# No ferts, indestructible low-tech plants for a Fluval Spec V?



## Ritobasu (Aug 25, 2015)

Hello. Just wondering what sort of plants will do well in a stock Fluval Spec V lighting that's extremely low maintenance, as in minimal pruning and fertilization. This is going to be for an office betta tank, and I don't want my employees to be pained to take care of the plants too, since they already are almost too busy to do weekly water changes.

I've had some mild success with Anubias and Crypts, but the former would _still_ get some mild algae growth on leaves sometimes, and the latter had to deal with an inert substrate and all slowly melted except one. The anubias also mysteriously melted and rotted away, which I suspect was caused by introducing another dying anubias from a previous tank.

Right now, there's only some bits of Java Fern free floating on top of the substrate and a Marimo ball. I want to try something else more interesting, and I've contemplated doing something like this:

- Water Sprite (some rooted, some floating for the betta to rest in)
- Java Moss
- Some compact broad leafed plant, maybe Anubias again and pray it doesn't rot?

I'll be using some leftover Eco Complete and _maybe_ buy a root tab to make sure the rooted Water Sprite does fine, but I'll be leaving the tank to the communal care of my workers while I'm gone.


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## Carmex (Dec 1, 2014)

Marimo moss balls? Maybe? That's the lowest maintenance plant I can think of. Maybe some more anubias. I'm just wondering how it rotted. Did you plant it? Or tie it to something?


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## Naiad (Jun 20, 2014)

I had anubias in a dark bucket for weeks (forgot about it lol) and it survived (definitely not as pretty as when it went in though). The only way I can imagine an anubias would rot is if it's roots are under the substrate. Unless you maybe did introduce a plant disease with the second anubias?? Either way, I'd try one again, but tie it to a rock and it should be good.

Java moss would be good, too. Definitely will survive any condition. Make sure you tie it down well. About a month ago one of my cories got tangled in some moss that never attached to anything and died  Since then, my killer moss has been growing in a plastic sandwich bag behind one tank (ambient light) until I find use for it again. The point is that it has survived and even grown like that, so it should be difficult to kill.


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

Hello and welcome to TPT.

My anubias stays clean with the help of some ramshorns snails in a stock everything Spec V. Well, additional heater for the betta. 

Ludwigia from Petsmart also grows, but slowly, and drops the lowest leaves because it doesn't get enough light I suspect. I just trim down to the ground once the stems reach the top and replant the leafy top. The leafless bottoms are then camouflaged by the trimmed down newly planted tops. 

I waited until there was enough algae on the plant leaves before introducing the snails. Four of them in the tank and they're doing a good job. 

Marimo also does well. 
And spiky moss.
And wisteria. 
:smile2:


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## Maverick2015 (Aug 8, 2015)

I really like my water sprite. It seems pretty indestructible.


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## Ritobasu (Aug 25, 2015)

Carmex said:


> I'm just wondering how it rotted. Did you plant it? Or tie it to something?


An Anubias Nana and Frazeri were superglued by the rhizome to a piece of mopani wood. They were doing quite well aside from some very minor diatoms/GSA on the leaves (from stock lighting being left on for 8-10+ hours), but after I introduced another Anubias and java moss from a previous tank, everything crashed. The latter plants added were dipped in a bleach solution to kill any remaining camallanus worm parasites, and then left in heavily dechlorinated water for a few days.

A fine film of tufty fungus formed on everything, and then the Anubias and Java moss started to rot. Pretty much all the plants in the tank died except the Java Fern, the Marimo, and one tiny Crypt Tropica


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## Carmex (Dec 1, 2014)

I have no experience with superglue and plants. I use fishing line for my anubias nana. I also had a slight issue with algae from my lighting. I have a dual T5HO on my 29g. But I leave the lights on 12 hours a day, too. No excel or co2 of any kind.



The only thing I guess I would try would be to buy all new plants, but in those tubes like they sell at petco and PETsMART. Or find some other ones that are guaranteed disease/snail free.


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