Low maintanence plants?

**Lindsey** · 03-23-2010, 03:12 AM

I've posted in the plants subforum before, but since have decided that I don't have the means to do much special for my plants. I'm moving to college this fall and can't take my tank with me. I'll be home every weekend to tend my tank, but I don't have the money to buy new lighting when I need to get new cages for my guinea pigs and get my cats to the vet before I leave.

Is there anything that can live in a low light setting with soft water and pH around 7.0, medium grade gravel substrate? I could buy some cheap ferts if I know what to look for, so any suggestions are welcome.

I was looking around on LiveAquaria.com and was thinking about anacharis, water sprite, along those lines.

If there's nothing, I'll give up and buy some silk plants instead. Thanks for your time!

**Cliff** · 03-23-2010, 03:15 AM

I really like Java Firn. Back in my early days of not knowing what I was doing, Java firn had proven its self to be a very hardy plant that would be good for low light tanks.

Might be worth looking into

**Lindsey** · 03-23-2010, 04:58 AM

Thanks! I'll look into java fern for sure.

After poking around on LiveAquaria.com for a little while I've found some possibilities that are labeled as "easy":

Japanese Dwarf Rush
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...795&pcatid=795

Dwarf Sagittaria
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...827&pcatid=827

Anubias Nana
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...815&pcatid=815

Anubias Coffeefolia (would this grow fast enough to overwhelm my tank?)
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...76&pcatid=2676

Anacharis
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...780&pcatid=780

Any thoughts? Thanks!

**lowlight** · 03-23-2010, 06:48 AM

I have 3 different types of Anubius (Nana being one of them don't know the other two) and some Java fern along with a few Crypts. I only have .6 watts per gal and the plants are doing fine. Have a look at my tank in the photo forum under member galleries. The Anubius nana on the far right is 6 years old and when I got it the rhizome was only 1" long.

**korith** · 03-23-2010, 09:47 AM

Anacharis when it doesn't get enough light/fert tends to sort of just die off, and you're left with this brown mush in the tank. I've never had much luck with. Java fern and anubius would work. http://plantgeek.net/plantguide.php try this link, you can look at plants based on different requirements like light and difficulty.

**Lindsey** · 03-23-2010, 08:29 PM

Oh weird, I always thought anacharis was hardier than that. I'm really liking the look of anubias but my tank is only a 29g, how quickly does it grow and is it hard to keep pruned if necessary?

**korith** · 03-23-2010, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Lindsey

Oh weird, I always thought anacharis was hardier than that. I'm really liking the look of anubias but my tank is only a 29g, how quickly does it grow and is it hard to keep pruned if necessary?

Growth rate on them is very very slow, when compared to other plants. No need to worry about it taking over your tank.

**Wild Turkey** · 03-23-2010, 09:21 PM

Im a huge fan of dwarf sag, its really low maintenance for a carpet plant

Rhizome plants will usually have low requirements

**Lindsey** · 03-26-2010, 09:04 PM

So I'm thinking of ordering the following:

Anubias coffeefolia or hastifolia 5"-7" (x3)
Anubias nana (2"-4") (x3)
Java fern (2"-5") (x3)

Is this going to be enough to fill out a 29g? I'm thinking of adding some dwarf sag but I'm not sure yet.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone!

**Rhaethe** · 03-26-2010, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by korith

Growth rate on them is very very slow, when compared to other plants. No need to worry about it taking over your tank.

Yep. Verrrrrrry slooooooooowwwww.

I remember at a local fish club auction, one lot that came up was an anubias nana that was huge. Had to have been at least a foot and a half ....

The auctioneer fella said "Next we have ... anubias nana? Allright! 300 year old anubias folks! It doesn't get better than that!"

It was a joke, certainly ... it seemed everyone in the room laughed