Need More Plants. Want Kind?

Hello, I am new to plants, attached is the picture of my newly cycled 37g...I think I need more plants, but not sure which! Sorry it has diatoms...I am not doing anything about it yet, there will be shrimp, snail and plecos there...hope they would help. Low light, 76, substrate is blach diamond blasting sand... I use flourish complete and root tabs for those plants on the left...swords? I have those swords, anacharis, anubias, frogbit...

 

It's either the way the photo was taken, or my eyes are playing games with me....but your thermometer. Is the tip hanging on the outside of your tank?

 

It's either the way the photo was taken, or my eyes are playing games with me....but your thermometer. Is the tip hanging on the outside of your tank?

No, it's inside just the picture

 

=)

Hey!! What's that hanging thing a little above your sponge filter? It looks like a hanging container/glass pot that you can put substrate in to plant your plants? That's so cool!

 

Yeah, I saw them on ebay and bought one...I like it a lot, and it's really cheap

=)

Hey!! What's that hanging thing a little above your sponge filter? It looks like a hanging container/glass pot that you can put substrate in to plant your plants? That's so cool!

 

I'm sorry it looks a mess...diatoms need to be cleaned, and sponge filter is there just until it gets colonized with bacteria, and then it will go into my new betta tank...

 

What brand is the lighting?

 

Just looked at the fluorescent tube, it says Aqueon full spectrum 17w T8 24". One tube per fixture, fixture is without brand name...

 

I would suggest Water Sprite but that's because it's a versatile fast growing plant that can float or be planted in the substrate (also my favorite plant).

 

I would suggest Water Sprite but that's because it's a versatile fast growing plant that can float or be planted in the substrate (also my favorite plant).

Is it this one? I have it in another tank

 

Looks to me more like Wisteria from that shot. Water Sprite has thinner, sharper leaves. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken please.

 

How about some dwarf sagittaria

 

How about some dwarf sagittaria

I like this plant!

 

Should I get a new light too? I am trying to grow all low light plants, but this light seems even dimmer than what I have on my 20g

 

Yes, that one is wisteria.
Second the water Sprite, super easy, can be planted or floating.
Crypt wendtiI is a pretty easy plant that can get to a decent size with root tabs, mine grow in pretty low to pretty high lighting... they usually melt in new tanks, but come back strong.
Hornwort is another pretty easy one, it can be left floating, or held down with a plant weight to form more of a bushy shape, can be great for adding height.
Amazon swords would be good (with root tabs) in a 37, but might need a touch more lighting then you have.
Java ferns and anubias come in all varieties and are pretty foolproof...
dwarf sag is pretty easy as well, again though may need a touch more lighting as it grows right on the substrate....

 

What would give me more light that is not super expensive?

 

What would give me more light that is not super expensive?

The sun! If you can utilize sunlight, it would certainly help. However, I personally recommend

I have purchased 3 and have been really pleased with the results. No it's not a super crazy expensive name brand in the hobby, but between the reviews and the price, I think you'll be really happy. Let us know what you decide!

 

Cheapest... 6500k cfl bulbs in shop light fixtures from hardware stores... just make sure it's 6500k.

I would skip on the nicrew... had one on a smaller tank, maintained low light plants for a few months (maintained=plants weren't growing much even with ferts). Eventually plants started to die off and I switched my lighting.

99% of time sunlight doesn't work... it can though, but needs a lot of monitoring (closing shades when time to turn off, etc).

Can't comment specifically on your lighting as I use leds, but if you wanted to change (depends on the depth of the tank) I like finnex stingray (shallower tanks), finnex 24/7 SE, or the chihiros series a.
Word of caution though, the chihiros isn't a great beginner light... has seven light settings and a lot of possibility for algae growth if the right balance between ferts/available co2/lighting/plant needs isn't met...

 

I tried a bunch of plants to see what would work in my low tech/low light tank and was surprised to find that red tiger lotus has done really well so far. It's hands-down my favorite, bringing some vibrant red to my otherwise green environment. My little fish love hanging out underneath their wide leaves.

Ludwigia broad leaf is often suggested to bring some pink/red color too but mine didn't do well.

Some ground cover might be fun to try. I started propagating s repens and they also did okay with my low light plus root tabs.

 

Guppy Grass in snack bag, what size is snack bag? Can you take a pic please?

 

I use daylight fluorescent tubes for light. I have all floating plants. Water lettuce, duck weed and frog bit.

 

Water lettuce grows really quick and multiplies like rabbits with the right conditions apparently. I'm having to consider giving away some of my (regular) water lettuce. I got 1 plant 2 or 3 weeks ago. 1 plant. It has had 5 babies and the babies are having tiny babies, which are having teensy teeny little babies and so on. It's like a weird assembly line going on. Wow is all I can say, it's probably perfect for plant eaters.