# Will any plants grow without any fertilizer ect.?



## snoz0r (Jun 6, 2008)

with 3 wpg, you wouldn't really be able to do any plants without co2 and ferts, well not without algae and die off

at about 1 wpg, you could get by with some, java ferns, mosses etc


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## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

3wpg on a 3 gallon tank is not high light. That's only 9 watts. Probably still low to medium light if you ask me. 

If you get some easy plants, you should be fine as long as you're feeding your shrimp. The shrimp's waste will provide some nutrients for the plants. Putting a few drops of fertilizer in the tank every week wouldnt be a bad idea, but your tap water probably has minerals in it as long as you're doing water changes. A nerite or a few small snails would eat any algae and convert it to waste which the plants would use for nutrients. A mini ecosystem! Ghost shrimp arent very good algae eaters.


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## LedxZep (Sep 25, 2009)

I was thinking of puting plants like dwarf baby tears, a couple ferns, micro swords, and moss on driftwood. Would those do well in my tank if i put a couple of those fertilizer tablets in every 2 weeks or so? I thought the snails would eat the aquatic plants, or do they just eat the algae?


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## nokturnalkid (Apr 3, 2007)

LedxZep said:


> I was thinking of puting plants like dwarf baby tears, a couple ferns, micro swords, and moss on driftwood. Would those do well in my tank if i put a couple of those fertilizer tablets in every 2 weeks or so? I thought the snails would eat the aquatic plants, or do they just eat the algae?


All those plants except the baby tears should do fine. Like frosty, I think that the 9w lighting you have will put you in the lowish range. It wouldn't hurt though to put a little splash of ferts every so often. The shrimp alone doesn't have much bioload. Waste=plant food.


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## LedxZep (Sep 25, 2009)

nokturnalkid said:


> All those plants except the baby tears should do fine. Like frosty, I think that the 9w lighting you have will put you in the lowish range. It wouldn't hurt though to put a little splash of ferts every so often. The shrimp alone doesn't have much bioload. Waste=plant food.


I might get a guppy or two for the tanks bioload, so if baby tears wont work what should i use for carpet?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Marselia minuta would be a good alternative.


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## LedxZep (Sep 25, 2009)

Now im thinking of doing the mineralized top soil method, but will this pottery clay work for it? http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=cp0361


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## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

There are several mineralized topsoil threads where I think you can get a better answer to your question. You might also want to google Diana Walstad and her natural aquarium method.


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## LedxZep (Sep 25, 2009)

FrostyNYC said:


> There are several mineralized topsoil threads where I think you can get a better answer to your question. You might also want to google Diana Walstad and her natural aquarium method.


I googled her and found some guides on her method and it seems pretty good :thumbsup:. So if im correct all you do is get some topsoil + crumble shells and mix it, then put some gravel/sand over it?


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