# Easy, Low Tech Plants?



## Alyxandra (Feb 11, 2017)

I put in a request with an online store for a package deal of easy, low light, low tech plants as I'm a beginner. I've now got about 64+ plants on their way to me and a list of what I'm getting. Most of the plants I've never heard of. I'll look them all up and see what I can learn, but some of these plants do NOT seem like they belong in a low tech tank. Let me know your thoughts. Should I even bother with a few of these plants, or give them to someone with a better setup?

Alternanthera reineckii × 2
Bacopa monnieri × 4
Cryptocoryne Wendtii (Misc) × 3
Hygrophila pinnatifida × 2
Hygrophila sp. 'Green Olive' × 7
Java Moss × 2
Rotala Rotundifolia × 20
Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' × 10
Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) × 3
Staurogyne sp "Bihar" × 6
Limnophila sp. Green × 5

I was told there will be some freebies as well that may be "more challenging". I'm getting it all for $50 (shipping incl) so I think it's a pretty good deal. I'm just worried they'll all die on me. I'm only familiar with the bacopa, crypt, java moss, and wisteria.


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## Watercrayfish (Apr 21, 2016)

I wont say its a deal, but fair enough. 

Alternanthera Reineckii, Hygrophila pinnatifida will fail in low light.

What is your tank size and lighting?


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## Alyxandra (Feb 11, 2017)

I have a 29 gallon and a 20 gallon that the plants will be going into. The 29 gallon has a T8 5200K ND. I know I need better lighting than that, so I'm going to steal a couple of my husband's cfl photography lamps. I plan to switch to a good LED lamp as soon as I can, but will probably be too late for the plants.


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## Kalyke (Dec 1, 2014)

One thing I discovered on my tank-journey was that the plants must be of the sort that they fish you have, or may want do not eat. My fish have eaten nearly every plant I have put in the tank, making it quite a waste of money in the long run. Finally, I found that they would not touch anubias, and even though anubias is somewhat expensive compared to other plants, I mainly buy it. Anubias is also good for my needs because it does well in lower light. Finding plants that do not interest omnivorous, or vegetarian fish is another aspect to buying plants.


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

I'd probably cancel that order if you can! Head over to the For Sale forum, and you can find a better deal on plants that will actually work for a low tech tank. If you aren't sure what to get you can always throw a post on the WTB forum. I'm not a fan of the majority of the online plant retailers, which few exceptions being Han, Rachel O'Leary(she sells the Tropica cups) & one of the members here who also has a website. Most of the posts I've seen where people have ordered from the big plant retailer, are pics of half dead, melted plants. Just my thoughts.

Bump:


Kalyke said:


> One thing I discovered on my tank-journey was that the plants must be of the sort that they fish you have, or may want do not eat. My fish have eaten nearly every plant I have put in the tank, making it quite a waste of money in the long run. Finally, I found that they would not touch anubias, and even though anubias is somewhat expensive compared to other plants, I mainly buy it. Anubias is also good for my needs because it does well in lower light. Finding plants that do not interest omnivorous, or vegetarian fish is another aspect to buying plants.


What fish are you keeping?


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## Alyxandra (Feb 11, 2017)

Too late to cancel, but I'll definitely come here first next time (and there will be a next time - need to replace my shattered 55 at some point). The tank won't even have fish in it for a while, but when I start adding them, none will be plant eaters. The 29 will house a betta sorority, the 20 has a betta in it, but I'm mainly going to use it for snails. The future 55, ahh... that might be troublesome. I want yoyo loaches and rainbowfish.


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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

If you have plants that won't survive in your aquarium, you can keep them from going to waste by planting them terrestrially. Really, most aquarium plants prefer to be out of the water.


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## jmccullough108 (Nov 25, 2016)

Water sprite will renew your confidence in plants. That stuff grows like crazy. I've even started to get it to carpet 


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## Mattb126 (Nov 13, 2016)

jmccullough108 said:


> Water sprite will renew your confidence in plants. That stuff grows like crazy. I've even started to get it to carpet
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I've always wondered about this. I had watersprite in my tank and could never grow it. Dose EI, medium lighting, excel. Never had more than algae covered water sprite that soon melts. 

Any idea of why it's not growing for me?

Sent from my Moto Z using Tapatalk


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## jmccullough108 (Nov 25, 2016)

Mattb126 said:


> I've always wondered about this. I had watersprite in my tank and could never grow it. Dose EI, medium lighting, excel. Never had more than algae covered water sprite that soon melts.
> 
> Any idea of why it's not growing for me?
> 
> Sent from my Moto Z using Tapatalk




Honestly that's surprising but I definitely believe you. Not sure why, it sounds like you have a good idea of how to grow plants. I keep mine in the center of my tank under good flow. It's in eco complete with root tabs and daily EI. 


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## Mattb126 (Nov 13, 2016)

jmccullough108 said:


> Honestly that's surprising but I definitely believe you. Not sure why, it sounds like you have a good idea of how to grow plants. I keep mine in the center of my tank under good flow. It's in eco complete with root tabs and daily EI.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Maybe it had to do with being right next to the filter intake? Or it might be that it was converting to submerged growth? I took it out and floated it in my angel grow out tank, so I still have it, if there's anything you recommend trying. 

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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

Mattb126 said:


> I've always wondered about this. I had watersprite in my tank and could never grow it. Dose EI, medium lighting, excel. Never had more than algae covered water sprite that soon melts.
> 
> Any idea of why it's not growing for me?
> 
> Sent from my Moto Z using Tapatalk


Water sprite is a nutrient hog. If you can't grow watersprite, you probably don't have enough nitrate in your tank. Either get more dirt or fish poop.


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## Mattb126 (Nov 13, 2016)

Bananableps said:


> Water sprite is a nutrient hog. If you can't grow watersprite, you probably don't have enough nitrate in your tank. Either get more dirt or fish poop.


I dose full EI, 15 ML daily. My substrate is full of detritus, used to have 4 Oscars in my tank, same gravel. Clean the surface of the gravel once every other water change. 

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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

Mattb126 said:


> I dose full EI, 15 ML daily. My substrate is full of detritus, used to have 4 Oscars in my tank, same gravel. Clean the surface of the gravel once every other water change.
> 
> Sent from my Moto Z using Tapatalk


Bizarre. Post a thread about it so the community can discuss without derailing this thread further.


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## Mattb126 (Nov 13, 2016)

Bananableps said:


> Bizarre. Post a thread about it so the community can discuss without derailing this thread further.


Will tomorrow, not home right now so it would be inconvenient. 

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## Alyxandra (Feb 11, 2017)

I bought an Italian Val about two weeks ago and it's already going crazy. One little plant is now four plants and I think I MIGHT see a fifth poking up. They seem to be growing by an inch per day. I do have dirt under a sand cap with osmocote+ under the soil. That is one happy plant. I'll have to think about adding water sprite to my wish list. I have some java moss as well, and it's growing quite a bit, but has browned in a few spots. I'm thinking I might need to add liquid ferts. There's also an anubias, but I think the rhizome had gotten buried and it's not doing well.


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## Alyxandra (Feb 11, 2017)

Okay, if I want to upgrade the lighting on my 29 gallon tank, which of these do you think would work best for me?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm…
or
https://www.marineandreef.com/Aqueon_OptiBrigh…/res15721.htm
or
http://www.marineandreef.com/Lifegard_Aquatics…/rrl31591.htm

And would I need just one strip, or would two be better?

If you have something better to suggest, please feel free.


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