Swifterz

my tank...



^^ looks naked, need some plants. i've had fake plants in it and they look alright, but i want to make it look as natural as possible, and this can only be achieved with live plants.

i need to have a lot of area left open for swimming, so i don't want it too dense, but i'd like to have quite a bit in there and a variety (don't want them all to look the same).

thing is, i've never tried live plants before though, so i don't even know where to start, what to choose or even how to plant them. i have play sand for substrate with nothing else... no flourite or anything. and my lighting is just ordinary, whatever came with the tank.

help! thanks.

gmen4life

amazon swordtails?

Swifterz

i wouldn't know how close to place the plants together. i know they will grow outward into eachother but how much?

also, is it a big deal that i don't have flourite or anything else to help with growth? i should just bury a bulb or the root of the plants down into the sand?

gmen4life

that im not sure of i just like how the swordtail looks i have nothing live i was going to but i have 2 silver dollars in a 55 gallon and they are supposed to eat it so i cant get them lol get one for me so i can see pics

Lucy

Very nice tank. I agree it needs some plants.
I'm sorry, I know you didn't ask and it's off topic.....but you have 3 balas in your tank?
They grow rather large.

Here's a great resource for plants. PlantGeek
You can search for light requirments, difficulty etc. Even tells you tank placement.

Swifterz

thanks for the link. i really like anubias. would it be better to buy bulbs or plants that are in tubes?

alicem

If your light bulb is 1 year old, get a new one. Even low tech plants need decent light.
For the nicest color try to find a 6500K bulb or at least one that says something about growing plants on the package.
For low tech plants to try:
Anubias barteri v. "nana"
Anubias barteri v. "coffeefolia"
java fern (microsorum pteropus)
lace leaf java fern (microsorum pteropus "Windelov")

These plants each look different from each other.

They can be tied to your driftwood using fishing line or sewing thread.
Do you have a plecostomus or ancistrus in your tank? They have been known to get caught under fishing line (or other) tied to driftwood.
If you do have one, you could instead gently wedge the plants between rocks, just don't bury the rhysome in the sand.

Most swords need more/good light and plant substrate, I wouldn't try them.

I agree with Lucy, visit plantgeek and do some reading.
hth,
alicem

Swifterz

thanks for the advice. i don't have a pleco or anything. my entire setup is only maybe 10 weeks old.

i think i will try some java fern and anubias. i thought about a free-floating plant too... hornwort maybe?

Gouramiguy17

horn wort is a good plant but make sure the lighting isn't to bright because it will "burn"the "leaves"

Swifterz

should i be able to find hornwort at any of my LFS?

alicem

The plants in the tubes will have a harder time acclimating to being totally underwater in your tank.
They may loose leaves and become frustrating to you.
Often the big chain stores sell plants in tubes that aren't true aquatic, even though the label says it is.

Anubias don't have bulbs, they have a stem like thing (rhysome) that grows roots and leaves from it.

About hornwort... it may shed in your tank and make a mess.
Start with some anubias and java fern and see how it goes.
Good luck,
alicem

Swifterz

i'm about to go to the LFS and hopefully bring home some live plants.

i looked at my bulbs and each one says 15W then on the other side it says 30W. i'm not sure which it is. i guess it's 15W.

Swifterz

how exactly do i plant java moss? i'm thinking of that and maybe some anubias.

gmen4life

add poting soil to your tank!!! lol kidding man

Swifterz

didn't get a chance to go today but i put some fake plants in



just makes me want real ones that much more haha

Lucy

I don't think you actually plant java moss, but I'm no plant expert.
You can just stick it in the gravel or tie it to drift wood or a decoration.

Swifterz

well i have sand. if possible i would like to avoid tying it to anything. i don't really want it growing on my driftwood cause it will take over it. what i had in mind was it growing around it.

griffin

if you want the java moss to stay down in a certain area, you could put some sand on it to hold it down there, but it doens't wrok too well. maybe place a small rock or something on a pile of java moss?

alicem

Here is my 46G-36" wide bowfront. It has three T-8, 25 watt bulbs. (75 watts over 46G.)
It's not the best landscaped tank, but it does have some java moss in it.

The java moss is kind of "stuck" between some rocks, not planted.
It's the plant on the right, between the orange-ish rock and the white rock.

Anubia is infront of the orange rock. There is another just to the left of it.
Behind that anubia is a java fern and another on the left side between a white rock and slate.
There is an anubia there too.

I've also tucked java ferns behind the slate leaning against the back glass.



Here is some java fern on driftwood in my 90G.



I hope this gives you ideas for your plants,
alicem

Swifterz

i got two anubia plants today







the lady there knew nothing about plants at all. there was so much to choose from.

i didn't tie them to the driftwood because i want there to be a little bit of space (not the plant growing off the wood). i'm very particular with how i want it to look. i just buried the roots down into the sand. did i plant it ok?

no one in this town has java moss or hornwort!!!

Swifterz

and could i do amazon swords or valsineria? i really, really like the look of those plants but don't know about lighting requirements.

alicem

Sure, I can understand that. It's your tank and it should absolutely be how you like it.

I'm concerned they are planted too deeply.

This photo from plantedtank.net shows anubia planted correctly with the rhysome above the substrate:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/my...09_anubias.JPG

This photo from tropica.com shows the roots under the rhysome. Roots only should be planted with the rhysome above the substrate:
http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=101

The anubia you picked out are very nice. I've found them at Walmart, they get their new plants in on Thursdays.

They normally need more light and good substrate to do the best.
I've never been able to grow them, but you may want to try some and see if you have better luck.
You may as well try.
Maybe pick up a couple vals and a mellon or ozelot sword to see how they do...
Good luck,
alicem

Swifterz

thanks for the hlep

Swifterz

one thing i could do is just position the plants within the driftwood. each one has a little grove or like a carved out area of the wood which would work just about perfectly for holding the plant in place while at the same time allowing it to breathe.

Swifterz

i need to get some more i just don't know what's best. i can only do low-light plants. i want it pretty heavily planted on each side with the middle left mostly open for swimming.

alicem

Go to plantgeek and look under the tab "light requirements"
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide.php

Write down some names of the ones you like.
Then you can either shop around your LFS (or Walmart) or see what aquabid has to offer.
hth,
alicem

Swifterz

thank you. the only thing i really liked much was water wisteria and the anubias, and like i said the girl didn't know the first thing about plants.

Chrisson

If your thinking of getting java moss I think it will go great on your driftwood! Just tie it with a fishing line, elastic band or a sewing thread to hold it in place until it is attached on.

EDIT: Oh sorry I didn't know there was a 2nd page. Sorry you couldn't find any java moss. Maybe there are people you know or possibly someone here that can donate you some.

Swifterz

doesn't java moss quickly spread in every direction? that's what i'm going for really, but i don't want it to completely cover my driftwood.

Chrisson

Yeah they grow like WEED! but you can always trim the moss to the way you like it. Maybe you can shape it into something lol.