Easy Live Plants For Sand Substrate

I have had plastic plants and rocks in my tank for the past couple years but I am ready to try some live plants. I am trying to figure out some low maintence and easy to care for live plants for my 55g. I do not want it to be over run or anything just some different plants that will grow and thrive easily in a tropical setting without much besides things like ferts. Maybe some grass carpet like substances. Just want to be able to give some fish some places to hide and I am also not sure if it makes a difference if I have gravel vs sand but I do have sand.

 

You could do some vals with root Tabs. Amazon swords and anubias are also pretty easy. Most of these would do best with root Tabs though.

 

Greetings and welcome to Fishlore

There are some very knowledgeable plant keepers here. I am sure they will be along soon.

 

I'm not sure if youd like this sort of thing but I have java fern and anubias glued to rocks in my tanks and the java fern are doing very very well, I've got a whole second generation growing up now as the originals have produced babies on the leaves. They're slow growing and won't really propagate on their own besides the babies on the leaves. Both java fern and anubias are supposed to be grown with the rhizome out of the substrate so it can be easiest to just anchor them to rocks so you don't have to worry about them floating away.

 

I also have a 55 planted tank with sand substrate. Along with decent fertilizer like NilocG Thrive, root tabs and decent lighting you can grow just about anything with sand substrate. I grow bronze wendtii, cabomba, myrio red, various sword plants, s.repens, hygrphilla, dwarf sag, cardamine, anubius, dwarf lily and a few others. You can do a lot more with plain sand substrate than I assume most people think. Here's my tank for reference.

 

I also have a 55 planted tank with sand substrate. Along with decent fertilizer like NilocG Thrive, root tabs and decent lighting you can grow just about anything with sand substrate. I grow bronze wendtii, cabomba, myrio red, various sword plants, s.repens, hygrphilla, dwarf sag, cardamine, anubius, dwarf lily and a few others. You can do a lot more with plain sand substrate than I assume most people think. Here's my tank for reference. View attachment 518421

I have sand substrate and primarily grow java fern and various anubius attached to rocks and driftwood. Do you use dry ferts or just the liquid ferts you recommended to the OP . Your tank looks great

 

You can also try banana plants. They grow super easy and fast.

 

I have sand substrate and primarily grow java fern and various anubius attached to rocks and driftwood. Do you use dry ferts or just the liquid ferts you recommended to the OP . Your tank looks great

Not to sidetrack OP's thread but I just use Thrive, Osmocote Plus root tabs and Seachem excel. Along with medium PAR lighting. With patience anyone can achieve a "high tech" looking tank with a low tech and low budget tank. Just takes more time.

 

These are all super cool. I have no experience in gluing or attaching any plants to rocks or driftwood but I do already have some in the tank, I am not opposed to trying java ferns like that at all I just have no idea how to even accomplish it.

Vals also look super cool I love the idea of something grass like too for the fish to hide and swim through. I am also curious which ferts are the best I have not bought any yet.

 

Vals also look super cool I love the idea of something grass like too for the fish to hide and swim through. I am also curious which ferts are the best I have not bought any yet.

Vals grow super fast. I love them.



Here are the vals in my 10 gallon (back right). I started out with one or two a month ago. Now I have a forest.

I also have vals in my 29 gallon. The tallest strand is currently 3’1

I use Thrive as a fert. It is all in one and dosage is easy. If you have inverts I would recommend Thrive.

 

Crypts can grown in sand

 

I had the same thought to when I first wanted plants. I got good sand and plants to put in it. I learned buying the stuff already on wood is much more simply for us beginners. I am even thinking about trying some again on Monday.

 

For something grassy--but very easy to grow--I suggest dwarf sag. Other easy plants to plant in sand I've tried are lilies, various crypts (Beckettii, Spiralis, Undulata, Parva), S. repens, and microswords. A lot of these plants grow long, deep roots, so I'd do at least 2.5-3" sand bed.

 

Don't forget floating plants as well. I keep mine corralled where I want with airline tubing and suction cups. As the leaves and plants grow to fill the area, You don't even notice the airline tubing and suction cups (I buy clear). Floating plants help shade low to medium light plants below or give eggs, fry, and shrimp safe areas to feed and grow.

 

These are all super cool. I have no experience in gluing or attaching any plants to rocks or driftwood but I do already have some in the tank, I am not opposed to trying java ferns like that at all I just have no idea how to even accomplish it.

It’s really easy. Get a bottle of gel super glue, I use the brand loctite it dries clear. Using the gel prevents the glue from running. Take the piece of driftwood or rock out of your tank . For Java fern place a small amount of glue on the roots and press it onto the wood or rock apply gentle pressure for about 30 seconds and place it back in he tank. For anubias place the glue on the rizhome and press it against the wood or rock as described above. That’s all there is too it.

 

Though it grows quick, anacharis is my personal favorite for this. The stem can be cut anywhere and u can replant the top and eventually get a nice thicket going. I filled a 3 foot tank from 10 stems in about a year

 

These are all super cool. I have no experience in gluing or attaching any plants to rocks or driftwood but I do already have some in the tank, I am not opposed to trying java ferns like that at all I just have no idea how to even accomplish it.

Use the original brand Super Glue, only the gel kind not liquid, or it'll run everywhere. It's made of "cyanoacrylate" which is really liquid acrylic. To remove it off your skin or objects use nail polish remover and then wash well. You can apply it dry or underwater, they both work. It's safe to use for gluing a delicate live coral fragment to rock...can't get much safer! I bought a 2 pack of these at the dollar store for a handful of change. Useful for anything.

 

Wow I did not know it would be that simple I am definitely gonna grab a bottle of the gel glue off amazon and try that out with some different ones.

 

Root tabs are your friend in sand. Plant wise you can do anubias, java fern, watersprite (my favorite), or wisteria

 

Figured I should add this, when you give Java Fern great care, they will make little baby plants. These are great, until they detach and get EVERYWHERE.

 

I got some glue and seachem flourish tabs off amazon and I am definitely going to try java ferns and vals and a few others.

 

Figured I should add this, when you give Java Fern great care, they will make little baby plants. These are great, until they detach and get EVERYWHERE.

I know! They say java fern is a slow grower, but it's really taken off in my tank. I'll have to take a picture. One large dead leaf broke off and there's literally about 10 babies on there.

 

TIP: When you try to separate java fern baby plantlets off their parents, use a soft bristled toothbrush, just enough friction and doesn't mess up its leaves. Wait to separate until the plantlet has at least 2 large leaves and roots.