Background Plants

[AcornTheBetta]

Hi all! Do you guys have any suggestions for plants that would work well as a background plant in a 5 gallon and a 10 gallon? Thanks!

 

[Mike1995]

I have some good size java ferns in the back of my 10g. As well as rotala indica. For your size tanks I'd avoid plants that get too incredibly big. It will make for a pain to trim all the time.
I like the java ferns because while big, they grow pretty slow.

 

[AquEric]

I agree with java fern or maybe some crypt green or red

 

[Wrench]

Vals

 

[AcornTheBetta]

I have some good size java ferns in the back of my 10g. As well as rotala indica. For your size tanks I'd avoid plants that get too incredibly big. It will make for a pain to trim all the time.
I like the java ferns because while big, they grow pretty slow.

I agree with java fern or maybe some crypt green or red

Vals

Ok. Thanks! I'll look in to those. How do you guys make sure ur plants don't have hitchhikers?

 

[AquEric]

Ok. Thanks! I'll look in to those. How do you guys make sure ur plants don't have hitchhikers?

I buy from Rolandpre6 on eBay never had pest from him

 

[ProudPapa]

Vals

In 5 and 10 gallon tanks?

 

[Wrench]

In 5 and 10 gallon tanks?

Ya sure why not lol, just get one or 2 small ones and let them take over the back of the tank haha.

 

[Mike1995]

Ok. Thanks! I'll look in to those. How do you guys make sure ur plants don't have hitchhikers?

I don't lol. The little bladder or pond snails that sometimes hitchhike, I actually want those. A lot of people for some reason don't like them but i find they are really beneficial in cleaning up and eating algea, uneaten food etc.

 

[AcornTheBetta]

I don't lol. The little bladder or pond snails that sometimes hitchhike, I actually want those. A lot of people for some reason don't like them but i find they are really beneficial in cleaning up and eating algea, uneaten food etc.

Ok. I just don't want to be over run with them.

 

[Mike1995]

Ok. I just don't want to be over run with them.

Don't feed too much or leave dead plant matter and thier numbers will stay low

 

[AcornTheBetta]

Don't feed too much or leave dead plant matter and thier numbers will stay low

Ok. I don't rly want any other snial tho. Sry if that sounded rude Does anyone know any dips?

 

[Elkwatcher]

Hygrophilia, you can nip it off and start new ones. I let the cuttings float for a week till they have some roots which only seems to take 4-5 days. This 10 gal tank is just for rearing plants.. good in the back ground, you will never have to buy Hygro again and they will grow as tall as you let them! Hygrophilia on the right, Cryptocoryne Undulata on the left. Feed with root tabs. Hygrophila 'Siamensis 53B' - Tropica Aquarium Plants

.

 

[AcornTheBetta]

Hygrophilia, you can nip it off and start new ones. I let the cuttings float for a week till they have some roots which only seems to take 4-5 days. This 10 gal tank is just for rearing plants.. good in the back ground, you will never have to buy Hygro again and they will grow as tall as you let them! Hygrophilia on the right, Cryptocoryne Undulata on the left. Feed with root tabs. Hygrophila 'Siamensis 53B' - Tropica Aquarium Plants

.

Cool! I like those! They sorta look like bamboo. How do you make sure there aren't hitchhikers?

 

[jake37]

Don't put vals in a 10 gallon tank. dustinfishtank is a pretty good place to buy plants as well as roland (mentioned above); yourfishstuff and quatic-motiv. I actually recommend dustinfishtank.com over the other 3 but they are a little more expensive.
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Java fern is an excellent background plant for a small tank - not that you asked but for the foreground i would try Anubias barteri var. glabra - it looks a little like crypt parva but it an anubias.

 

[Elkwatcher]

1 ml bleach to 1 litre water. 30 secs to 1 minute, not more. Then put in declorinated water to rinse. Handpick snails if you see them, eggs can be seen too. I often leave my new plants in dechlorinated water for a few days to a week to see if anything else comes off them before moving them.

 

[AcornTheBetta]

1 ml bleach to 1 litre water. 30 secs to 1 minute, not more. Then put in declorinated water to rinse. Handpick snails if you see them, eggs can be seen too. I often leave my new plants in dechlorinated water for a few days to a week to see if anything else comes off them before moving them.

Ok. Thanks a lot!