List Of Potential Plants

Hello all! I ordered my new 20 gallon tall and will be upgrading from a 10 gallon for my betta. The main reason is because I want to do a very low tech/Walstad inspired planted tank. I have a list of plants in my cart. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this will all be good together. Ordering 1 of each and going to get some rocks and driftwood and learn how to aquascape. Thank you in advance!

Ceratophyllum Demersum (Hornwort)
Moss Balls
Anubias BarterI (small – on rock already)
Hydrocotyle Leucocephala
Ludwigia Super Red
Hygrophila Polysperma
Vallisneria Americana
Hydrocotyle Tripartita
Eleocharis Acicularis (MinI Hair Grass)
Hemianthus Callitrichoides (Dwarf Baby Tears)
Limnobium Laevigatum (Frogbit) ( I will be using something to keep it contained to not overpower and steal all the light)

 

You will need an extremely high light, and iron suppliments for the super red. I do walstads and they are okay. Its all about not putting too much gravel on top.

 

You will need an extremely high light, and iron suppliments for the super red. I do walstads and they are okay. Its all about not putting too much gravel on top.

I'll be taking that out then, pretty sure the lights in that kit are super basic. Thank you! I'm going to buy gravel and soil soon. It's 1in soil and then 1.5in gravel right? I need a semi-small gravel size since I have rabbit snails. Not sure if that matters too much.

 

HC is a really difficult, high tech plant but the others look fine. Though I think you would find more success if you upgraded your light

 

HC is a really difficult, high tech plant but the others look fine. Though I think you would find more success if you upgraded your light

Thank you! I want a carpet somehow but I know that will be hard in low tech. I might upgrade light in time! Definitely not dead set on what came with the kit at all, it was just the best way to get a 20 gal with a lid for my situation haha

 

I was able to grow HM in a 18" tall dirted tank with a Beamswork 1W LED DHL 6500K hung about 6" higher. It's It is high maintenance though, you have to keep it trimmed short because it tends to smother itself out and lower stems melt from lack of light and new grows separates from the substrate. Ime.

Here's my HM carpet in my 33g. HM is a larger version of HC



I let it melt away eventually because I found it too needy for this breeder tank. But it's possible if you have the time to maintain it. In the second pic I let it grow too tall.

ReneikI sp. minI does pretty good in a dirted tank, but possibly you'd need to add a bit more lighting. But a 20 gallon is what 16" tall? My 33g us 18" tall with the lighting fixed higher. I found it the easiest super red plant. The worst case scenario, it will be greenish. I try to plant that kind of thing directly under the light. Check it out


That's minI ludwigia on top the cave.
And here, my 90g with no minI ludwigia 20" down.



I love Brazilian pennywart, but it did better with t5 lighting

I tied it along the very front to not block light

I prefer hygro rosenervig and angustifolia over polysperma. The rosenervig leaves are green with white veins or pink veins in higher light and pink leaves in even higher light



This is the newly added hygro angustifolia in my 120g



I bought it in emersed form, but it quickly transformed to underwater leaves which are much thinner and flowier. I mix some up to to add interest to the swords or just on their own to create a little bush.

My newest stem that I'm very excited about its hygro araguia which I just picked up as emersed growth, but within 4 days it started to grow nice pink underwater leaves. It is considered a carpeting plant by many.


Almost forgot the pic

The other stem I personally love is stagrass. A pic from the 120 gallon in 2017



Finally I think Italian val is a better pick instead of Americana. It's too thick for a 20 gallon in my opinion. Americana is what I have in the 120 gallon and 90g. Plus I think Italian val spreads easier and faster.

I like floating plants. I use water lettuce and riccia. Also giant duckweed for my nanos. I just cull them to not block too much light. Or you could build a corral like you have planned. I used stars joined together for my mom's tank, but it can be donewith airline tubing as well.

Another carpeting plant for low tech is tenellus. I had a version that turned pinkish, but I haven't it again. But keep your eye out, it's very nice



Hope this helps i

 

Thank you! I want a carpet somehow but I know that will be hard in low tech. I might upgrade light in time! Definitely not dead set on what came with the kit at all, it was just the best way to get a 20 gal with a lid for my situation haha

If you want a low tech carpet try dwarf sag. In higher light it grows shorter and more compact; in low light it grows up to 12 inches. Once established in a nutrient rich substrate it carpets quickly!

 

If you want a low tech carpet try dwarf sag. In higher light it grows shorter and more compact; in low light it grows up to 12 inches. Once established in a nutrient rich substrate it carpets quickly!

Totally agree. Check out my 90g when I first started it. Both foreground sides are dense dwarf sag carpets.

Oops I didn't post it here


Also Brazilian pennywart along the top front.

 

I was able to grow HM in a 18" tall dirted tank with a Beamswork 1W LED DHL 6500K hung about 6" higher. It's It is high maintenance though, you have to keep it trimmed short because it tends to smother itself out and lower stems melt from lack of light and new grows separates from the substrate. Ime.

Here's my HM carpet in my 33g. HM is a larger version of HC
View attachment 550160 View attachment 550161
I let it melt away eventually because I found it too needy for this breeder tank. But it's possible if you have the time to maintain it. In the second pic I let it grow too tall.

ReneikI sp. minI does pretty good in a dirted tank, but possibly you'd need to add a bit more lighting. But a 20 gallon is what 16" tall? My 33g us 18" tall with the lighting fixed higher. I found it the easiest super red plant. The worst case scenario, it will be greenish. I try to plant that kind of thing directly under the light. Check it out
View attachment 550162
That's minI ludwigia on top the cave.
And here, my 90g with no minI ludwigia 20" down.
View attachment 550168

I love Brazilian pennywart, but it did better with t5 lighting

I tied it along the very front to not block light

I prefer hygro rosenervig and angustifolia over polysperma. The rosenervig leaves are green with white veins or pink veins in higher light and pink leaves in even higher light
View attachment 550180

This is the newly added hygro angustifolia in my 120g
View attachment 550187 View attachment 550188
I bought it in emersed form, but it quickly transformed to underwater leaves which are much thinner and flowier. I mix some up to to add interest to the swords or just on their own to create a little bush.

My newest stem that I'm very excited about its hygro araguia which I just picked up as emersed growth, but within 4 days it started to grow nice pink underwater leaves. It is considered a carpeting plant by many.
View attachment 550199
Almost forgot the pic

The other stem I personally love is stagrass. A pic from the 120 gallon in 2017
View attachment 550189

Finally I think Italian val is a better pick instead of Americana. It's too thick for a 20 gallon in my opinion. Americana is what I have in the 120 gallon and 90g. Plus I think Italian val spreads easier and faster.

I like floating plants. I use water lettuce and riccia. Also giant duckweed for my nanos. I just cull them to not block too much light. Or you could build a corral like you have planned. I used stars joined together for my mom's tank, but it can be donewith airline tubing as well.

Another carpeting plant for low tech is tenellus. I had a version that turned pinkish, but I haven't it again. But keep your eye out, it's very nice
View attachment 550190

Hope this helps i

oh my gosh you're the best ever look at all these photos! Thank you SO much!

T

If you want a low tech carpet try dwarf sag. In higher light it grows shorter and more compact; in low light it grows up to 12 inches. Once established in a nutrient rich substrate it carpets quickly!

Thank you! Added it to my list

 

Totally agree. Check out my 90g when I first started it. Both foreground sides are dense dwarf sag carpets.

Oops I didn't post it here
View attachment 550202
Also Brazilian pennywart along the top front.

Absolutely stunning!!!