takadi

I think you can't go wrong with plants, especially if you decide to set up a low maintenence low tech tank. Low tech requires little light, little fertilizer...no need for injecting Co2. Cleans up excess ammonia and you have a neverending supply of decoration, assuming your plants grow. Hornwort is my favorite because it is practically invincible and has no special requirements, you just drop it in and it grows like crazy, not to mention its a nitrate sponge.

angelfish5765

I'll have to look up Hornwort. Do most LFSs sell it? Can you find it at Petsmart?
Are there any other low-maintenance plants you can recommend? I don't have special lighting and I refuse to get a CO2 pump. Fertilizer.....okay ---- maybe.

takadi

Depends on which petsmart. I got mine at petsmart, as the one near my house has a plant section. Super duper cheap too. You probably have to call around. I know that Petco doesn't have it

Also, any plant with the genus cryptocoryne are pretty low maintenance. Anubias plants are pretty easy as well even though they are really slow growers. Java moss and Java ferns are good. The last two can't be stuck into gravel and have to be attached to something like wood. Remember though, these are low light plants so some of them can't handle intense light.

angelfish5765

Thanks so much for the tip! I googled it and it looks like hornwort will fit right in with my moss balls & java moss. Now to just get some more driftwood. (gradually shifting from faux decor to real)

Danni

You can also attach those to lava rock- I get it cheap in the bulk rock section of the LFS and break it up into smaller rocks and tie plants to it. It's cheaper than wood and looks nice. If you have a Pet Supplies Plus near you- they have cheap plants that are really nice. I just got a Crypt Wendtii Bronze for 2.48. Also, a Rose Sword (not low light) and Anubias barteri- those were also 2.48.
Your local craigslist might have a hobbyist out there selling plants as well.

angelfish5765

Is lava rock inert b/c I'm trying to lower my naturally high (8.2) pH with driftwood and so far it's not working. I have some lace rock in there but was told it's not the culprit. I have lot of carbonates in my water and am completely unwilling to get an R/O unit. My husband will kill me if I make any more major fish purchases!

hagmegsis

I have horn wort for my snails and fry the snails have't killed it yet and it doesn't get a lot of light. Just your basic tank lights a couple hours a day.

takadi

Have you tried getting one of those water softening pillows? I used to do all my water changes through distilled water but found it was getting really expensive. Not sure if the water softening pillow works for KH but I tested the GH after a couple days and it was practically zero. The trick is to put it either in your filter, or if you are preparing water for a water change, I put a powerhead in the preparation tank to allow the water to flow over the pillow for a couple of days and just let the pillow float around. You do have to recharge if it stops working, but that's pretty simple. You just soak in a saline solution for a couple of hours.

angelfish5765

Hmmm... I'll have to look for one of those. Can you perhaps post a link to one online so I know what I'm looking for?

takadi

http://www.petworldshop.com/aquarium...ner-pillow.php

There are other brands, but this is the one I use. It cost me ten dollars at my LFS.

However, this is just one technique though. The problem with water softening pillows is that is recharges by replacing the hard water ions attached to the pillow with sodium ions through the saline soaking. So therefore, when you use the pillow again, it lowers the GH but raises the sodium content.

My fish are fine however, so I'll continue to do this until I see problems, as it is the cheapest method

DJMonty

I've just got one plant, my LFS gave my aunt one more than she asked for. So she gave it to me I think it is some sort of Bacopa. I took it out of the pot and the planting medium, and planted the stems individually around my driftwood. I'm going to get some plants for the back and sides, not sure what yet. Fountain Plants, Anubias, not sure.

Danni

Lace rock caused mine to go higher- lava hasn't touched it and I have read it is inert. I have all sorts of it in my tank for the plants. Like you I have to be careful with the ph. Lava rock isn't too bad- I think I pay a dollar and some change per pound and then crack it up into smaller rocks for the smaller plants. They root nicely on the lava.

angelfish5765

Okay, this is going to sound dumb, but what is GH again? Is that carbonates??

DJMonty

I thought GH was hardness?

angelfish5765

I just checked my test kit and carbonate hardness (my test that came up WAY too high) is KH. How is that different from GH and will the softener pillow take care of KH too?

angelfish5765

I just found a great article on KH & GH. http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hardness.htm
I think I'll try boiling or just buying some distilled and doing small partial water changes over time and adding some more driftwood and plants. Hopefully I'll get that Ph down from 8.2 to a comfortable 7.8 for my blood parrots, angels, & black ghost knife.

takadi

I just tested my "pillow treated" water. Zero GH but 4 KH. So I assume it affects GH, which is calcium and magnesium, but not so much KH, which is carbonates and bicarbonates.

Your best bet if you truly want to lower the hardness of your water across the board is doing distilled water changes. I do that every now and again (I have an evaporation distiller). It does add up though, so be warned. I would recommend getting a roof or canopy for your aquarium so the water doesn't evaporate.

angelfish5765

I have glass lids so no evaporation. I'm just starting off with very high KH. I think it was around 350! I'll try boiling or using some distilled, but either way it will add up b/c it's a 90 gallon aquarium!

FailedSlacker

Check with some of the local waterplaces and see if they sell reverse osmosis water - it should be cheaper than distilled.

The tap water here is extremely hard, so I mix it with RO water to bring it down (2/3rds tap, 1/3rd RO). I can get five gallons of RO water for 5$ - it comes in those big water cooler jugs.

You might also want to look into RO filters to see if it's more affortable to buy or rent one and make your own water. If i give in and get another tank, i'll probably be grabbing one.

Stunner

all low light plants.

Brainlady

I have Java Moss, Java Fern, Anubias, Wisteria, some kind of floating plant and two large Sword plants. I am struggling a bit with them, but enjoy working the problems out. I also have moss balls in all my tanks.... I really enjoy them the most I think.

Mike_Syr

I have silk, plastic and live plants in a 55G. I hope to get rid of the fake plants. I recently bought T5 sockets and replaced the T8 light and sockets with a 54W T5. I also bought a small CO2 system. Now I have some java fern and anachris. I am looking for more low to mid light plants to add.

Landozer18

have to have them

angelfish5765

Moss balls are cool looking -- and so easy! I love them!

DJMonty

I no longer have any. Unless you count the shreds that my Gold Gourami left.

J.M.S.

I used to back in the day, but not anymore. I have a black thumb when it comes to any and all types of plants.

snyderju

Live plants for sure!

bettawaters

yep.
Barters Anubias
HARDIEST PLANT EVEEER
{seriously, its an accomplishment to kill them, no fertilizer, no food no nothing.also, too tough for fish to eat}

djsmiley2k

I do!

At least I can't forget to water them

Cognity7

This is the exact reason I started keeping live plants in my aquarium!