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Aquarium Plants for Dummies?

3K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Calmwaters 
#1 ·
Is there such a plant? :question:

I have a new 60 gallon aquarium 48 X 12 X 24, and need some tall, easy-to-grow plants.

I'm new here, and will be introducing myself on the intro page.

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
For me, that plant has been ambulia. You can see it in the pictures of my 250-litre tank. It's up the back and you can see how quickly it grew, the pictures are only a few weeks apart. The downside of "easy-to-grow" is that you'll need to trim it. You might want to investigate swords which won't go crazy on you.
 
#3 ·
Welcome to the forum, glad you found us.

1) If you simply respect a few parameters any plant is easy to grow. First & foremost they need the correct light, which is commonly referred to as "Daylight", its expressed in a rating called Kalvin which you'd ideally want 6500K of. Then being a 60g you could either run 1x4ft tube or double (personally I run only 1 over my 55g). You can find these very inexpensively at your hardware store (Lows seems to have a better selection then Homedepot) by the brand GE or Bright Effects or Phillips (I buy GE Daylights).
2) Then the plant, just like the fish need proper water, which for one means regular water exchanges and second means either A) you have plant nutrition in your tap water (unlikely in most places) or B) Simply buy 1 bottle of Flourish Comprehensive, add a few drops per week as directed and you'll have everything you need (very simple)
3) Plants need co2 to thrive like we need air, no I'm going to go out on a limb here and say youhave fish in the tank and not only one or two? That will provide sufficient co2 right there then.

Then its really down to what you LIKE what plant looks better to you then another do you need something super fast growing or rather something that fill's in slow? Long plants short plants?
To give a few planted tank ideas, here are my fish tanks, these are set up with fish and named lights only no added co2 no fertilizers nothing http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/postBitTanks.php?userid=1029

I'm generally selling plants from my tanks on this forum so if there's something in particular you see on the tanks you like let me know (thou I have to say I have sold so much lately I don't have too much left right now).
Another good online source is Aquarium Plants Pond Plants From Sweet Aquatics
 
#4 ·
Amazon Swords are very easy to care for and grow pretty big if they are in a big tank. Pennywort grows tall and fast but also does really well floating, water wisteria is really nice and tall and bushy if it has room to grow I have a couple of pieces of it in my 45 gallon it grows fast and is really nice. Thats all I can think of right now. I have a nother one that is a stem plant but I can't remember the name of it right now it grows really fast and is easy to trim and plant again to make more plants. I will get a picture of it tomorrow for you if you like.
 
#6 ·
Yes Sweetaquatics is a great place to get plants I have ordered from them several time and have been pleased with both the price and quick shipping.
 
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