Plant stocking list - Byron, your approval please

Pasfur

I have the intention of ordering plants tomorrow for Friday delivery from aquariumplants.com. I plan to order all of the plants at once, so please tell me if there are any plants here which you would suggest I not add until later. Also, do you think this is the appropriate number of plants, from a filtration point of view?

4 Anubias nana
8 Java Fern
30 Cork val
20 Dwarf Sag
2 Red Melon Swords
6 Ruffled Swords
1 Tiger Lotus
2 Undulated crypts (potted, so more like 8)
5 Crypt wendtii

Fish will be primarily Barbs. Planning to add 12-15 Checkered Barbs and 8-10 Rosy Barbs the day after the plants go in. A few more schools of 10 to follow, a few rainbowfish, pair of Kribs, pair of Rams, and a few random oddballs.

Thoughts?

Here is the tank before plants:
tank1.jpg

Byron

Do you have enough wood for all that Anubias and Java Fern?

Swords: I would get 3 instead of 2 Red Melon Sword. This is a nice contrast plant, especially when surrounded by the Pygmy chain sword [you haven't included these?] with its light green, or in your case among the Corkscrew Vallisneria.

The Vallisneria and Sagittaria should spread quickly, esp the Vall. But you've space for the numbers though if you want to reduce the Vall esp to get something else.

Just need some floating Ceratopteris cornuta, and you're all set.

Byron.

Pasfur

I already have a ground cover. How would you personally incorporate the Pygmy chain sword into my setup? I chose the Dwarf Sag only because the Sword is not currently available.

I hear you on the Melon Sword, 3 it will be. I almost went 6, but I had to cut somewhere!

Pasfur

How fast will the Java Fern spread? Sounds like I should just order a couple pieces and let is fill the rock/driftwood side of my tank as it spreads???

My thought was to attach the Anubias and Fern to small rocks and place them on the large rock cliff, which is on the right side of my tank in the picture.

For clarification on my following question, in saltwater reef tanks the coral Green Star Polyp lays down a calcium "skin" on top of the rock prior to forming new polyps. It doesn't wrap around the rock, it actually becomes part of the rock. Biologically, how does this compare to the attaching of Java Fern & Anubias to rock & driftwood? How aggressively will the roots attach to these "double fist" size rocks? Do the roots need to wrap around the rock, or do they attach directly to any rock or wood surface? Would I be better to use Java Moss than Java Fern to have it climb up rock and wood?

I will add some Water Sprite as you suggest.

Lots of questions in these 2 posts. Thanks ahead Byron.

Byron

My thinking here was the nice contrast between the light green of the pygmy chain word around the reddish-brown of the Melon sword. I'm just a big fan of the pygmy chain.

Slowly, at least in my tanks. And both this and the Anubias need cover (floating plants, or overhanging plants); in direct light brush algae is almost inevitable.

Sounds good. That's an advantage of Anubias and JF, being attached to objects it can be placed anywhere and moved around.

The fine roots tend to somehow adhere to the surface. I can pull the plants off, but without my forcing them they tend to remain attached. Not sure how this works on smooth rocks, I have only used the rough lace rock and wood.

Byron.

makoy1995

i would suggest to add more crypts, crypts gave a nice transition from the foreground to midground. and it will also contrast with the greens.

BradSD

With a order that size you might want to pay for next day air as well. I had a order that size from them and it ended up being 102 outside for two days straight and everything burned up. Completely dead!!!!! They use UPS and those trucks get super hot with that clear top that the sun comes thru. This was all a first for me and a good learning experience. I lost $125, nothing lived.