[JDM]

I over planted my tank with a fairly wide variety of plants figuring that either they would all take off and do well or some would and others wouldn't leaving me with a selection of plants that will work in my aquarium without having played guessing games... the shot gun approach to plant selection basically.

It would suck to have picked the three initially that would not do well only to have to start all over again.

The list as it stands initially is as follows: (in no particular order)

Java Fern
Java Moss
Dwarf Sword
Brazilian Pennywort
Green Cabomba
Amazon Sword
Crypt 1
Giant Vallisneria
Ludwigia (red)
One other yet unidentified stem... of course it's the one doing the best so I'll find out today at the LFS what it is.

For my own benefit I like to write about some of what I do and I figured that I might as well do some of that here as it pertains to plants. Maybe someone else will get something out of it or even make a suggestion to help me with something that I stumble upon.

Jeff.

 

[beaslbob]

I over planted my tank with a fairly wide variety of plants figuring that either they would all take off and do well or some would and others wouldn't leaving me with a selection of plants that will work in my aquarium without having played guessing games... the shot gun approach to plant selection basically.

It would suck to have picked the three initially that would not do well only to have to start all over again.

The list as it stands initially is as follows: (in no particular order)

Java Fern
Java Moss
Dwarf Sword
Brazilian Pennywort
Green Cabomba
Amazon Sword
Crypt 1
Giant Vallisneria
Ludwigia (red)
One other yet unidentified stem... of course it's the one doing the best so I'll find out today at the LFS what it is.

For my own benefit I like to write about some of what I do and I figured that I might as well do some of that here as it pertains to plants. Maybe someone else will get something out of it or even make a suggestion to help me with something that I stumble upon.

Jeff.

That's basically what I did when I started and actually still do.

I think you will find out what works for you and your system.

my .02

ps (Is like anacharis as well)

 

[SeaHorse]

Ok now you've done it!.... we need pics to see the progression. We're all addicted to that sort of thing you know!

 

[beaslbob]

Ok now you've done it!.... we need pics to see the progression. We're all addicted to that sort of thing you know!

+1

 

[JDM]

Ok now you've done it!.... we need pics to see the progression. We're all addicted to that sort of thing you know!

Sorry, I thought I had some for one of the plants I was playing with as I was going to post one today... turns out they weren't on my phone.

Now I am heading in to pickup some fish so you won't see anything until earliest tonight.

Jeff.

 

[fish monger]

None of the plants you listed are out of the realm of doing well together. Placement is important. For example, shade low light plants ( Javas, Crypts) with moderate light plants. The highest light plant you listed is the red ludwigia. That should be in a position to receive plenty of light.

 

[JDM]

None of the plants you listed are out of the realm of doing well together. Placement is important. For example, shade low light plants ( Javas, Crypts) with moderate light plants. The highest light plant you listed is the red ludwigia. That should be in a position to receive plenty of light.

Yep, pretty much what I did. Ludwigia got front and centre, it was my wife's choice to break the green up.

I'm running LEDs so I don't think that my light levels will ever be too much for anything... only maybe a little low for a red plant type.

Jeff.

 

[SeaHorse]

None of the plants you listed are out of the realm of doing well together. Placement is important. For example, shade low light plants ( Javas, Crypts) with moderate light plants. The highest light plant you listed is the red ludwigia. That should be in a position to receive plenty of light.

Oh that is interesting... I suddenly had an "ah ha" moment from what you said.... :shock: Why I didn't get this before is beyond me.
I have Giant Vals in my back left corner which travel across the tank.... the plants that need the most light should be over at the right end of the tank? right? Cause it is darkest where the val's are thickest. (or cut them back, which I really don't want to do.)
Does cutting Giant Vals' back promote spreading instead? (Like cutting off the extra flowers from a pumpkin vine so one big pumpkin will grow?)

What is the best way to get your new purchases to multiply? Stem plants you grow tall and cut them and re-bunch right? But what about spreaders?

Jeff alot of buying plants seems to be trial and error but I'm following your thread hoping to learn from you here. My first planted tank too. But like you I hate seeing something melt away or get yellow/brown leaves and spots.

 

[Byron]

I also can't see any issues in the combination of species, though I am not expert by any means in allelopathy. But the light will I suspect "weed out" some plants, in particular the cabomba and red ludwigia. GH also plays an important role in these.

Byron.

 

[MemawsFish]

I pretty muh took the same approach with the exception that I tried to make sure I didn't have anything that required alot of bright light. I stuck anacharis bunches in each back corner - behind driftwood and rocks, some java fern at the end of a log, two different types of anubias in front of another, come cardinal plant and undulata (?) in the middle. I came home tonight and two of the undulata were pulled up and one of the anubias. Two plants have nibbles in them. They will pester them if they're floating but generally leave them alone when planted. Problem is, my catfish will mow them over or the gar will if they panic. Can't plant anything near their favorite burrow spots or they don't stay planted long, How is your tank doing? Tried planting duck weed but they ate it before it had a chance to grow.

 

[FishyFishy89]

If you take a pic of your "unidentified" stem. I'm sure one of us can ID it.

 

[JDM]

Tried planting duck weed but they ate it before it had a chance to grow.

Planting duckweed? It's probably good that they eat it. I understand that it is very pervasive once it's starts. Our LFS can't get rid of it and it keeps spreading from tank to tank. Messy stuff.

I need to play with the plants tomorrow, I uprooted most of it while water changing, which I might have mentioned, but some need some pruning and replanting now. Some of the stems really like to be partially emersed, which is interesting. I've got some stuff languishing and some stuff taking off. I'll get around to some picks tomorrow.

I'm really curious to see how the plants do now that there are some fish in the tank... I think that they need some ammonia. I'll test tomorrow and see if there is any accumulation, I doubt I will see anything though.

Jeff.

 

[FishyFishy89]

I thought duckweed was supposed to be floating and no planted.

 

[AK Fresh Water]

I thought duckweed was supposed to be floating and no planted.

It is a floating plant.
I personally like it in my tanks because it helps remove excessive nutrients which are largely responsible for algae blooms. Some people don't like the extra effort of occasionally removing it though.

 

[FishyFishy89]

It is a floating plant.
I personally like it in my tanks because it helps remove excessive nutrients which are largely responsible for algae blooms. Some people don't like the extra effort of occasionally removing it though.

thats right
I'm getting some for my betta's tank. I heard goldies like to eat duckweed. So if worse comes to worse, the goldies can have a special meal

 

[jentralala]

I wish I could get duckweed to grow in my tank o.o It usually disappears after a few days and I can never figure out where it goes, exactly. It's just kind of gone, and I don't think my fish are eating it.

 

[fish monger]

Oh that is interesting... I suddenly had an "ah ha" moment from what you said.... :shock: Why I didn't get this before is beyond me.
I have Giant Vals in my back left corner which travel across the tank.... the plants that need the most light should be over at the right end of the tank? right? Cause it is darkest where the val's are thickest. (or cut them back, which I really don't want to do.)
Does cutting Giant Vals' back promote spreading instead? (Like cutting off the extra flowers from a pumpkin vine so one big pumpkin will grow?)

What is the best way to get your new purchases to multiply? Stem plants you grow tall and cut them and re-bunch right? But what about spreaders?

Jeff alot of buying plants seems to be trial and error but I'm following your thread hoping to learn from you here. My first planted tank too. But like you I hate seeing something melt away or get yellow/brown leaves and spots.

You are right about the placement. I wouldn't cut back the vals either, unless it gets to the point where they're shading everything. Cutting them back doesn't promote spreading or bushiness. Since they are heavy root feeders, the best way to get them to spread is healthy root conditions. The prune and replant method is correct for stem plants.

 

[AK Fresh Water]

I wish I could get duckweed to grow in my tank o.o It usually disappears after a few days and I can never figure out where it goes, exactly. It's just kind of gone, and I don't think my fish are eating it.

Either your fish are eating it or you have nutrient deficiency in your tank.

 

[SeaHorse]

I heard that Duckweed is Goldfish and Turtle candy. I got rid of it because it got everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Now I have both a Turtle and Goldfish and I can't find it at any stores. Go figure!
What do you have in your tank? My guess also... is it is being eaten.

 

[jentralala]

Pearl Gourami, Harlequin Rasboras, and Kuhli loaches. The gourami would mouth at it sometimes, but they usually spit it back out. Maybe they ate it when I wasn't looking...I think what happened though was my filter just pushed them around too much and they died somewhere where I couldn't find them. I recently baffled the filter though, so maybe it won't get tossed about as much.

Now just to find it somewhere.