[JonandJo]

Can anybody suggest the best way to plant a tank. I would like plants that are hardy and don't need expensive substrate to survive.

I think tanks look great with plants in giving fish places to hide and it makes them look more natural. However I have a small tank with a small gravel substrate.

Also what fish would be a good idea to keep the plants clean? Something that starts off about 2cm growing no bigger than 5cm.

I'm sure there are a lot of pros and cons to planting and as I'm new simple, easy and low maintenance and low risk sound good to me.

 

[Boredomb]

Well no plant really needs special substrate. Those substrate can help but plain gravel is fine for them as well. As long as the gravel isn't big. All plants do require nutirents something like 17 different kinds. Some of those come from the water others can come for fish waste and food breaking done but you will still need to add some fertilizers to them. Depending what kind of plants you will need two different types liquid and root tabs.

Easy plants in my book (this can vary from person to person) are Anubias, Java fern, Java moss, your common swords (those these can get big). Some stems are easy too but you have to watch them as some need bright lights and C02 dosing to thrive. With the first 3 plants and stems you can just add liquid fertilizers and be fine you add swords, crypts or anything that has big root systems and you need to add root tabs also.

 

[Agent13]

You don't have to have special substrate honestly to grow a jungle in your tank if you want. I find amazon swords pretty easy and if you see them failing just buy api root tabs and stick one under it every couple of months. And there are smaller variety of swords that don't get too big. I find Java fern and anubias pretty impossible to kill and if you don't have a lot of light they'll still be fine. They come in different types as well. Corkscrew Vall(Vallisneria) is a cool looking spiraling grass like plant and pretty easy. I can't think of the names of others.

 

[redchigh]

How big is the tank, and what kind of lighting do you use?
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