# Need plant advice for 2.5 gal, mod-high light, 8.2 ph 81F betta tank



## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

So I am not having much luck growing any of the plants I purchased for my betta tanks several months ago. I have two identical tanks and would like three plants each. I would like to find some plants I can plant inside the little pots, rather than directly into the substrate. I plan on getting some better planting substrate to go into the pots instead of gravel. They also can't get too tall for my 2.5 gallon tank. Looking for advice of what plants would do well in this environment. The spindly plants in the pot are crypt wendtii, and I found out they like a much lower ph and light. The Nana keeps growing lots of algae on the leaves, and the older leaves are quite chewed up by the nerite snail cleaning them up. My tank specs:

2.5 gallon
80-82 degrees
ph 8.2
water run through water softener
weekly 50% water change then add 1 ml seachem flourish excel, 0.2 ml seachem flourish
finnex fugeray 10" light 3" above surface of water - I think moderate to high light
white lights on 12 hours day, moonlights (covered with electrical tape to dim for fish) on 12 hours at night


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## bitFUUL (May 14, 2010)

It appears you might have too much light for this small tank. Considering there are only 2 plants in it (not densely planted), and the substrate is inert, this tank might turn into an algae farm. Plus both plants you own require low light too. 

I'd say either raise your light a bit, or put a better substrate in and plant it heavier. 
Good luck!


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

Yeah bitful is right your probably getting way to much extra nutrients which will turn your tank down into a algae overload.


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

bitFUUL said:


> It appears you might have too much light for this small tank. Considering there are only 2 plants in it (not densely planted), and the substrate is inert, this tank might turn into an algae farm. Plus both plants you own require low light too.
> 
> I'd say either raise your light a bit, or put a better substrate in and plant it heavier.
> Good luck!


Raising the light isn't an option, as it is contained in an oak hood. I've already raised it up as much as possible. *I realize it is sparsely planted now - that is why I am looking for advice on what plants to add.* I included all my tank specs in the first post and need help finding plants that can handle high light, high ph and high temps. As I said, I want to plant in the pots which will be filled with something for the plants. I have more pots available. Would appreciate any advice that would be helpful within those parameters.

Here is a photo of my tank earlier this year, so you can see why raising the light is not an option:


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

Can you change the bulb?


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

Coldwater King said:


> Can you change the bulb?


They are LED strips, so not really. I have $80 invested in the two of them, so I would like to find some plants that need high light. I realize the plants I have now are not working. I think the Nana would do okay if it was under a taller plant that likes high light. I'm hoping to stop at our very nice LFS tomorrow morning and pick up some plants that will work and also some eco complete or something similar for the pots. I think I also need to get some seachem equilibrium since our wellwater goes through a softener.

Any advice for plants that need high light and can tolerate 8.2 ph and around 81 degrees F, and be a good size for a 2.5 gallon?


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

Moneywort is one but also are you lights on all the time?


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## Petri (Jul 12, 2013)

Here's my planted 2.5 gallon aquarium. Hope it'll help you anyhow 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=387889


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

Coldwater King said:


> Moneywort is one but also are you lights on all the time?


I have the white lights about 12 hours, and then I turn those off and turn the moonlights on. They were very bright for my betta (I couldn't sleep with those on!) so I put black electrical tape over them so it is a very dim blue at night. These are in our bathroom so act as our nightlight.


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

Well this is a tough problem. Well what I would do is buy some of equilibrium and try that if that doesn't work diy a co2 reactor up. ( actually I would do the reactor first sense it is probably cheaper) 
http://m.youtube.com/#/results?um=1...en-US&q=co2+reactor&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=w1


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

Coldwater King said:


> Well this is a tough problem. Well what I would do is buy some of equilibrium and try that if that doesn't work diy a co2 reactor up. ( actually I would do the reactor first sense it is probably cheaper)
> http://m.youtube.com/#/results?um=1...en-US&q=co2+reactor&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=w1


So there are no plants that would work without CO2? That is not something I am willing to do... What I originally started this post for is for advice on different plant options, not changing my setup. It seems my high ph and temps probably rules a lot out. I appreciate your advice, but just not what I am looking for.


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

I apologize but here is a list of a lot of plants that also indicates the light level
http://www.aquariumconnection.com/freshsol/fwsoln11.html


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

Hey check out stargrass


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## The_Planted (Jul 9, 2013)

you could put some baby tears in there. very nice high light plant


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

Btw really nice looking tank


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## The_Planted (Jul 9, 2013)

mabey some val. or micro swords


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## The_Planted (Jul 9, 2013)

and most times with a planted tank co2 is a must if you want it to flourish and look nice. you could do a liquid co2. it's actually pretty cheap, and a good altenitave


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions! It is so frustrating to try to research these sorts of things online. Different sites often contradict each other on what light/temps/ph a plant prefers. One site even contradicted itself, having a plant listed as 8" and then going on to talk about it being 24" in the description.  It looks like a lot of the Echinodorus/Swords, Nymphae/Lotus, and Hygrophila plants might be worth a try. I'd like at least one large leafed plant in each tank since the bettas love snuggling up to the large leaves. I did not know you could get liquid CO2. I know I should use CO2 to have my tank top notch, but with multiple hobbies and two needy kiddos I can only invest so much time/money in each one. roud: I did have a lot of fun making the tank stands. Keep in mind that this is all on the counter of our house's only bathroom, so everything has to fit either into the hood, or the small space under the tank.

I am planning on switching out the substrate as I don't like the look of the rocks, but still not sure what to go with. Like I said, I'd only like to have potted plants so I can easily move things around and clean. I liked the sand, but my improvised air tubing vac would suck it up, so I need to find a happy medium that I can vacuum with air tubing, that isn't as huge as the rocks since food and yuck settles between them and goes to the bottom of the tank.


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## The Big Buddha (Jul 30, 2012)

Maybe try with different water? I'm no expert, but I don't think water softened by the water softener helps plants. I'm on a well, with a softener, and use RO without any issues. What is the salt content of the water?


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

The Big Buddha said:


> Maybe try with different water? I'm no expert, but I don't think water softened by the water softener helps plants. I'm on a well, with a softener, and use RO without any issues. What is the salt content of the water?


We drink our water though, and it is not salty. I think it stays contained in the softener itself.

Googled it and found the following in some FAQ:

_Can salt from softening installations enter drinking water?_

Salt does not have the opportunity to enter drinking water through softening installations.
The only purpose of salt in a water softener is to regenerate the resin beads that take the hardness out of water.


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## VJM (Feb 9, 2013)

What about cutting the light by adding floaters like dwarf water lettuce, and growing out some plants that will wrap over the top of the water, like vals?


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

VJM said:


> What about cutting the light by adding floaters like dwarf water lettuce, and growing out some plants that will wrap over the top of the water, like vals?


I had duckweed but they got stuck on my sponge filter and crudded up everything. I will see if I can find a long plant for each tank. You know I've already given myself the answer on the light situation. I will take more of the black electrical tape and cover up every third white LED and see what that does for the situation. I cover most of the sticky part of the tape with masking tape so it won't muck up my light if I have to remove it. I still need to get more plants, but at least the light won't be overwhelmingly bright. I'll go out tomorrow and post some updated photos once everything is in place.


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

Try getting a idea of some plants that are high light, then go to the store and buy some. You wont know if you don't try


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## The Big Buddha (Jul 30, 2012)

Scifisarah said:


> We drink our water though, and it is not salty. I think it stays contained in the softener itself.
> 
> Googled it and found the following in some FAQ:
> 
> ...


I did a bit of browsing and found this: http://www.gardenguides.com/103656-effects-water-softener-plants.html

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=116145

Also, unless you are running potassium in your softner ($$$) you are increasing the sodium content in the water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_softening

Cheers


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## ckraft (Feb 19, 2013)

Scifisarah said:


> We drink our water though, and it is not salty. I think it stays contained in the softener itself.
> 
> Googled it and found the following in some FAQ:
> 
> ...


Salt doesn't come through, but sodium does. Your softener is removing calcium and magnesium, which plants like, replacing it with sodium, which plants don't like. Low mineral water would be better for the betta, but the water softener doesn't do that, it just changes what minerals you have in the water. Can you get your water before it goes through the softener?


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## scotty b (Oct 23, 2012)

i think hairgrass and dwarf salvinia would work out


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

Grrrr, I really like having the tanks right next to the bathroom sink since it makes water changes a breeze. To get unsoftened water, I would have to get it from the spigot on our back deck, which freezes up in the winter usually. I guess if I do smaller water changes like one gallon at a time, it would not be so bad though. I could just keep leftover milk jugs, fill them with outside water and put them in the house to warm up to room temp (72). I probably would not need to add the Equilibrium to the tank, at any rate. I will bring some of my water in with me and have them test it for sodium, if they can do that at the LFS.

Getting plants today, and also trying to find a substrate I like better. What would be the best thing to buy for putting in the little pots for the plants? I see there is Eco Complete, Fluval Stratum, and Seachem Fluorite. Is one of those better than the others?


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

You could also buy those big jugs of water the ones that dispense water a the dentist, I don't know if you can but by me Walmart sells them.


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## Coldwater King (Jul 23, 2013)

You could even use bottle water though these alternatives can be more expensive.


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## sugarcube (Jun 28, 2013)

I have a 2.5 gallon too, get some cabomba, hornwort, guppy grass, dwarf hydro and wisteria. All the plants are rapid growers under high light and will help reduce the algae by using up the nutrients. 

I suggest you do small regular dosing of excel, I do 3-4 drops a day and I find it helps the plants more and reduce algae then doing big weekly dosing. I think a big dose of excel might put too much nutrients in the water and the plants can't use it up, if you do small daily doses, its just enough for the plants to use and nothing left over for algae.

good luck! you tank looks really cool!


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## scotty b (Oct 23, 2012)

do you have any larger tanks? perhaps with mineral leaching substrates?


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## Scifisarah (Mar 1, 2013)

scotty b said:


> do you have any larger tanks? perhaps with mineral leaching substrates?


I'm sorry, I don't think I understand your question? I do have one larger tank but it is not planted, a 75 gallon Mbuna cichlid tank with black sand for substrate.


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## scotty b (Oct 23, 2012)

i was thinking that if you had a tank with beneficial minerals from the substrate or column doseing you could use aged tank water to do changes rather then fuss with r.o or bottled water


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## TwistedAngel (Jul 10, 2013)

I seem to be having good luck floating moneywort instead of planting it into the substrate in my tank, so you don't have to go with duckweed as a floater.


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## vvDO (Oct 18, 2010)

I would recommend using excel as a carbon source as suggested above, you should be able to grow Anubias and crypt species very well even with med-high light.

If you want to reduce light intensity, you can add 1-2 strips of window screen placed between the lights and the surface of the water. This effectively reduces the light and the more layers of screen you add the less light passes through. 

You also stated the lights stay on for 12 hours, for plants 6-8 hours may be enough.

The best substrate for growing plants would be ada Amazonia aquasoil. It is more expensive, however one small 3L bag should be more than enough. If you decide to use this, make sure you let the soil sit in a bucket with water for about 3-4 weeks changing the water every 3-4 days to leech out ammonia prior to adding to your tank.


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