# 29 Gallon Stocking: Plant Edition



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

So I have a regular 29 "high" tank: 30x12x18 with Finnex Fugeray Planted+ 7,000K white/red/blue lights on it which gives me at least medium lighting if not on the high side of medium. I'm looking for plants to stuff this thing with! Any ideas, comments or suggestions will be welcomed and considered! This is what the tank currently looks like, just the one piece of Manzanita branch in there, natural not sandblasted; not sure if that is okay or not since I haven't actually researched that part yet but I can take it out if need be.

I've gotten a filter in there since this picture and filled it up more as I'm cycling it.

I have FloraMax black substrate mixed in with PetCo black sand since it is nice and soft. I will also be dosing SeaChem Flourish, I've debated about liquid CO2 but I'm not really a fan of changing the entire environment parameters with CO2 and having to keep up with it, the keeping up with it part is fine but the plants shouldn't even need the extra CO2, I do plan on keeping fish in here so they should make enough CO2 for the tank. If I've missed anything for tank specs, let me know!

So Giant Hairgrass is definitely going in, http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral...Eleocharis-montevidensis-TALL-PLANT_p_82.html will be in the back right corner on the "hill" and probably framing around the outside edges of that side of the tank. 

Giant Hygro most likely in front of the Manzanita "stump" on the left side of the tank so that will fill in nicely http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral...-hygro-Temple-plant-NITRATE-BUSTER_p_111.html

I'm also wondering about this plant: http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral.com/Ludwigia-Glandulosa-Peruensis-COLORFUL_p_41.html I think I've seen it before, just never really actually looked at it before.

I think I may want some Water Wisteria in there to help control algae but I can keep them trimmed shorter to make a bushy effect 

I'm pretty sure I want HM in there as well either on the 'wall' I made and have it sort of creep down, I think that will eventually cover it but oh well, it will look nice. Or I can plant it in front of the wall to make like the "hedge" look http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral...DES-Baby-Tears-Pearl-grass-15-stems_p_22.html

I also find this plant interesting but I've found mixed reviews all over the place, anyone have any experience with it? http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral.com/Limnophila-aromatica-hippuroides-very-colorful_p_18.html


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## Kiara1125 (Feb 1, 2011)

I just typed a detailed response and the site just deleted it. AWESOME!!! *dies of rage*

Anyway, the branch is a focal point. Put the hygro and water wisteria in front of it to soften the hard point that the branch causes. It'll provide a nice look to the eyes. Put the hair grass onto the mound and maybe put some spiral val in with it for diversity. Have the HM in a mound front and center in the tank with something like Cryptocoryne wendtii 'tropica' in the center of the mound to create an accent.

All in all, I made a crappy drawing using the touchpad on my laptop to try and show you what I was thinking. The Limnophila aromatica looks nice, but I've never had it in a tank before. The Ludgwigia Glandulosa will require high light, so if you can keep it alive, then you can probably replace the crypt with it.

Excuse the lack of detail because now I'm just rage typing. I hope the picture will explain itself. xD And yes, my spiral vals are green pig tails. Be happy!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

lmao! Thanks for the pic, made my day ^_^

Yeah, I was planning on Giant Hygro in front of the driftwood there, wisteria I wasn't sure where it was going but most likely I will keep it short. There is lots of space behind the branches so I can extend the Hairgrass to there as well and possibly some HM under it as well or the Crypts. I was picturing the HM either right in front of the "wall" of slate I made there or on the top edge of it and have it creep down it kind of like the Flox plant if you know what that is, I could also make it grow in the front of the tank as well.

As for the plant selections, do you think they would all grow well in the tank or would some require too much light?

I'll be striking that golden Ludwigia, it's pretty but I don't think I have enough light to grow it, I could try it but I'm not sure I feel up to it lol.

As for the Limnophila, still waiting on people's experiences for that yet 

Thanks Kiara.


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## Kiara1125 (Feb 1, 2011)

You're welcome!

The lighting should be fine for all of the plants that have been listed. Maybe you should draw on your picture for what you think it might turn out to be. All in all, it really depends on actually looking at the plants and seeing things grow in. That's it ... we need photoshop to make this work. xD

Anyway, that actually sounds really nice. Mixing the HM with the hair grass should look nice. I can just imagine the HM sloping down the slate, though. That sounds like it would be interesting. Were you going to fill the entire mound with hair grass, or just have it as a wall? You could have it wrapping from the side of the tank onto the back wall and then sloping down towards the branch. Then, you can have the HM covering the mound and then sloping down the slate, trailing into some crypts or water wisteria.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh no worries, I've got this covered in Gimp! I've actually made a tank template for when I want to work out new plant stockings and whatnots, I just have to actually do it now XD I had meant to do basically what you did but with the real pictures and actually photo shopping them in which I'll probably do tomorrow if I have time or Monday during work.

For the hairgrass I was going for more of a wall with a decent corner in the back right filled with it but I think I'm going to rethink that. I'm wondering if my water wisteria would look better in that corner letting it grow out and then have the HM in front of the wall and wrapping around to the front of the tank.


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## Kiara1125 (Feb 1, 2011)

Not sure ... but I definitely can't wait for pictures! It's ought to be good.


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

I love Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides', I have it in a 10 gallon and a 6.6, I don't see why it wouldn't do well in your tank, esp with a planted+ light. I started with 1 small stem a few months ago and am growing it out slowly. It's jumped to the top of my favorite plants. Don't be afraid to grow it tall, clip it close to the substrate and then replant, toss the bottoms. Keeps it looking nicer that way as the bottom can get leggy, it splits and grows shoots pretty fast - which is nice.

HC is notoriously hard to grow without CO2, you might find http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral...rocotyle-sibthorpioides-Foreground_p_188.html a bit easier. This does well planted or floating. It's a wonderful little plant.

I want this plant SOOOO bad. In your tall tank, please, please, please get one. It's seriously one of the most beautiful plants I've seen. Our LFS store has one in their display tank and I drool over it every time I go. They got some in for the first time but were charging about 15.00 a plant so I didn't get one. http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral.com/CRINUM-CALAMISTRATUM-RARE-and-UNIQUE_p_65.html

Giant hygro gets well giant, it's hard to keep it looking great and short but a great alternative for it would be http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral.com/HYGROPHILA-CORYMBOSA-STRICTA-Compact-easy-plant_p_27.html looks the same but smaller leaves and doesn't grow quite as large. I have them both and they both look great but like the smaller version better.

Also vesuvius sword is awesome for a different curly look. http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral.com/Echinodorus-angustifolia-Vesuvius-NEWLY-available_p_64.html I tried corkscrew and spiral vals but this sword doesn't get as long as they do and has a better curl to it.

This is also one of my favorite non-traditional carpet plants - http://shop.plantedaquariumscentral.com/HETERANTHERA-ZOSTERIFOLIA-stargrass-10-stems_p_53.html I've clipped and replanted often for a nice section in my 40, this would look good in there.


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

Also keep in mind that alot of her plants are grown emersed, so some may melt when you plant them in the tank.


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## Kiara1125 (Feb 1, 2011)

One plant that I LOVE, but could never grow due to it's high light and CO2 requirements is Rotala macrandra. It's a gorgeous plant and I've never seen something so stunningly beautiful ... or red. xD


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah, I've purchased from her three times now ^_^ the plants have always done fantastically except for Alternanthera, of course I think that was just my water because I had gotten it from my LFS first and it melted like crazy and completely died off, stem and all in just a few day's after seemingly growing very well. It had done the same in my LFS and they were also quite puzzled at it too! Of course, they are fish guy's, not so much plant guys haha.

Oh....I thought Corymbosa WAS giant hygro or is it and Stricta is just the smaller version? I have Stricta in my tanks right now, it's a slow grower but growing vibrant green leaves regularly. 

I had given Dwarf Pennywort a look but I always thought that it was more of a bog plant and didn't like to be fully submerged or at least so deep in the water. Am I mistaken there?

I too had given the Crinum Calamistratu a look and was going to add it into the original post but I decided against it lol. If I were to get one or two, where do you think it would look best peachii?


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

Stricta is kind of like Kompacta so it stays small. The regular corybosa is the huge one that gets so big, leaves are about 5 to 6 inches long on the ones in our 46 gallon, gets way to big.

If it were me, I'd put a Crinum right in the middle of the tank and plant around it, make it my show piece plant of the entire tank and revolve all my planting around it to make it (or them) stand out.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Good to know, I didn't realize that they were two different variations. I'll get the Compacta/stricta then.

The only issue I have with the Crinum is that, and this is something else I frogot to mention that's pretty important to me at least lol, is that I want to have more of the V shape going on in the tank to give it more depth and interest rather than having it all just be big plants and then short ones in the front. I'll see if I can still work it in though.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

So I haven't gotten around to drawing out the tank, too busy with commissions and work.

I've been looking at this guy here: Crypt Undulata and I think that would be nice to have along with some Crypt Parva which I've had before, was in my 3 gallon NPT and is now in Isis's 5.5 and still growing beautifully! And probably will get some Crypt Wendtii Red because why not? lol

So I still want the Hygro Stricta Corymbosa in front of the driftwood stick for sure and probably something behind the stick as well, not Giant Hairgrass, perhaps some Wisteria just for some nice contrast and a fast growing plant? I figure most of the crypts will be up front and along the slate 'wall'. That leaves space for something on the hill and then something between the Giant Hygro and the Crypts. I will probably add the Limnophila Aromatica on the hill since it's nice and colorful, OR I could stuff it between the Giant Hygro and Crypts or I could switch that around with the water wisteria....any ideas? lol

I still have my 20 gallon long that I'll be scaping as well, it's divided into 5 sections but that's still 4 gallons each I get to scape!


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

you should add in Java moss on the stick to make it look like a tree. 8D 

that's all I got. LOL


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Lol! Thanks Tree XD I did do that once to a small Manzanita branch I had bought but I really hated it >.< I wouldn't mind if it actually grew but for some reason it hated that tank even though it was pretty close to the light source; then again, I was still fairly new at plants too. But I don't think the branch is rough enough for it to really find a good foot hold on it; it's pretty smooth. I do think I want to attach some small Java Fern Windlov variety though since I have toooonnnns of that in my 10 gallon! Those would grow well and I find that Java Ferns seem to have an easier time attaching to things over Java Moss.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

lilnaugrim said:


> Lol! Thanks Tree XD I did do that once to a small Manzanita branch I had bought but I really hated it >.< I wouldn't mind if it actually grew but for some reason it hated that tank even though it was pretty close to the light source; then again, I was still fairly new at plants too. But I don't think the branch is rough enough for it to really find a good foot hold on it; it's pretty smooth. I do think I want to attach some small Java Fern Windlov variety though since I have toooonnnns of that in my 10 gallon! Those would grow well and I find that Java Ferns seem to have an easier time attaching to things over Java Moss.



buahaha! well I bet I wouldn't like the fact that it will take so long to grow. and yeah I agree with the java moss not attaching to anything. XD 

I cannot wait until this tank of yours is finished. =D


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