Low Tech Dense Plant?

HI all! I'm pretty new to planted tanks but I really want to give my bettas and shrimp a nice, dense jungle eventually. Are there any plants that are low tech that will grow densely packed and pretty tall? I have two 10 gallons and a 5 gallon, the 10s have T8 fluorescent lighting and the 5 has an LED. I have seachem flourish and root tabs, but I won't be able to do CO2 or high lighting. I'm not a huge fan of hornwort, which I know is a popular fast-grower. Plants I have so far: anubias, java fern, water sprite (floating), anacharis (floating), and one small amazon sword (compacta). Also moss balls. Thanks!

 

My java fern is very dense... did you buy yours young?

 

My java fern is very dense... did you buy yours young?

Yes mine is much smaller than that, it only has a handful of leaves and seems to be a slow grower. It has put off a few plantlets though! Maybe someday they'll be that big and luscious, but probably not for a few years at this rate.

 

Fair enough! I bought mine this size from my lfs, they have a great range of healthy and lush plants there

(I included a guppy for scale)

 

I like guppy grass and susswassertang for dense growth.

 

Fair enough! I bought mine this size from my lfs, they have a great range of healthy and lush plants there

(I included a guppy for scale)

Both are gorgeous! (Side note I would love to have a guppy tank someday )

I like guppy grass and susswassertang for dense growth.

I like the look of the najas grass! Subwassertang it more like a moss, right? Which do you think would grow taller? I would really love something to fill the back of my tanks from top to bottom.

 

Val is also good for growing tall! I have Jugle Val but any Val is cool

 

Neither really grow tall, but they are dense and can spread out. Guppy grass spreads out better, and it'll stay in all parts of the water column. Susswassertang isn't really like moss either, but guppy grass is likely better for what you're describing.

 

You can’t go wrong with the various species of crypts. I own Crypt Beckettii, Undulata, and Parva (though this one grows small and like a carpet). They grow quite fast for me.

My java fern grows well, too, but the top of it is emersed, so maybe that helps. The underwater leaves even grow differently—straight up and twisted.

I love my Dwarf Sag. It grows long and tall and spreads rather quick through runners.

 

Val is also good for growing tall! I have Jugle Val but any Val is cool

Ooh I like that one! It would probably grow too tall for my tank, but looks like it can be trimmed, so that could work out well. Would val need root tabs, do you know? My substrate is plain sand.

Neither really grow tall, but they are dense and can spread out. Guppy grass spreads out better, and it'll stay in all parts of the water column. Susswassertang isn't really like moss either, but guppy grass is likely better for what you're describing.

I'll definitely put the guppy grass on my list of possibilities, thank you!

You can’t go wrong with the various species of crypts. I own Crypt Beckettii, Undulata, and Parva (though this one grows small and like a carpet). They grow quite fast for me.

My java fern grows well, too, but the top of it is emersed, so maybe that helps. The underwater leaves even grow differently—straight up and twisted.

I love my Dwarf Sag. It grows long and tall and spreads rather quick through runners.

I've heard a lot about crypts melting? I don't think I'm experienced enough yet to handle a fragile plant, I managed to kill off my java moss somehow and that's supposed to be pretty hardy

Isn't dwarf sag typically a carpeting plant? Or does that depend on how you grow it? I would love to see pics of yours if you have any, the only ones I find online are of carpets.

 

Root tabs are ideal but if you have gravel then water fertiliser supplements can work too

 

Ooh I like that one! It would probably grow too tall for my tank, but looks like it can be trimmed, so that could work out well. Would val need root tabs, do you know? My substrate is plain sand.


I'll definitely put the guppy grass on my list of possibilities, thank you!


I've heard a lot about crypts melting? I don't think I'm experienced enough yet to handle a fragile plant, I managed to kill off my java moss somehow and that's supposed to be pretty hardy

Isn't dwarf sag typically a carpeting plant? Or does that depend on how you grow it? I would love to see pics of yours if you have any, the only ones I find online are of carpets.

I never had crypt melt, even when I moved it around and gave it a short haircut. I’m using inert sand (Black Diamond) with root tabs, if that helps.

The Dwarf Sag is the corner on the right. There used to be a lot more before I cut some out, which I regret cause it gave the tank a lot of depth.

BeckettiI is on the right as well, next to the java fern. The Undulata is the the far left. Well, a portion of it.

 

I never had crypt melt, even when I moved it around and gave it a short haircut. I’m using inert sand (Black Diamond) with root tabs, if that helps.

The Dwarf Sag is the corner on the right. There used to be a lot more before I cut some out, which I regret cause it gave the tank a lot of depth.

BeckettiI is on the right as well, next to the java fern. The Undulata is the the far left. Well, a portion of it.
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Wow that's gorgeous! I'll definitely keep an eye out for those ones as well then, they look so good! I'm also using black diamond sand with root tabs Your gourami are super cute btw.

Root tabs are ideal but if you have gravel then water fertiliser supplements can work too

I can do a little of both! I can tell the root tabs are doing wonders for my sword so I'll definitely use those, and I like to add a little seachem flourish once in a while for my floating plants (right not I'm not though due to a big algae outbreak. I should probably cut down on my light time...).

 

I had algae issues (due to high tap water nitrates which I am fixing) and cutting down my light time to no more than 8 hours a day has really helped keep it under control!