Newbie questions about plants

[wrek]

I've mostly been a fish and plastic plant guy but I added some live plants and they're doing well and I like the looks of them so...

I have some caboma and some ball algae (sold as Moss Balls) and some long thin grass looking plants, no idea what they're called but they are doing well Spiral something or other I think they are. I'd just like to get rid of some of this artificial decoration crap and put plants in.

I use flower pots for hiding areas for my fish right now and misc rocks, pvc pipes and such. I want a more natural look.

What will I need to worry about as far as water chemistry when I add plants?

 

[jasonG75]

What will I need to worry about as far as water chemistry when I add plants?

Nothing, plants help improve water chemisty.

If you really don't want all the headaches that comes with planted tanks then stay the easy route. Java ferns, Anubias, Anacharis and my personal favorite Water-Sprite.
I would recommend going to petco/petsmart and pick up the Aquarium Plants book. It helped me out alot when I started. But stick with the easy plants, if they get boring and you really want to dive in planted tanks and more equipment is needed. But you do want to buy some fertz.

What is your filtration? What do you use.

 

[angel fresh]

yup i agree with jasonG75 plants help improve water chemistry. Java fern and anubias are very good and easy to grow plants, adding to say they need low light and grow slowly they do better when tied to some rock or bog wood and their horizontal rhizome should not be burried into substrate but only roots be burried else they rot quickly.
Long thin grass like plant might be vallisneria spirallis.

 

[wrek]

I'm running 2 Magnum 350's. Both with Polishing filter and fiber surround and the two bio-wheels. It might seem like overkill but I have a pretty high bioload. 3 Mollies, 4 Platys, 6 Black Skirt Tetra, 2 dwarf gourami, 4 Harlequin Barb, 2 Pleco, 3 Peacock Eels, 1 Black Ghost Knife, 5-10 ghost shrimp and a dozen guppy fry.

I'm starting the cycle on a new 55g to take some of the load off this one.

My water is currently processing nitrites. Ammonia dropping to almost 0 and Nitrates are almost 0, rising slightly. I check every 3 days.