# Plants for Hard Water



## MidNightCowBoy (Sep 2, 2008)

Hey guys and gals,

This is my first post, I've been reading quite a bit here. I've been keeping fish for about 20 years now but this is my first attempt at a true planted tank and it has not been going particularly well. I bought a used 75 gallon off a friend of mine. It came with a nice Coralife 4x65 watt fixture, I bought new bulbs right away 2x 10,000k and 2x6700k at the advice of my lfs guru. The tank also had plain inert gravel substrate and a small co2 system, the Turbo CO2 Bio system. I pulled about half of the gravel out and added 2 20 lb. bags of red sea flourite to the substrate. I know my CO2 system isn't quite sufficient for a 75 gallon tank and I might do a larger DIY system in the future, but right now I'm quite busy so I'm going to try to make my current setup work. 

I've been trying to purchase plants that are fairly low tech and don't require much in the way of CO2 injection. I think my problem now is that my water is a bit hard at a ph of 8. I don't use RO water, that might be an option in the future but not right now. I have some various cryps that are doing ok at best. I've tried some rosette plants that are also doing so so. I also have some java ferns which are attached to my 2 large pieces of driftwood. I'm also learning to combat my algae problem which I think I'm starting to figure out. 

I'll get to my point now! What I am hoping to find out from you guys is a list of plants that will do well in hard water. I've just been kind of picking and choosing to find plants that will actually thrive with my setup then I can actually buy a lot of them to get my tank planted as it should be.

Any help is appreciated! :flick:


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

Welcome aboard!

Hard water easy to grow plants? Hmmm first one that comes to mind is Vals. They love hard water. Amazon swords do pretty well in hard water also. But they get BIG FAST. Too big and fast for my liking.

But that aside I have had luck with most plants that I have tried and I have quite hard water here in Hell-A. But you know what? That's the best part of this hobby.... experimentation. Try some plants that you like. They just might take.

Best of luck!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Welcome to TPT! 

x2 on Swords and Vals. And there are lots of varieties of both of those, so lots of choices there.

Anubias, Najas guadalupensis (guppy grass), Hygros, Bacopa caroliniana, giganta, and colorata, Hydrocoytle leucocephala (Pennywort), Rotalas, Ludwigias are all some plants to try. Floating plants too, like Salvinia, Pistia, Red root floater...


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