Want To Get First Live Plant

I have a 36 gallon tank and it was recommended that I get a live plant to help control my nitrates. I don’t have any live plants and really not sure where to start. Any recommendations?

 

Got a pic of the tank? What kind of substrate and lighting do you have?

Generally anubias, java fern, java moss, and a few others can grow anywhere.

 

I love anubias. And java moss is relatively easy and fast growing. I also like java fern, as long as you are careful not to bury the rhizome and find something it will attach its roots to. Mine are attached to some cholla wood and they seem pretty happy.

 

I would recommend anubias

 

I agree with Anubias and Java Fern. Great for almost any tank I have both in my 75G (ph 8.0) and my 38G (ph 7.4). Neither tank has high tech lighting or supplemental CO2, and plants are doing great in both tanks. I will say this the growth is a lot slower in 75 due to the higher ph and harder water in that tank.

 

I also recommend anubias. Here I bought a piece of wood with it already established, I just put it in my tank. I have another one that had attached it self to a decorative piece in my tank. When I moved the peice it had accidentally ripped off. I put it back and it just reattached it self with no problems. I had a crawfish that ate a lot of it too. And it still lives. I ended up taking the crawfish back because he was eating all of my plants.

 

If you want to lower nitrates you're going to need lots of fast growing plants. Anubias and java fern are very easy but won't do much for nitrates.

Water changes are the best way to lower nitrates. If you have high nitrates in your tap water (like me) then using Seachem Matrix in your filter is more reliable and effective than live plants imo.

 

Got a pic of the tank? What kind of substrate and lighting do you have?

Generally anubias, java fern, java moss, and a few others can grow anywhere.

Here’s a photo of the tank. All fake plants now.

Normal LED light, nothing fancy. Floramax Planted Aquarium substrate in midnight black.

 

If you want to lower nitrates you're going to need lots of fast growing plants. Anubias and java fern are very easy but won't do much for nitrates.

Water changes are the best way to lower nitrates. If you have high nitrates in your tap water (like me) then using Seachem Matrix in your filter is more reliable and effective than live plants imo.

Yes! The best way to lower nitrates quickly is water changes, plants work well in the long run. But I found it took a lot of plants.

 

Water wisteria!!!!!!! Read the plant profile in the plant forum, I love this stuff sometimes you can notice growth in a day

 

Wisteria grows fast in anything, but java moss will do great in super low light, and is a nitrate sponge

 

Anubias nana or anubias coffefolia are great choices, but don't bury the risomes. Instead let the plant root it self first if possible then add any fish if you haven't already.

 

Hornwort is a nitrate sponge!!