How to start live plants

[slingham64]

Hi Everyone,

I've got my first 10 Gallon tank set up and running, it currently has three Tiger Barbs in it that are doing great. There's only fake plants in it now, but I'm interested in possibly going with live plants. I'm curious what that whole process entails and what a good starting point would be.

[nick820]

I'm not very exrerienced with plants but I believe that since you allready have your tank stocked with fishes the way to go is to have plants that don't require substrate like anubias. You just tight the roots to wood or a rock, or you can buy them allready rooted to a piece of wood.

If you want to add substrate at this point it will be a messy job in my opinion.

[Lady Hobbs]

Laterite substrate can be used when planting an already established tank. You just mix it in with your bottom 1/3 of the gravel in your tank and then top it off with your remaining gravel.

On a word of caution, the tank plants you find in the stores like Walmart are seldom real tank plants. Many are just house plants that live for a short time underwater. I think they should not sell plants for tanks unless they are true tank plants but then, I think a lot of things are wrong. :)

In a small tank, I would probably just get java fern that is ok in low light and tie it to a piece of wood. Possibly add one more "stay small" plant like the anubias nana that grows slow. You can also buy plant plugs that you add a plant to and just bury.

My thought on my 55 was to remove everything and use Flourite but with so many fish in it, I believe I will just use the Latrite on that tank and start out with Flourite on any new tanks that I set up.

[Rue]

...now...all the experienced aquarium folk PROMISE not to laugh...

...but I've had good success keeping my few plants in planter rocks...they shouldn't be doing well...but they are! Maybe because I'm not messing with their roots when I vacuum?...

However, in the big aquarium I'm planning on doing a little more with the substrate...

[Incredulous_Ed]

A good starting point is buying "wonder bulbs" from your LFS. These are plants bulbs you can get for a few bucks and are incredible hardy. They grow in almost every condition, and they even flower. Sometimes they are sold as "aponogetons"

[jweintraub]

I had added plants to my already settled in 20G community tank and it has sand as the substrate. I just use fertilizer that I add to the water and my plants stay healthy.

[Ivana]

Maybe i'm just really lucky, but i've always picked the ones I liked and plunked them right into the gravel.
Haven't had one die yet.
thumbs2:

[Chrona]

Get java moss and/or java fern. They don't require much light at all, and because they feed from the water column, liquid ferts work really well.

[*Sarah*]

Maybe i'm just really lucky, but i've always picked the ones I liked and plunked them right into the gravel.
Haven't had one die yet.
thumbs2:
That's what I did, put them right in the gravel,and so far Ive seen amazing growth :)

[Incredulous_Ed]

Get java moss and/or java fern. They don't require much light at all, and because they feed from the water column, liquid ferts work really well.
Actually java fern needs restricted light!:hmm3grin2orange:

[Chrona]

Actually java fern needs restricted light!:hmm3grin2orange:

Yeah, I've been wondering about that. Some people say that the java fern kinda pales and dies off under intense light and other people that it just grows better.

[cocoa_pleco]

java moss is the easiest to keep