Need help picking aquarium plants for your aquarium? Ask Here!

[Art]

Hi! I know that at times it can be difficult to know whether or not a plant is right for your tank. There are lots of things to consider when purchasing a new addition to your planted aquarium: What size is the tank? What other plants and fish are already in there? What inverts are in there? Is it using CO2 or not? What type of water do you have? Is it a sensitive plant that needs special care requirements? Does it require particular water parameters?

These are all possible concerns that can come up in deciding on what aquarium plant to get. ScapeCrunch is here to help! Whether you're new to the hobby, or just unsure about a new addition, we'll be glad to help with advice and giving info about the aquarium plant(s) that will help it thrive for many years in your tank. Of course, the tank is yours and so is the plant, so no one here will tell you what you can or CANNOT do with your own tank. We're just here to help by sharing our own knowledge and experience.

So let's get this thread going! If you're thinking about a new purchase and just not sure, post it up! #helpmedecide

 

[2hotinphx]

Hope this a good place for this. I have recently started to get back into the hobby after about a 5 year break. Only used live plants once way back and they did pretty well for not knowing what I was doing. Being newly retired wanted to get back in the hobby slowly and try live plants instead of plastic plants. Limited space to set up tanks and want to keep it simple low tech, no C02. I am in the process of setting up two Fluval Flex 9 gallon tanks Dimensions. 14″ L x 13″ W x 13″ H next to each other. This way I can keep various small fish that might not be compatible and two different aquascapes perhaps. One tank may house a single betta and the other tank perhaps a pea puffer or a small school of male only guppies. So looking for suggestions for slow growing plants that won't get too large for these small tanks. From reading here I noted this: Recommended low light slow growing plants: Anubias, Java fern, Cryptocoryne, Marsilea hirsuta, Sagittaria subulata, and Bucephalandra (TC only, please!!!)

Using Caribsea Super Naturals - peace river fine gravel as substrate. Will have some small pcs of driftwoodand dragon stone.
In the Phoenix area and the water is hard. Two local fish shops have recommended RO or RODI water. Not sure if I want to go down that path? Thought on using that verse tap water?
Suggestion on plants that wont outgrow these small tank? Would plastic plants be taboo?

 

[Art]

Hi and welcome to ScapeCrunch! Thank you so much for joining our growing community.

Retirement is a perfect time to get back into this hobby. I assume you will have the time to look after the tanks as in the early days after setup so that should help to keep them looking their best.

I’m sure @sudiorca and others here will be better able to help you than I because I’ve only ever done CO2. However, IMHO, the plant list you have are definitely going to work well. I would advise you to be careful with the tissue culture plants as they are not usually fully grown when you get them and in a low energy tank, they may struggle.

I would also recommend that you go with RO or RODI water and reconstitute it back to something more in line with your fish and plants. You only have 18 gallons of water (probably less after you add the substrate and hardscape) so it shouldn’t cost you too much to do water changes. It’s a pain to go every week to pick up water from the fish store but it used to give me an excuse to go see if I found something else to buy.

On the plants outgrowing the small tanks, it shouldn’t be a problem. Trim them as necessary. They are slow growers so this won’t be an issue for a good long while. You can certainly use plastic plants but I would highly encourage you to invest the time in creating a natural ecosystem for you and your fish using live plants. You and they will be better off.

Finally, please look around the site and read our FAQ. I would also encourage you to set up a personal journal for your aquariums so that you have a place to refer back to and keep track of everything regarding your tanks. It also allows your fellow community members to follow your journey and make suggestions that may help. We also live vicariously through these so that our urge to keep setting up aquariums is tempered.

Thanks again for joining and looking forward to following your progress!

 

[Kwyet]

I have mostly low-tech tanks. I like all the plants you mentioned. Another great one Hydrocotyle tripartita. Other good ones are Mini lobelia, Penthorum sedioides, and Bacopa monnieri. If you don’t mind trimming, Java moss looks very nice after it grows back from a trim, and there are several rotalas will grow pretty fast and provide some color. There’s also a Mini Myrio that looks nice but will need an occasional trim. I bought some Mayaca fluviatilis and Ludwigia Red Skeleton recently to try out. They’re in 3 tanks right now and so far doing well in all of them. Water wisteria (Hygrophila differs) looks awesome, but you have to really stay on it or it’ll take over the tank.
As for floating plants, If there isn’t a lot of surface agitation, red root floaters and dwarf water lettuce look great. If there’s more flow, Frogbit will be best. There are lots of other floaters, but I like these the best.

My 8 gallon bowl. Pardon the algae on the Anubias. I took from another tank where I was intentionally growing algae, so I’ll be working on that, but you can see the idea. It’s only been set up around 5 weeks, since we moved in August and I’m gradually setting things back up.



Here’s an older picture from before the move: