Plant Suggestions?

C

Captain Hook

Looking for ideas
Aug 21, 2003
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Toronto, ON
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I'm planning on filling my 35 gallon with plants when I upgrade the light, it will have nearly 2 watts per gallon of power compact. I have a good idea of what I want it to look like but don't know which plants to use. The guy I am getting my plants from has a supplier with tons of different types so please feel free to suggest anything. Here's what I'm looking for:

1. A broad leaf plant that is tall, for the background (can be stem, doesn't have to be). I was thinking a sword but don't know if that is a good idea, it will probly get too big.

2. A dense plant that will look good in the midground, I was thinking Crypt Tropica.

3. A nice foreground plant. I want to put 2 plants in the foreground, have dwarf sag already.

4. A nice stem for the mid to background. It would be nice if it had some red in it.
 
How is the plant selection in your area? Do the LFS stock FAN plants (Florida Aquatic Nurseries)? If so, they may stock the sword E. parvifolia 'Tropica', which stays smaller than most swords and fits nicely where you could not otherwise use such large plants - same form as its larger cousins, just more compact. I asked about FAN plants, because my C. wendtii 'Tropica' was from FAN - so if it is in your area, the other may be as well.

I like the C. w. 'Tropica'. As with most wendtii cultivars, it sits a bit and then grows quite well. Nice color and form from an easy plant. Likely indestructable (I haven't grow it long enough to be sure, but it seems as hardy and vigorous as its cousins).

My options for foreground would be dwarf hairgrass or pygmy chain sword (both only if they are real - some plants sold as these are not dwarf) or Anubias b. nana (expensive and a bit slow, but indestructable - different leaf form and very dark color).

I don't do stem plants as a rule, but you should have some fast growers in at the beginning especially - to sponge up any excess nutrients until the rotted rosette types get established - the easy Rotalas, hygros, water sprite (rooted or floating - great nutrient sponge) or water wisteria are all easy even if not what you want permanently.
 
RTR I haven't bought any plants locally because their prices are very high and selection isn't great. I'm not sure if they have FAN plants or not, but that sword E. parvifolia 'Tropica' sounds like exactly what I'm looking for.

I was planning on ordering from an online vendor who I have dealt with before. He has a very good selection of plants, including 12 types of echinodorus (swords). The closest name I see of swords on his list is parviflorus tho, no Tropica.

I would love to have dwarf hairgrass but I don't think it will do very well with my substrate (remember larger stones). I am planning on ordering some Eleocharis parvulus for my other tank with a profile/flourite mix substrate. Won't pygmy chain sword look the same as the dwarf sag?

For a little red I was thinking about Alternanthera reineckii var. rosaefolia. Think it will be ok in my light?
 
Could give a link for this retailer? I'm looking to order some plants soon and am scouting out my options. It's frustrating, I live in Florida and the LFS I've been to have horrible selections.

Thanks.

~Brian
 
I goofed the name, I just checked the catalog, it is E. parviflorus 'Tropica', not parvifolia, apologies. It is a good undemanding plant that will not take over moderately sized tanks. It was named for the company. So it should be the same plant without the cultivar name, as it is all that I have seen in commerce..

The funny little tip on the leaves is an easy ID.

Go to:

http://www.tropica.com

and check it out. One of the few swords which can fit in 12" deep tank 12-18" high other than the pygmy chain type. I like to use 3 in a corner- they look great and don't eat space - or not much.

I just re-read your original post (made one mistake, needed to check for more) and I might be leading you astray - parviflorus is not tall - in my 2W/gal tanks the tallest is about 10" above the gravel. But still regular sword configuration, just smaller overall.
 
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Brian it is a Canadian retailer sorry.

RTR I am going to order one of these e. parviflorus. I just talked to the vendor and he agreed it would be a good fit, thanks for the excellent suggestion!

Do you think I should put the sword in the midground, infront of some limnophila (ambulia) or in the background behind everything?

Pygmy chain sword is e. tenellus right? Will it look identical or very similar to dwarf sag?
 
The E. parviflorus is fine midground with something stem behind it. The fine foliage against the broader flat leaves of the sword will be good contrast.

The "real" pygmy chainsword grows with the leaves arching up & out horizontally, pointed tips pointing back toward the substrate, so the net effect is a bunch of fine-leafed rosettes carpeting the gravel. It tends to be lighter green in submerse growth (looks like it might need more iron while it does not), so gives color variant to the tank as a bonus. But some plants purchased as E. tenellus are not all the same. I've seen what turn out to be 3 or 4 different plants in my tanks, all sold as the same. The one that is not the real one and is most common around here grows like a regular Sag or Val, vertical foliage and keeps the rounded leaf tips in submerse growth, much taller plants and not foreground. I don't know if the alternate forms are different cultivars or misnamed completely different plants. When we finally got some of the real stuff again, the LFS carpeted the foreground of its display planted tank with it, so that we locally have a continuing source of the right stuff. (It is easy and fairly fast for a carpet, so they can thin regularly).
 
Thanks for the advice RTR. I will put the sword in front of a stem and I agree that it should look pretty good! Here's my hopeful plant list for the tank:

Background:
Vals
Spade Leaf (Gymnocoronis spilanthoides)
Roseafolia (Alternanthera reineckii v 'Rosaeflolia')
Ambulia (Limnophila sessiflora)
Possibly some Anacharis as filler for start

Midground:
Echinodorus parviflorus
Crypt Tropica

Foreground:
Dwarf Sag
Bolbitis on Driftwood (actually more in midground)
Anubias Minima on Driftwood
 
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