcoming overhaul...
 
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Dip and Wade now measure 4-5 inches tip to tail, their bodies are about pingpong ball sized.

They share this tank with two dojo loaches (one about 4.5 inches, the other about 3.5), and always have. I know this is technically way overstocked, pretty much any way you slice it, but I do regular water changes and test my water with an almost brand new API kit regularly. The numbers are all acceptable…

Right before a day-past-due water change:
pH 7.2
NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 20ppm (usually more like 10ppm - possibly because I've been overfeeding a little recently)

All that has survived plant-wise are a couple of java ferns, and a few small crypts.

Technically, my water is safe and healthy for the fish as far as numbers go, and the dojos dart and play and eat well; they are almost never hiding in one if several available caves/nooks. The goldfish show signs of being happy - I believe my fantail is male (I've seen the stars on his gills) and he bumps and nudges the other, black moor, in the belly quite a bit. Unless I am misreading this behaviour and it’s actually territorial, I believe this is spawning behaviour? If so, I think this is a good sign that they're happy, right?

It will always be a fish-first tank, so I am torn between: buying new lighting and plants so that the plants can thrive instead of hang on to life by their rootlets (all I have is a hood with a 24 inch 18 watt fluorescent 6500k, I think?); and giving up the dream of a water garden and spending the money on sand and driftwood/silk plants, and possibly a bigger tank sooner than planned if I can strech the budget.

Lighting and plants,
or substrate and decor change - possibly bigger tank sooner?

Obviously if these fish decide to change their rate of growth and become monsters overnight, I will need to re-home them sooner than planned. I do plan on/dream of a 60 or 75 gallon for them...
 
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