5 replies to this topic

[joey]

Hey guys

I need some ideas on cheap easy to grow plants for my first planted tank. Im in need of a moss carpet and some background plants.

I've had a look at using flame moss as the carpets and possibly Java ferns and what not for the background but I really need some suggestions. I've also got a lot of wood going in the tank that I've prepared and would like some moss and plants to grow from them too. Thanks heaps

Joe

[Westie]

Amazon sword plants fill the back of a tank nicely
Stem plants like Ambulia are even easier to grow, but need to be trimmed regularly once they get growing

[jjm66smokey]

• Anubis and Java fern tied onto the wood work well
• Java moss or similar (can use a tiny bit of supa-glue to fix it to wood or rocks)
• Amazon swords as focal points (one or two in a 3ft, two or three in a 4ft) a little forward from the back
• With crypts in between (don't worry when they "brown off" when they first go in ... they almost always "come back" from the dead!
• Along the back - Ambulia, Vallis, Hygrophila and any other stem plants you like
• In the front - "grass" like dwarf chain swords, lilaeopsis, flame moss; I've also had some success with Subwassertang for this.

A few basic rules:

• good substrate (i.e. layer of sand/gravel/soil - soil can be above or below gravel, depends on whether you're going to have BN's or similar that might move the soil around looking for interesting things),
• good lighting (LED better than fluoro),
• good fertilisation (one of our LFS sponsors can sell you excellent fertiliser and soil);
• excellent filtration (two sources is a good idea: canister plus an internal, or two canisters); and
• keep a close check on water parameters (wood and soil help soften water and lower pH but some soils if disturbed can cause ammonia spikes).

As for tank layout, design, there's some great examples on-line to have a look at to get some ideas.

This site gives a fairly good guide to most plants:

http://www.aquascapi...com/plantpedia/

 

And of course the world expert, Takashi Amano has some great aquascapes to emulate

http://www.adaaust.c...ery/gallery.htm

 

Good luck... post pics and don't be shy to seek advice on this forum. 

[Stormfyre]

 

• Along the back - Vallis and any other stem plants you like

 

 

I see what you did there ;-) 

[jjm66smokey]

Yeah right, and I'm writing something for the Festival of Queensland to win the Val Vallis poetry award too...

http://www.queenslan...s-poetry-award/

 

When searching out Caridina shrimp

Take Stormfyre along as your gimp

This was wrote without malice:

He’s obsessed by my Vallis

When not wet it’s exceedingly limp.

 

[shayne]

PSSST i want to buy a baggie. just joking couldnt stop myself