Wanting to add real plants

So right now I only have artificial plants in my tank but I really want to add real plants and have my tank be more natural. What is the best way to go about adding them? Sorry this may be a dumb question, but is it safe to add plants with fish in the aquarium, will water levels be messed up? Also, what are some plants you recommend for a beginner? Thank you

 

So right now I only have artificial plants in my tank but I really want to add real plants and have my tank be more natural. What is the best way to go about adding them? Sorry this may be a dumb question, but is it safe to add plants with fish in the aquarium, will water levels be messed up? Also, what are some plants you recommend for a beginner? Thank you

Absolutely safe to add plants with fish in the aquarium. Some people treat the plants with bleach or salt before adding them to the tank. I just wash them under warm water and inspect them for hitchhikers.

Water levels really won't be an issue, it's not like you are throwing large stones in there. You'll easily adjust to the new environment while doing maintenance.

I only started in January, but my 20 gallon is thriving. I started with Java Fern and Amazon Sword plants. The Java Fern needs to be attached to something above the substrate, the swords have roots that grow beneath the substrate. Both are easy to take care of.

I recently added Corkscrew Vallisneria and Staurogyne Repens as well. Unfortunately my fish like to tear up the repens so they'll be removed. The repens are a carpeting foreground plant and the Vallisneria a background plant. Both root plants. The Vals have sent out runners super quickly so I'd say that they are fairly easy to please.

For root plants you want to use root tabs and for plants like Java Fern, you want to use a liquid fertilizer in the water colllumn.

There are many more plants out there for beginners, including floating plants. Do a bit of research, find what you like and what is suitable for your inhabitants, then go for it. As you advance, co2 and lighting will become more prominent. I've upgraded my lighting, but the co2 gets me anxious due to experience.

This was long, but I hope it helps even if just a little.

 

Absolutely safe to add plants with fish in the aquarium. Some people treat the plants with bleach or salt before adding them to the tank. I just wash them under warm water and inspect them for hitchhikers.

Water levels really won't be an issue, it's not like you are throwing large stones in there. You'll easily adjust to the new environment while doing maintenance.

I only started in January, but my 20 gallon is thriving. I started with Java Fern and Amazon Sword plants. The Java Fern needs to be attached to something above the substrate, the swords have roots that grow beneath the substrate. Both are easy to take care of.

I recently added Corkscrew Vallisneria and Staurogyne Repens as well. Unfortunately my fish like to tear up the repens so they'll be removed. The repens are a carpeting foreground plant and the Vallisneria a background plant. Both root plants. The Vals have sent out runners super quickly so I'd say that they are fairly easy to please.

For root plants you want to use root tabs and for plants like Java Fern, you want to use a liquid fertilizer in the water colllumn.

There are many more plants out there for beginners, including floating plants. Do a bit of research, find what you like and what is suitable for your inhabitants, then go for it. As you advance, co2 and lighting will become more prominent. I've upgraded my lighting, but the co2 gets me anxious due to experience.

This was long, but I hope it helps even if just a little.

Thank you so much!! I appreciate! I am going to do some research and hopefully get some soon!

 

Best beginner plant in my opinion is java fern, looks great and is so easy to take care of. The roots sit above the substrate or you can glue/tie them to something. I also had great luck with java moss when i began, which is a really great and easy plant as well. Good luck!

 

My biggest advice for someone just starting with plants is this: don't underestimate the importance or benefits of fertilizer. I've had several species of plants that I used to think "just didn't like my water", but now that I have a bottle of Thrive, they're doing really well.

Case in point: can you tell which leaves of frogbit showed up in the two weeks AFTER I started fertilizing? Because I sure can!



If you're willing to spend $20 on plants, I strongly encourage you to also spend $20 on something that will allow them to do not than just rot or sit there.

 

My biggest advice for someone just starting with plants is this: don't underestimate the importance or benefits of fertilizer. I've had several species of plants that I used to think "just didn't like my water", but now that I have a bottle of Thrive, they're doing really well.

Case in point: can you tell which leaves of frogbit showed up in the two weeks AFTER I started fertilizing? Because I sure can!
View attachment 705090

If you're willing to spend $20 on plants, I strongly encourage you to also spend $20 on something that will allow them to do not than just rot or sit there.

That's awesome!

 

Amazon Swords, Java Fern, Red Tiger Lily, Ludwigia, any Anubias. Get a good substrate, and ferts.

Be careful NOT to buy your plants out of a tank with BBA, or too much other algae because the spores live in the water column, and you will bring it home with you. One morning you will wake up, and ......off to the races.

 

Anubias is the best beginner plant imo. They come in every size and can either be attached to driftwood, left floating or lightly planted in the substrate.
First picture is my absolutely huge anubias coffeefoilia and the second was just labeled anubias.

 

Can you see the plant pots in the tank? Three of them. They are waiting to be transferred to another tank. We use these plants pots to keep our tank plants in. We used Tetra Complete as the substrate in all the pots. We also have Co2 and plant frequency lighting. We've had an issue with phosphates in our tap water which has allowed excessive algae. We've removed it by installing an RODI water unit.

All the plants were purchased for our local fish shop and we read the labels looking for those being sold as easy to keep.

Keeping plants isn't difficult. Our quarantine tank doesn't have Co2 or plant lighting. But the plants still do well enough.

AiYn'U